Today marks International Women’s Day 2023, with this year’s theme #EmbraceEquity highlighting the importance of gender equity and true inclusion, acknowledging how people start from different places.
As Baseball Victoria joins fellow sporting organisations in celebrating #IWD2023, we want to reflect on the past 12 months of women’s baseball in Victoria, and the efforts our baseball community is making to further support women and girls in all areas of our great game.
Let’s take a closer look at the state of play for women’s baseball in Victoria.
Women’s Participation
Women’s participation numbers are on the rise, with 1,250 total female players across winter and summer in 2021/22, up from 1,024 in 2020/21.
This past winter, we had 636 female players (15% of total participants) and in the 2022/23 summer season, we had 788 female players (16% of total participants). Several clubs entered VSBL Women’s teams for the first time, including Alfredton and Mitchell Majors.
While growing women’s participation remains a top priority, we also acknowledge the amazing contributions of women volunteers who tirelessly support grassroots baseball and encourage others to join in the fun.
We had over 300 female volunteers registered across summer and winter this last year, with women filling valuable leadership roles on club committees and stepping up to the plate as coaches, scorers, groundskeepers and canteen volunteers, too.
Our 2022 Volunteer of the Year Award went to Tanneale Marshall, who was recognised for her outstanding dedication to junior baseball development at Blackburn Baseball Club.
Women’s High Performance
2022 was a big year for women’s baseball and 2023 is shaping up to be much the same, with Victorian players making the most of opportunities to represent on the national stage.
At the 2022 Australian Women’s Baseball Championship last April, Victoria went undefeated in the opening round before securing a silver medal finish. Victorian infielder Bronwyn Gell was named MVP, while outfielder Morgan Doty earned the batting title and Allie Bebbere received the pitching champion award at the first women’s nationals in three years.
At the same time, 14 Victorians were invited to attend the 2022 Australian Youth Women’s Baseball Invitational, where they participated in testing, training, workshops and games as part of a camp and competition format for rising female prospects from around the country. The invitational was modelled off Emeralds training camp, starting each day with specific skill workshops before modified gameplay in the afternoon to put what they learned into practice.
A few weeks later, Geelong Baseball Centre hosted the 2022 Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase from 5-8 May. The Victoria Aces had an 18-player roster loaded with a host of the sport’s biggest homegrown and international talent, lining up against the Adelaide Giants and Brisbane Bandits. After four action-packed days, the Aces were crowned showcase champions.
Later in the year, Victoria sent two teams to the inaugural Barclay Cup on the Gold Coast from 25 September - 1 October. This new national event for youth girls aged 13-16 was created by a combined group of state participation managers in honour of Jacinda Barclay, who sadly passed away in 2020.
The Vic Dingoes and Hornets had an amazing week learning and playing with their peers from around the country. Many of these players stepped up after taking part in the Blue and Grey BV Allstars all-girls teams at the U14 State Winter Championships in Bendigo.
In December, we had a strong turnout for Victorian Women’s State Team trials. 15 clubs were represented in one of our largest women’s tryout groups ever. It was great to see such strong interest from talented juniors, including many Barclay Cup representatives. We had an impressive turnout for the youth women’s tryouts in February, too.
With exciting growth in the youth women’s space and continued success at the women’s state level, the future looks bright for women’s baseball in Victoria. We look forward to many more opportunities for females of all ages in the future and are pleased to have the Australian Women’s Championship returning to Victoria next month.
Women & Girls Coaching Workshop
October’s Women & Girls Coaching Workshop was a big hit, bringing women’s coaches and players together for a valuable day of leadership development and on-field sessions. 35 representatives from 18 clubs came together at Melbourne Ballpark, learning how to better support women and girls through dedicated baseball coaching and training.
Made possible by the Change Our Game Community Activation Grants Program, the free workshop featured two special presentations from the Australian Institute of Sport, including an interactive session on building your personal coaching network with Michelle De Highden, High Performance Coach Development Senior Lead.
Olympian Katarina Paul and Paralympic Maria Strong were also on hand to discuss the importance of safe, inclusive environments for all athletes. BV High Performance Staff Damian Shanahan and Keli’i “Zee” Zablan led a baseball classroom session before hitting the field with 2022 Victorian Women’s State Team and Victoria Aces Head Coach Samantha Hamilton.
The practical session gave coaches fresh ideas to add to their toolbox for prehab, warm-up, throwing, hitting, fielding, pitching, catching, and base running. Morgan Doty and Abbey McLellan of the Victoria Aces and Australian Emeralds joined in the on-field fun, helping out with drills.
Baseball Victoria Board & Staff
Baseball Victoria continues to embrace diversity both on and off the field. Five out of nine Baseball Victoria Board Directors are female, while four out of nine office staff members are female.
To support the strategic direction, governance and leadership of women’s pathway initiatives, the BV Board established the Women’s Pathway Working Group (WPWG) last year.
This includes group members Amy McCann (Chair), Damian Shanahan, Samantha Hamilton, Abbey McLellan, Michael Wearne and Lea Squadrito, who advise and make recommendations to the CEO and Performance Pathway. The group’s focus is on governance, strategic alignment, and management of the Women’s Pathway Plan and strategic priorities.
Additionally, Baseball Victoria’s new strategic and operational plans prioritise the growth of participation and development opportunities for women and girls.
Celebrate International Women’s Day 2023
We invite our clubs, associations, and the wider baseball community to get involved in International Women’s Day and share stories of the women and girls who make our sport. Feel free to tag us!
Head to the official website of International Women’s Day or check out Change Our Game initiatives centred around this year’s theme of Cracking the Code: Innovation for a Gender Equal Future.