Page 641 - Week 02 - Thursday, 14 February 2013
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Carnival at the Hawker International Softball Centre. I would like to congratulate Softball ACT for conducting an excellent event yet again.
The Softball ACT Australia Day Carnival is the biggest junior softball championship in Australasia, and this year saw 64 teams in action, playing over 350 games of softball over three days. Over 840 players, ranging from under-12s to under-19s, came to Canberra for this annual event. The event always attracts many people to Canberra, with many families and officials accompanying the visiting teams. I am told that about 2,000 people visited our city through this tournament this year. The Hawker International Softball Centre was abuzz, and the team at Softball ACT were actively promoting the various tourist attractions, especially making people aware of our centenary year.
I attended this event in a dual capacity as shadow sport minister and as a crowd spectator, joining my visiting niece Anna Kelly and her family from Sydney as they supported young Tyler Kelly as he turned out for the Seven Hills under-13 Scorpions. They were just one of the hundreds of family groups from all over Australia. Friendships were made and I know firsthand how enthusiastic they were about seeing Canberra in a different light.
My congratulations go to Softball ACT, CEO Matt Morrisey and the board of Softball ACT for continuing the great work they do with this tournament. I understand that the 2014 Australia Day carnival will see upwards of 70 teams competing, which again will be a great result for Softball ACT but also will assist ACT tourism.
Softball ACT are working to ensure that they have a sport that is accessible for people of all ages and abilities. After participating in the one-day expo at Albert Hall in December 2012, Softball ACT were able to field a team of disabled athletes to participate in the inaugural disability softball challenge on 8 December in the lead-up to the open men’s grand final match. I am proud of the efforts that Softball ACT and other teams make in all of these areas where they bring in all sections of our community and give them the opportunity to participate. I understand that Softball ACT is hoping to start up a social slow pitch competition aimed at staff of ACT government directorates with an emphasis on having fun and promoting a healthy work-life balance.
The open women’s ACT Diamonds were unlucky not to secure a grand final berth in the Gilley’s Shield, and finished up with a respectable third place in the national championship.
Getting back to the tournament itself, my conflicting interests were not put to the test, as the under-13 Scorpions from Seven Hills did not quite make the under-13 finals. It was in fact Canberra FPSL-Kirkpatrick that won the under-13 finals. There were other finalists. The under-13 girls plate was won by SA Academy, the under-13 girls cup by the Pink Flames, the under-15 girls plate by Waverley Red, the under-15 girls cup by Penrith, the under-15 girls consolation by Springvale, the under-15 boys by Southern Districts, and the under-17 boys by Canberra—as was the under-17 girls and the under-19 girls. The under-19 boys title went to Western Sydney.
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