There will be a fresh innings of softball in the Bundaberg Region as local teams join the new Coral Coast Softball association.
Stepping up to the plate is Brothers United Softball, Western Suburbs Softball, Bargara Softball and Waves Softball teams, who will swing into action for the upcoming season together from 9 October.
Western Suburbs Softball president Angela Rohdmann said the Bundaberg Region had one of the largest player bases in the state for a regional area.
Angela said softball had been played in the region through Bundaberg Softball Association for more than 50 years, and now there was enough players to warrant a second association.
“Brisbane has three or four different associations as it’s such a big area,” Angela said.
“Bundaberg, and the Wide Bay region, has one of the biggest amounts of people regionally playing softball outside of Brisbane, and we are really excited about that.
“We have had a really big boost of people re-joining and coming back to play softball as the Olympics have been on this year, and softball has been reinvolved, and although we (Australia) didn’t do as well as we thought we would, but we were still there, and we did win some games.”
She said by having both Coral Coast Softball association and Bundaberg Softball association in the region it offered more opportunity for players.
“We are becoming the bigger association in the fact that there are more teams and clubs,” she said.
“Having the two offers something different, we offer travelling, Bundaberg doesn’t travel anywhere and that’s just something unique that they have.”
Angela said the increase in the competition had seen representative players achieving state level, with some going a step further with success in the national squad selection.
“Our aim, from the outset, has been to create a family friendly competition where we could continue to develop our junior players to ensure the future of softball in our community, and give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the sport that we think is one of the greatest team sports for children and adults of all ages to enjoy,” she said.
Queensland Softball CEO Ross Symonds attended the official welcome to the new association in Bundaberg at the softball grounds on Faircloth Street to launch the 2021/22 softball season.
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