Ball club celebrates sixty years

BENDIGO East Baseball Club are determined to make their sixtieth year a memorable one, even if it is marred by another COVID-19 lockdown.

The club of about 40 seniors and 20 juniors would usually be found training at Ken Wust Oval in Quarry Hill and were set to take on season finals this weekend and next.

But even with those games now on hold, the BEBC are working to increase membership and bolster Bendigo’s baseball scene to support new competitions in the near future.

“We’re looking at regrowing the juniors,” said president Trent Anglin. “It did drop down considerably a couple of years ago and it’s just starting to rejuvenate again now.

“Another part that we’re really pushing at the moment is trying to recruit female players back into baseball as well.

“The Bendigo Baseball Association actually have a plan in place to, within the next couple of years, try and have a female competition back up and running as they used to do.”

Up to eight women train with the club, with a few currently playing in a mixed competition, but Anglin said recruitment into all levels of the sport can be “very difficult” because of more popular options like football, basketball and soccer.

Anglin picked up baseball 11 years ago and said the club’s collective nature was what made the sport so enjoyable.

“The drawcard was the social aspect of it. Our club is very well known for its family values and the social atmosphere.

“It’s great fun as well,” he said. “It’s a really good team sport, everyone gets involved.

“We’re always looking for new people even if they don’t want to be involved as a player to come and learn the umpiring side of it.

“There’s always background volunteer work that goes with it as well, there’s team management roles, we’re going to be looking for a new head coach next year as well so we can look externally as well as internally for that.”

For more information, visit bendigoeastbaseball.com or search Bendigo East Baseball Club on Facebook and Instagram.