LOCAL softball clubs are urging Softball Australia to reverse a controversial decision to cancel the annual Under 14s National Championships.
The decision has upset clubs around the country including Suncoast Hinterland Softball Club, which said it backed keeping the Under 14s national competition alive.
“We have members who are passionate about grassroot softball and giving every player every opportunity, we can to follow their dreams and goals they set for themselves,” the club said.
GC&M News spoke to Queensland softball clubs representative, Jayke Reynolds, who asked questions at a recent online Q&A with Softball Australia.
Reynolds said the cancellation was sudden and it remained unclear why Softball Australia scrapped the competition. “They have said they have applied research to suggest it’s not needed but none of us have seen this research yet, there is really no reasoning around it,” he said. “It’s a big deal for these kids to play for their state, but softball Australia has swept that out from under them.”
The decision by Softball Australia is unlikely to change for this year according to Reynolds, who added that it puts the entire sport in jeopardy as the Under 14s age bracket is critical heading into senior development.
“A lot of kids at the age of 12 and 13…they are choosing softball and another sport, and if the other sport has a national program and ours doesn’t, they will pick the other sport,” he said.
“We will lose these kids when they make that choice to go play another sport because of a lack of representative competitions in softball.”
Jayke added this decision is not only disappointing for the kids, but is also disappointing for all the volunteers involved, including coaches, managers and umpires.
Despite unrest at the move, Softball Australia is continuing to stand firm on its decision.