National Showcase Series – Victoria Opens with Data Collection, Tournament Play

The 2021 National Showcase Series – Victoria started this week with 80 athletes in the U16 and U18 age groups taking to the field for an exciting high performance experience.

The National Showcase Series – Victoria replaces the cancelled 2021 Australian Youth Championship and offers development opportunities including skills showcasing and tournament play.

Data collection took place on Tuesday and Wednesday before the first games on Thursday, with the tournament continuing over the weekend through to next Wednesday, 13 January 2021. Following these state events, the Under 16 and 18 National Junior Squads will be selected from participating players.

Baseball Victoria has updated the schedule for Monday, 11 January 2021 - due to the predicted extreme heat the schedule has been updated to remove the double header game and start the first game earlier, and last game later: REVISED SCHEDULE - Monday, 11 January 2021 U/16 - 9am Start U/18 - 7pm Start The second game for the U/18 group has been moved to Wednesday, 13 January REVISED SCHEDULE - Wednesday, 13 January 2021 U/16 - 11am Start U/18 - 4pm and 6:30pm Double Header

Talent Development Manager Damian Shanahan is pleased with the players’ hard work and performance thus far.

“Our U16 and U18 athletes are making the most of this opportunity. This week we gathered valuable data and in-game information,” Shanahan said. “This data collection is standardised across these national events and may be used for future team selection and scouting purposes. Players will continue to showcase their skills throughout the tournament as they prepare for the next stages of their baseball careers.”

Michael Crooks, General Manager – Performance Pathways & Player Development at Baseball Australia, is pleased to see the success of Victoria’s event as well as showcases in other states.

“It’s great to see these athletes making the most of the showcase,” Crooks said. “Although this is a new format compared to AYCs in previous years, there is a lot of potential for player development and growth, and we look forward to the rest of the showcase and a bright future for our high performance players at both a state and national level.”

For more details on the National Showcase Series – Victoria and to follow along with the games on GameChanger, click HERE.