Baseball Victoria Umpire of the Year Casey Cooke was recognised with positive feedback for his umpiring last weekend.

Mick Barnes, coach of Mitchell Majors C Grade in MWBL, expressed his appreciation for Cooke’s professionalism in a high-pressure game.

“As a coach that was playing for a grand final spot, I believe that it was one of the best umpiring I have seen in a long time,” Barnes said. “Considering that the game went 9 innings in 4-3 game, there was a fair bit of pressure. I thought the umpiring was spot on and it’s a credit to Vic baseball and this gentleman. Well done.”

For Cooke, it feels great to receive such positive feedback.

“It means that the changes and efforts I’ve put into my behaviour and work ethic aren't going unnoticed, and that they're hopefully having a greater effect on the perception of myself and other umpires,” Cooke said.

With five full seasons of baseball umpiring under his belt, Cooke has learned a lot, from grassroots competitions to national tournaments. He credits the camaraderie and instruction from fellow umpires with helping his development and says the most enjoyable thing about umpiring is improving his skillset.

“Getting a deeper understanding of the rules, getting (hopefully) more accurate with the strike zone, and getting better at managing situations is something I find really rewarding,” Cooke explained.

Cooke, who was announced as the BV Umpire of the Year during May’s awards night presentation, is eager to continue crafting his skill.

“This summer I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work at a higher level, either within the season itself or at a national level,” Cooke said. “Having the award just means that there will be greater expectations on me, both personally and from teams.”

Cooke hopes to one day umpire internationally, but for now he’s happy to keep working hard and hopefully inspire more baseball enthusiasts to get involved behind the plate.

“It’s something anyone can do, and most of it is surprisingly easy. It keeps you involved in the game, just from a different angle,” Cooke said. “I'd encourage anyone who's keen to ask around their club or attend a training session and see how they like it.”

Registration is now open for BV Spring Training Baseball Camp over the September school holidays.

Open to players aged 10-12, this action-packed school holiday camp will be led by 2022 Melbourne Aces players Jon Kennedy and Tyler Luther-Wilson. These dedicated coaches will help players develop their baseball skills as they take part in fun games and activities.

"We're looking forward to awesome school holiday fun and can't wait for young baseballers to work alongside seasoned players and coaches to boost their skills and make new memories on the field," said Keli’i Zablan, BV Player & Coaching Pathway Officer. "It will be a great week at Malvern Baseball Club as players have fun and play heaps of games under the guidance of experienced coaches."

The two-day 12U camp will take place on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 September from 9am to 1pm at Malvern Baseball Club. Limited spots are available - learn more and register HERE today.

After several years of not being involved with School Sport Victoria, a partnership between BV and SSV has been confirmed for 2022/2023.

“I’m happy to announce that BV and SSV have signed a partnership agreement to provide additional benefits to our player pathway and development programs,” Baseball Victoria CEO Chet Gray said.

“After being involved with School Sport Championships in the past, we are excited to establish a stronger connection with SSV’s school baseball programs. Thank you to SSV for the opportunity to help more students discover their love of the game.”

Together, BV and SSV look forward to a bright future of development within the sport.

Summer baseball here we come!

Registration is now open for the 2022/23 VSBL season. If you’re a player, coach, or volunteer, please head to your club link to register.

If you need assistance, check out the SportsTG help sheets for members and clubs or contact the office.

Nick Parton is ready for the next step. The Baseball Victoria Aces Academy athlete and Victorian representative recently committed to Barton College for 2023 and is looking ahead to a bright future in his beloved sport.

From club ball with Malvern and North Balwyn to representative opportunities, Parton has made the most of his junior baseball career and knows the next move will be worth it.

“I am just most excited about getting over to play and try to develop as much as I can as a player in my time at Barton,” Parton said. “Of course, I also am looking forward to the whole college experience and what it will be like to live in Kansas.”

“The hardest thing about moving over will be saying goodbye to my family and close friends, as well as all my teammates and coaches from Malvern that I have played with my whole life.”

In preparation for his college career, Parton has been making sure he does something every day, whether that be skills or strength work. He strives to get in three lifting sessions a week on top of BV Academy training at Melbourne Ballpark with Damian Shanahan and Keli’i Zablan.

Even on days with no official training, he does his own tee work to get ready for game day. Sports and conditioning has spurred his development and confidence, too.

“Lifting has been the best thing that happened to me for my development in baseball. Since I started lifting two and a half years ago, I have made huge improvements to my game. The more I progressively gain strength, the faster and more powerful I have become on the field, on the mound, and in the box,” Parton said.

With hopes of playing baseball for as long as possible, Parton is inspired by fellow Aussies chasing big dreams.

“The Australian players I’d say I look up to are my teammates from Malvern who are playing pro ball at the moment, Jarryd Dale and Chris Burke,” Parton said.

He also has some parting words of wisdom for players who want to take their game to the next level.

“Just stay consistent with your training and lifting as baseball is a hard game and there are no short cuts. As Damian Shanahan always tells us, we need to just chip away  and do a little bit every day in order to develop.”

Baseball Victoria is excited to announce an upcoming Women & Girls Coaching Workshop made possible by the Change Our Game Community Activation Grants Program.

The free workshop is part of several new women and girls baseball initiatives and will take place on Sunday 9 October 2022 from 9:00am to 4:00pm at Melbourne Ballpark.

Baseball Victoria invites all appointed women’s coaches, or a key women's representative from each club, to attend the in-person workshop, which will include theoretical and practical sessions on coaching and training methods for women and girls with a focus on gender equity practices.

On-field practicals will cover throwing programs, hitting, base running, infield, outfield, pitching, and catching to ensure coaches have the skills and knowledge to enhance their on-field leadership.

The workshop will be led by dedicated coaches who share a passion for women’s baseball development, including Damian Shanahan, Keli’i “Zee” Zablan, and Samantha Hamilton.

“It’s fantastic to have such experienced coaches on hand to deliver the Women & Girls Coaching Workshop through Change Our Game,” Baseball Victoria CEO Chet Gray said. “This is an important step forward as we focus on women’s baseball development and continue our efforts to support safe and welcoming environments so women and girls can truly thrive in community sport.”

“We hope to see a strong turnout of coaches who take advantage of this exciting opportunity to further their skills to better support women and girls at all levels of the game.”

Coach Bios

• Samantha Hamilton – a member of the inaugural Australian team in 2001, Hamilton went on to contest five World Cups (2004-2012) winning silver in 2010 and the 2006 Stolen Bases Award. She also claimed 10 national crowns with Victoria (1999-2015). As a coach, Hamilton is the head coach of the Victorian Aces Women's Team and Doncaster Dragons Baseball Club's women's program.
• Damian Shanahan – as Baseball Victoria High Performance Officer, Shanahan has decades of coaching and talent development experience at the state level. He’s overseen the Victorian State Team program and development pathway for many years, coaching and mentoring athletes through academy programs, representative teams, and beyond.
• Keli’i “Zee” Zablan – a long-time player originally from Hawaii, Zablan followed his baseball passions to the college and ABL level. He’s spent many seasons with Melbourne Aces and Geelong Baycats before joining the BV team as Player & Coaching Pathway Officer, lending his expertise to support development programs and promote coach education.

The Women & Girls Coaching Workshop is free for participants and morning tea will be provided. Interested coaches and women's representatives can register HERE.

Marcus Graham has made the most of his opportunities as a junior player, from the National Showcase Series to Australian Youth Championships with the Victorian State Team.

Now, the Baseball Victoria Aces Academy alum is taking on his biggest move yet: NJCAA Division 1 baseball at Arizona Western College in Yuma.

Moving to the desert will be a big change for Graham, but one he’s spent a long time preparing for during summer and winter baseball seasons with Berwick City and Dandenong.

“Much of my preparation has predictably been spent on the field, track and gym, largely conditioning myself so that I can hit the ground running as soon as I get to Arizona,” Graham said. “However, I would say that the most valuable aspect of my preparation came from before I knew I wanted to go to college and that is the training habits I developed at 11 or 12 when I had an insatiable desire to improve which has continued through to now.”

“In order to be successful in baseball, I knew that I had to fundamentally change my perspective on how I train and play. Specifically moving away from perfection and allowing myself permission to fail in order to move beyond the scope of my perceived limitations. This has certainly helped me more than any set of sprints or gym session ever could.”

Feeling physically and mentally strong, Graham is excited to play at least three games a week and push his baseball abilities to the next level. He knows he will miss family and the comforts of home, but he’s up for the challenge.

Graham is keeping advice from the BV High Performance Team in mind to prepare for college competition and hopes to inspire other young baseballers to follow their dreams.

“Damian Shanahan said that the game sets the standard,” Graham recalled. “So for players that aspire to play at a higher level, including myself, we have to hold ourselves accountable and train and play at the standard of the higher level we are aspiring for."

"Playing baseball requires discipline and tenacity. Each level of play will demand of its players a different level of discipline and hold its players to a different set of standards.”

Read more from Victorian college players HERE.