WA Country Little League is seeking expressions of interest from people interested in serving as head coach or executive officer for any of the teams competing in this year's championship tournament pathway.
WA Country hopes to field teams in all four age divisions in 2022 and now needs to fill key positions in time to conduct tryouts scheduled for January. These age divisions are as follows (note that ages are as at 31 August 2022):
The hope is there is sufficient interest across regional WA to fill the four squads that will compete in the state championship tournaments in April 2022. To be eligible, team personnel must be:
Expressions of interest will be taken up until 31 October 2021 HERE. All players are advised that two tryouts have been scheduled, one at Empire Ballpark, Thornlie on 15-16 January 2022 and the other at Marie Marland Reserve, South Hedland 28-30 January 2022. A registration portal for these will be advised closer to the event. Women’s Super League (WSL) coaches will conduct pre-season training for any female players wishing to take part in the upcoming season.
This will be a high level coaching experience that female players of all ages and abilities should take advantage of. Players can register their interest in the pre-season training HERE. There are four Saturday sessions planned, including:
The sessions on 18 and 25 September will double up as WSL tryouts. As a reminder, WSL registrations close Wednesday 15 September 2021. Click HERE to read more about this performance/participation competition for female baseball players and register today. WA Government funding through KidSport is available to cover fees for the 2021/22 season.
KidSport enables eligible children aged 5 to 18 to participate in community sport and recreation by offering them financial assistance towards club registration fees. Over $90,000 in vouchers was provided to tee-ballers and junior baseballers in the last financial year, and this year, the WA Government doubled KidSport vouchers, allowing eligible families to apply for two $150 vouchers. KidSport can be applied for online and applications are assessed within 10 business days. If an application is approved, parents will receive a unique code via email, which needs to be provided to the club so that the approved amount can be deducted from the registration fees. Click HERE to learn more about the program and the application criteria. Baseball WA’s Diamond League will include greater baseball opportunities for players aged 17 years and older in 2022.
Diamond League will cater to players transitioning from the Little League pathway to senior baseball, with a focus on keeping players engaged and helping athletes further develop their skills. Additional opportunities will provide these players with more game time against quality opposition, opening up the path to national and international events. From 2022, Baseball WA will offer pathway programs for three additional age divisions under the Diamond League banner being:
All three division champions will progress to additional national and/or international tournaments subject to COVID-19 and other travel restrictions. These changes were influenced by clubs and associations who provided valuable feedback for moving the proposed Older Aged Pathways programs to the next level. Based on the feedback, all three proposed age divisions will be offered with six weekend carnivals to be held across April, May, and June commencing in 2022. “We are excited to offer more opportunities for players aged 17 and up. It’s important for us to retain these players and give them the resources they need to continue growing in their sport,” David Hayes, Baseball WA Participation Program Manager, said. “We look forward to this new format for Older Aged Pathways in 2022 and further expanding opportunities in the future.” The new pathways will be administered by a core group of General Managers and we are seeking to fill these positions with immediate effect. To register your interest in a GM role, please click HERE. Team Australia has named a U-18 squad on the back of last week’s cancellation of its would-have-been final selection camp due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A 38-player squad has been named, with five players from Western Australia making the cut. Congratulations to Dylan Bojarski (Swan Districts), Caleb Goodwin (South Perth), Flynn McGahan (Braves), Tyson Noel (Swan Districts), and Maddux Stivey (Swan Districts). WA's Andy Kyle is also the team manager. View the full squad list HERE. The final selection camp had been slated for later this year despite Team Australia withdrawing from the 2021 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Florida in June due health risks and logistical challenges. Baseball Australia performance pathways and player development general manager Michael Crooks said naming a team was right to do and acknowledged the hard work of the athletes. “Irrespective of whether the World Cup was to go ahead or not, it is of great importance that we recognise the hard work and commitment these young men over the course of the last 18 months,” he said. “By continuing their commitment to Team Australia and their own long-term development under very trying circumstances, they will see the rewards once we get to take on the world once again.” The World Cup has been pushed back to 2022 since Team Australia revealed it would not participate. “We are hoping that the WBSC extends the opportunity for this age group for next year, making this an under-19 World Cup,” Crooks said. “This will give our players yet another year of development under the excellent program leadership we are seeing from the state association delivered programs, and the hard work these players have put in will pay off.” While the final selection camp and World Cup will not go ahead this year Baseball Australia is still working closely with the players on their development and future opportunities. National player development manager Andrew Riddell said it was an exciting time in the journey of the young group and several had already committed to colleges while others were close to doing so. “The program for this group does not end with their selection, we will continue to work with the players in the squad to help them progress to collegiate programs,” Riddell said. The team named consists of all players invited to the final selection camp. |
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