THE Alfredton Women\u2019s Baseball Club have made history recently, playing in round one of the newly formed Western Victorian Women\u2019s Baseball League.<\/p>\n
Alfredton\u2019s Eagles played the Surf Coast Sharks at Wallington Reserve on Sunday, 18 April, and will compete for approximately nine weeks.<\/p>\n
Twenty players between 20 and 60 years old are part of the team already, but Alfredton is hoping to grow their female participation further, currently running a recruitment drive to establish another side.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s development manager Marion Butler said everyone is welcome to have a go, whether they\u2019ve played before or not.<\/p>\n
Many Club members had never tried a sport as dynamic as baseball before they joined up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would so encourage women to try it. Everybody in the team is so happy to be there, and they just can\u2019t wait to play,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what age you are or what throw you have. We are so willing to quietly work with everyone one on one, give them pointers and ideas, help them in the battling tunnels… or throw ball after ball after ball to show them how they might catch it, pick it up or pitch it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly inclusive and a celebration. It\u2019s a caring community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Alfredton Women\u2019s Baseball Club has grown since their This Girl Can come-and-try event in early 2020.<\/p>\n
In January this year, the group relaunched ladies\u2019 training sessions with some old and new faces, freshening or establishing their basic skills.<\/p>\n
Alfredton coach Rick Trezise said that set the ball rolling, literally, and \u201ceverything started to click.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe women have come along and given the Club a whole new lease of life. It\u2019s a family orientated club because of the involvement of our women, who are just so passionate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir smiles and the way they\u2019re carrying themselves, especially at the practice matches, is just so exciting to be around.\u201d<\/p>\n