March 8th is International Women’s Day, and Baseball Victoria is getting involved by celebrating women’s baseball and showcasing some of the finest female teams in Victorian baseball.
Cheltenham Rustlers Baseball Club has stepped up to the plate to host Women’s Super Saturday on March 9th, where three thrilling Grand Finals will take place.
This spectacular display of talented and dedicated women’s baseball players will begin with the Women’s Division 3 game at 10am as Wheelers Hill takes on Doncaster/Melbourne, followed by the Division 2 game at 1pm between Springvale and Doncaster.
Women’s Division 1 will round out the day as Springvale chases a seventh-straight premiership against Essendon, with the first pitch at 3:30pm. Super Saturday is the perfect opportunity to see some of Victoria’s best women’s players take the field as they aim for Grand Final glory. The Cheltenham baseball community is excited about hosting the event, and they’re looking forward to the big day.
“Cheltenham Rustlers is extremely supportive of women's baseball and the Club is proud to have been selected by Baseball Victoria to host the Women's Super Saturday event,” said Denise Healy, Cheltenham Club Secretary. “It's a great initiative to have all of the women's grand finals on the one day at the one location so we can collectively support and celebrate the teams and the competition as a whole.”
Supporters and spectators are encouraged to come down, as they’ll get to watch quality, competitive baseball while enjoying a lively atmosphere with music, delicious food, drinks and even a special coffee station.
By creating a successful event, Denise and the rest of the Cheltenham Rustlers hope to do their part in supporting the success of women’s baseball, both now and in the future. “Women’s baseball is really important. It is not acceptable for sport to be exclusive to men’s competitions only – those days should be long gone,” Denise said. “We need to be supportive and encouraging women of all ages to participate in a welcoming and friendly sporting environment.”
A player herself, Denise believes it’s important to establish a safe and welcoming culture that combines sport with community and friendship. “It’s about women having the avenue to pursue their own interests, and encouraging each other to take time out from their routines and busy lives to enjoy a few hours of fun each week,” Denise said.
Ultimately, seeing the local community come out to support women’s baseball is fantastic, especially for a grass-roots, community driven club like Cheltenham. “We’ve always been focused on serving the people living within our community, and being involved in Baseball Victoria’s women’s competition for the past few years has allowed our club to better serve that purpose,” Denise said. “Cheltenham has a long and proud history of having strong junior and men’s senior divisions and we have now added to that to create a much more rounded, and I believe, balanced community sporting club.”
Although Cheltenham’s Women’s Division 3 team lost in the preliminary finals after finishing in the top four, the club is still eager to turn out and watch some familiar faces play for premiership flags. It’s all part of the Victorian baseball community’s efforts to continue growing women’s baseball, and ensuring there are ample opportunities for women to get involved in our beloved game.
“I certainly hope that we can continue to develop the competition, not only in Melbourne but throughout the broader Victorian community,” Denise said. “My mantra is, you’re never too old (or young) to give it a go!”
If you want to head down and support Women’s Super Saturday, games will begin at 10am at Cheltenham Baseball Club, located at Kingston Heath Reserve on Farm Road.