The WA Women's State Team is on a mission going into the 2022 Australian Women's Baseball Championship: make it back to finals after finishing second in 2019.
"The goal is to win the gold medal, and we have a team that can do it. We have a good blend of experience and youth, with Borgo leading the way on and off the field," assistant coach/EO Amanda Mirco said. Mirco joins Kurt Russell and Joe Borgomastro in supporting a talented women's roster as WA looks to follow up the silver-medal success of the last women's nationals before the pandemic sidelined the event for two years. "The team is excited to be back at nationals for the first time since 2019. It was good to get a practice at the field in yesterday," Mirco said. "Everyone is taking it all in and enjoying being away as a group and doing what comes with travelling as a team, from being on the buses, fines sessions, hanging out with each other as a group, even doing the laundry!" The coaches know how important having a tight-knit team is to their overall success on the national stage. "I think our strength is how well this team has bonded in such a short period of time. When we are away the team is a family and everyone has each other’s back. It’s seems to be a little more magnified this year, with not being able to travel the past two years, the team is really excited to be here and everyone has bought into our team philosophy and everyone wants that gold medal and do what is needed to get it," Mirco explained. As the WA team gears up for Friday's opening game against Victoria in a rematch of the 2019 grand final, the players and coaches are confident they have what it takes to go all the way. "Everyone we have selected has a role to play. In my 15+ years with the team, I have seen some of the most unlikely people step up in big situations, but have also seen the veterans remain steady and get it done when they have been bruised and bloodied. It is what makes nationals special," Mirco added. "We have a heap of supporters that are travelling over to watch, which is always great. And everyone loves to get messages of support from home, so keep it coming Perth." WA's opener against Victoria will be broadcast starting at 5:30 AWST on baseball.com.au/videos. View the full schedule, roster, and updates on the AWBC hub and click HERE to follow along with WA on GameChanger. Baseball Australia has announced the list of 37 players who will take part in the 2022 Australian Youth Women’s Baseball Invitational in West Beach, Adelaide from 16-20 April.
Congratulations to the five West Australians invited to the invitational:
WA representatives will join up-and-coming female players from around the country as they participate in a testing day, work closely with top coaches, attend a series of workshops, and play four games as part of the invitational. Baseball Australia performance pathways and player development general manager Michael Crooks said the invitational event was an exciting opportunity for the country’s rising female prospects to enjoy a high-quality experience. “The camp and competition format, rather than a state against state tournament, was found to be the best way forward following a review in 2020,” Crooks said. “Last year, aside from some players being unable to travel due to COVID restrictions, it was a huge success and achieved what we were striving for. Players gained significantly more time on field with a high-level of competition and were able to work closely with top coaches to develop their game further.” Sixteen invitees from last year will take part in the event. “There will be 37 talented players and nine coaches at the invitational but on top of that we’ll get to see a number of young players – including a stack of teenagers – make their mark in the open women’s tournament,” Crooks said. “It’s exciting for Australian baseball and points to a bright future for the Emeralds.” Nine coaches, including Emeralds manager Jason Pospishil, will oversee the invitational. The invitational will run alongside the 2022 Australian Women’s Baseball Championship from 15-21 April. Click HERE to view the full list of youth women's invitees. Baseball WA is looking forward to the 2022 Senior Baseball Club Championship from 9-13 April at Baseball Park, Thornlie.
The open-age, end-of-season tournament is supported by a $5,000 grant from the Road Safety Commission, which raises awareness of safe driving, especially for those driving long distances from regional to metropolitan WA and vice versa. The alcohol-free event will include Road Safety Commission signage, a player pledge, special umpire shirts, and a grand final livestream. There is also a Road Safety Quiz to help participants be more aware of fatigue and how to stay safe on the road. The quiz is available HERE, and everyone who drops a paper copy into the entry box at the ballpark during SBCC games will be in the running for one of three big prizes. “We are excited for the upcoming Senior Baseball Club Championship as we welcome teams across regional WA, State League, and Provincial League,” BWA Participation Manager David Hayes said. “We appreciate the Road Safety Commission’s support of his tournament and look forward to raising awareness of the warning signs of fatigue amongst our player base, which is typically young males aged up to 35 years plus regional members who travel long distances. We want everyone to stay safe on and off the diamond while also enjoying a fun, action-packed week of baseball.” Road Safety Event Grants aim to engage the community and promote important road safety messages. Learn more about the Road Safety Commission HERE and follow Baseball WA on Facebook for all the latest on the 2022 Senior Baseball Club Championship. |
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