On behalf of the Baseball Victoria Board, management and the Victorian Baseball community, I would like to congratulate the Southern Mariners on qualifying for the 2016 Senior League World Series.
This is a fantastic achievement of which the players, coaches, parents and the whole Victorian Baseball community should be proud.
To make it to the World Series, the Mariners have had the daunting task of winning three tournaments - the State Championships, the National Championships and now the Asian Pacific Championships. The players are to be commended on the way they have adapted to at times uncompromising conditions.
The Southern Mariners are the first Australian charter team to make it through to the Senior League World Series and the first Victoria team to make it through to a World Series in all of the Little League Divisions.
It was fantastic to see the Victoria Baseball community as well as the Australian baseball community get behind and support the Southern Mariners over the last few days.
Congratulations to the coaches, Russell Ferguson, Brendan Wilson and Rick Wills and all the players on a fantastic achievement. I would also like to make special mention of head coach Jack Larner who was unable to make it to the Philippines due to health reasons but has played a huge part in the success of the team.
It would be remiss of me not to also congratulate the Mariners Charter committee, the clubs involved in the Charter and John Carlile (Charter Development Coach). In the past 24 months and especially the last 12 months, the sport in Victoria has gone through a significant change which has involved establishing and bedding down the formal charter structure. The hard work put in by all involved with the Mariners Charter committee has played a part in this success. At the same time the hard work put in by everyone involved in all charters has played a role in contributing to this success.
The Senior League World Series will take place in Maine USA, from 31 July - 6 August 2016. We look forward to watching the Southern Mariners in the next phase of this incredible journey.
Ashley Blair, General Manager
Baseball Victoria