1996 - 97
Annual Report to VSA
Annual Report to VSA for 1996/1997 Season
WELLINGTON SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION INC.
The 1996-97 season began with a decision at the Annual General Meeting to change our name from "Sale Softball Association" to "Wellington Softball Association". The aim is to get away from the "them against us" single town mentality that tends to be instilled in country towns, to one that encompasses the whole region. This will not only be a benefit to our own Association but to Softball generally. With a lot of hard work and encouragement from the Members and Committee we will hopefully attract new members from outside Sale, the largest town in the Shire of Wellington.
The Association has been extremely fortunate in obtaining a $60,000 grant from the Shire of Wellington and another $40,000 grant from the Department of Youth Sport and Recreation. The grants are to go towards Clubrooms that will be shared with Sale Baseball Club and Longford Cricket Club. All three Clubs are supporting the project,(which will be completed before the start of the next season), with a large amount of hard earned and borrowed funds. Unfortunately all hopes of adding to these funds from canteen sales were dashed after the canteen was broken into three times during the season. With all the stock being stolen, plus the added cost of repairing the damage the canteen made a massive loss. A small grant of $200 was also obtained from East Gippsland Sports Assembly, those funds being used to purchase protective gear for our Junior Umpires.
Wellington has thirteen registered Mixed TeeBall teams along with four 13 Years and Under, Mixed Softball teams that play of Saturday mornings. The numbers are less than we have had in previous years due to a resurgence of junior cricket and tennis in our area. Saturday afternoons see four Open Women's teams take the diamonds for a two time slot competition. Ten Open Mixed teams play a twilight competition on a Tuesday evening, these games are played in good spirit, but none the less are competitive and lots of fun. This season the nine batter rule was introduced for Open Mixed only, thus eliminating the huge differences in scores. Games commence at 5.45pm and last for 90 minutes with well attended barbecues to round off the evening. Each team is expected to help with the umpiring each evening. Umpires for the finals were provided by the Baimsdale Association and Sale Baseball Club.
The Gippsland Regional Championships are an important part of our Softball season. Each of the four Associations host one age group Championship, as close as possible to the appropriate State Championship. This season West Gippsland defeated Wellington in the U13 and U16 Boys, while the Wellington Girls were victorious over Bairnsdale in both the U13 and U16 division. The U19 tournament was cancelled due to the lack of teams from any of our Associations. The Open Women's division was a close tussle between Baimsdale and the eventual winners, the Latrobe Valley. The Bessie Frood Memorial Trophy hosted by the Latrobe Valley Association saw Wellington's "Squaws" defeat Baimsdale's "Rebels" to win this annual contest between the "Premiership" Open Women's Team from each of the Gippsland Associations Wellington entered both boys and girls teams for the U16 Championship at Waverley and the U13 Championship at Horsham with the boys being runners up to Knox in "B" Grade and the girls team defeating Berwick Casey to bring home the "C" Grade State Champion trophy.
Our Association Presentation Evening was held after the Open Mixed Grand Finals. Trophies were awarded to the Winners and Runners Up of each competition. Open Mixed "A" Grade was won by "Blue Jays" who defeated 'TNT while "Maybes" defeated "Condors" to take our "B" Grade. In the Open Women's competition "Squaws" defeated "Sporting Legends". A formal presentation was made to the Members of the Association of the U13 Girls "C" Grade State Championship Trophy, U13 and U16 Girls Gippsland Regional Shields, the U13 Boys State "B" Grade Runners Up Pennant and the Bessie Frood Memorial Trophy.Junior Presentation was held after the Junior Softball Grand Final which was played during a Round Robin Tournament and sausage sizzle for all the Teeballers. The 13 Years and Under Premiers, "Shots" and Runners Up "Gladiators" were presented with trophies and team photos, while teeballers received team photos. Our U13 Girls Representative Team Players and Officials receive trophies for the magnificent effort at the Gippsland and State Championships.
We are now looking forward to the 1997-98 playing season. In particular, Wellington being host Association to all the Players, Umpires and Officials coming to Sale for the 1998, U19 State Softball Championships.
Russell
Booth Bev Beard
President Secretary.
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Season Summary
Wellington Softball Association Inc.
Season 1996 / 97
Grounds Rotary Reserve
Committee
President Russell Booth
Vice President Ross Game
Secretary Bev Beard
Championship Secretary Tina Johnston
Treasurer Leanne Heywood (resigned), Wanda Shingles
Assistant Treasurer Debbie Blackall
Registrar Barb Henderson
Property Officer Leanne Heywood
Publicity Officer Ross Game / Peter Sears
Grounds Manager Bruce Garner
Umpires Committee Bev Beard, Leanne Heywood, James Booth
Social Committee Kim Falls, Shane Whykes, Danieka Webster
Registration 302 members (T-ball 120, Juniors 70, Senior 105, Other 7)
Teams
Prep, Grade 1 & 2 T-Ball
Araluen
Guthridge 1
Guthridge 2
St Thomas
545
STAGGS
Grade 3 & 4 T-Ball
545
Guthridge
Hot Shots
STAAGS
Grade 5 & 6 Mod Ball
545
Slingshots
Guthridge
Softball (as below)
Final Ladders
Open Women
Squaws
Legends
Shots
Pink Panthers
Open Mixed Twilight
Blue Jays
Isotopes
Ringins
Black Magic
TNT
Condors
Maybes
Black Ducks
Panthers
Dads Army
Junior Softball
STAAGS
Gladiators
Shots
545 Redbacks
Finals
Open Women Squaws d Sporting Legends 29-5
Open Mixed Twilight A Blue Jays d TNT 28-5
Open Mixed Twilight
B Maybes d Condors 21-5
Junior
Softball Shots d Gladiators 14-7
Regional Championships
U13 Girls Won
defeated Bairnsdale at Drouin
U13 Boys Runners
up to West Gippsland at Drouin
U16 Girls Won
defeated Bairnsdale at Sale
U16 Boys Runners
up to West Gippsland at Sale
Open Women Finished 3rd
Bessie Frood Memorial Trophy Squaws (Wellington) d Rebels (Bairns)
State Championships
U13 Girls Won C Grade (1st / 5) defeating Berwick 4-0 in the final at Horsham
U13 Boys Runners up B Grade (2nd / 7) to Knox 5-8 at Horsham
U16 Girls B Grade finished 5th / 6 at Waverley
U16 Boys B Grade finished 3rd / 4 at Waverley
U19 Girls Not entered
U19 Boys Not entered
Open Women Not entered
Open Men Not entered
Masters Gippy
Girls Won at inaugural Victorian Masters
Championships held at Melbourne Ballpark, Altona
Season Highlights
Association name change to Wellington Softball Association Inc. approved at August 1996 A.G.M
Second storey extension to Stephenson Park Pavilion has been given official approval to proceed with a $60,000 grant from Wellington Shire and a $40,000 grant from Dept of Youth Sport & Recreation A small shortfall in funding for the Stephenson Park Joint Clubroom was generously provided by the following loan contributors -
Debbie Blackall, Kim & Lindsay Falls, Ross Game, Bruce & Robyn Garner, Tina & Russell Johnston, David & Frances Mc Grath, John & Wendy Morgan, Trevor & Liz Watt, Leonie & George Wilson, Russell & Helene Booth.
Association to host 1998 U19 State Championships in January 1998.
Championship Committee - Russell Booth, Ross Game, Jenny Duck, Bruce Garner, Tina Johnston, Debbie Blackall, James Booth & Joe Field
Presentation made to U13 Girls who won both the Regional and Victorian State Championships, coached by Bev Beard.
U13 boys runners up in Regional and Victorian State Championships, coached by Russell Booth.
Wellington team Squaws won the Bessie Frood Memorial trophy.
Gippy Girls Masters team formed, comprising of ladies over 35 from Sale, Bairnsdale & Traralgon. The team won at the inaugural Victorian Championships
All junior players playing in Saturday morning competitions to receive medallions
Open Mixed Twilight competition to play 9th batter rule, with games to last 90 min.
Fundraising - Bingo night at Sale Greyhounds, Garage sales
A motion to change the Constitution which would allow the Association to disaffiliate from the Victorian Softball Association if so desired, was defeated at a special meeting in September 1997
Updated bylaws passed at AGM
Development squad members - U13 Jessica Chomley, Naomi Campbell, Jessica Bailey, Marita Davies, Sharelle James.
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