2000 / 2001 Season Report to VSA May Assembly

Once again this season saw a decline in membership with the realisation that the current committee had to work hard not only to hold the current group of junior and senior players but also strive to create interest in our sport for what seems to be a dwindling supply of potential participants.

Three junior competitions were played on a Saturday morning. Prep, Grade 1 & 2 T-Ball competition involved five teams playing fun games only, namely there are no official scores or ladders. Participation is the main emphasis, with all players receiving a participation medallion at the end of the season.

Grade 3 & 4 T-Ball was disappointing with only three teams entered and the situation being made worse with the withdrawal of one team three quarters of the way through the season. Quite a number of players from last season graduated to junior softball and unfortunately were not replaced due to the young ages of those playing t-ball for the first time in the previous season. This trend should be reversed next season. The grand final was won by the Grammar team, who dominated all season by not losing a game, over Pokemon 545 the final score being 28-6.

It was encouraging to see the return of our junior softball competition, with four teams playing in an U14 competition. In a reasonably even competition the victorious team, Guthridge Sloggers, was a new team with a number of players who had never played the game before. Just shows what can be achieved with a bit of raw talent and a coach with a real passion for the game. Final score Sloggers defeating Grammar 16-10. The change to a under 14 format was a positive move to hang on to those juniors for one more year at a junior level.

Our Open Mixed Twilight competition played Tuesday evenings, now in its thirteenth season, had only five teams entered (down from six last season). To overcome the bye, a double header played under lights was organised so that every team played on the night. This third game provided a good opportunity to run a BBQ and use our clubrooms to foster a good social atmosphere to encourage players from the earlier games to stay behind and watch the later game. Due to concerns over the rise in fees, players were given the option of playing under slowpitch rules for a cheaper fee. This was to be trialed over three rounds, but was given the thumbs down after only one round, with the majority of players wanting to play fastpitch rules and so reluctantly agreeing to pay the higher fee. After a 15 game season, the grand final saw Blue Jays victorious over Nads 10-4. Blue Jays have a remarkable record of playing in 11 grand finals over the past 12 seasons and winning 9 of them.

In regard to State Championships, I would like to thank Bev Beard and Leanne Heywood for taking on the important task of coaching the U14 boys and girls teams respectively. Although the final results were not what we had hoped for, it was indeed a worthwhile learning experience for all those players involved and hopefully the hard work put in will pay dividends in upcoming championships. Young Matthew Rutter showed promise as a novice umpire at these championships.

Unfortunately the committee agreed not to submit for the hosting of the 2001/2002 Under 19 State Championships due to our falling membership (especially at secondary school level) resulting in the possibility of not being able to enter a team in the year prior and in the year of hosting. To successfully host a state championship would severely be put in doubt if we could not field a team(s), due mainly to the lack of volunteer helpers (namely the players parents) needed to run such a major event.

A combined Sale and Bairnsdale team Gippy Girls played exceptionally well at the Victoria Masters Championships over the June long weekend to finish with a silver medal. In B grade the team won all of their preliminary games while narrowly being defeated 5-8 in the final. The team is looking to go one step further at the next championships.

Next season the association is hoping to revive our Saturday afternoon Open Women's competition by combining with the Bairnsdale association to provide a social competition for all interested women and teenagers too old for the U14 competition, with the hope of maybe even their mothers being talked into having a social game.

In relation to the Stephenson Park Joint Clubrooms our associations fight for the right to manage and control the upstairs pavilion (our clubrooms) continues. Wellington Shire Council have given authority under Section 86 of the Local Government Act for the establishment of a Stephenson Park Advisory Committee to make recommendations to council on the best use of the whole recreational area, comprising of Stephenson Park, Rotary Reserve as well as the area used by Sale tennis and croquet clubs. This committee will comprise of one member from each user group of the area (nine in total), along with two community representatives. A councillor would be chairperson of each meeting and hopefully a council officer would also be present, thus providing us with a direct link to council.

The three user groups who made financial contributions to the upstairs pavilion, namely softball, baseball and cricket, feel that the formation of an advisory committee is a positive step forward in realising our objectives. We feel that this is a stepping stone in the process of recommending and implementing an incorporated body to manage the upstairs pavilion (our clubrooms).

The incorporated management body would comprise of one or two representatives from each of the three user groups, as well as one or two community representatives. Once this body is in a position of control, the emphasis will be on making the upstairs pavilion resemble clubrooms and a shared home for Wellington Softball Association, which is the main reason why we contributed to the project in the first place.

Our association was the only affiliated association in Victoria to be involved in the Active Australia Softball Fun Day activities held in November. A big thank you to Australian pitcher Kris Keifel for making his time available in running a much needed junior softball clinic on the Saturday morning. To have 25 juniors attending on the same morning as the Sale Show speaks for itself as to the keenness of the participates and the need for proper junior development and training in rural areas.

Congratulations to Barb Henderson and Bev Beard on becoming Level 2 scorers

Our thanks to Castles Mitre 10 for their sponsorship in supplying consumables and materials for our clubrooms and grounds.

In finishing I would like to thank our small but dedicated committee for all their tireless efforts in ensuring everything ran as smoothly as possible over the past season.

Ross Game

Secretary

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