29 April; Phina Newton
On Sunday 3 May, our community is coming together for Women’s Heritage Game and Past Players Day at Ross Straw Field, which will see our past and current players face-off in a social match from 10.30am, followed by our Division 1 Women’s Derby at 12.30pm.
Last year, the University of Melbourne Baseball Club (UMBC) celebrated 100 years of operation, and this year, they are coming together to celebrate 30 years of the Women’s program.
It is an important anniversary to celebrate, given that UMBC is one of the longest-standing women’s programs in the Victorian baseball community.
The women’s program has seen plenty of growth and success, and built a proud culture over the past 30 years — from winning 7 premierships in a row between 2004 and 2010, to last season’s Division 1 premiership by their Women’s White team and league MVP won by Victoria Brown, to their women’s players who have gone on to represent the club for Victoria and Australia.
In UMBC President Megan Kelly’s words,
“This anniversary is about celebrating current and past players, taking pride in our history, and recognising the club members who built the foundations of today’s program — including our past coaches such as Kat Balzat, Greg Lord, Garry Bitmead, Samantha Hamilton, Lenny Carrigan, Ursula Howard, Vic Brown, Vibeke Pedersen and more.”
According to Kelly, the women’s program has doubled in size since its first season in 1996, and that is reflected in the broader rise of women’s baseball in the Melbourne Winter Baseball League, whose women’s competition has also doubled in recent years.
For the past nine years, the women’s program has been led by Women’s Coach Abbey Kelly, a University of Melbourne alumnus, Elite Athlete Program participant, and Victorian and Australian Emerald representative.
“Under Abbey’s leadership, we welcome new women into baseball every year, from the University and across Melbourne. She has built a culture where new and experienced players are encouraged to give baseball a go, do their best and have fun,” says Kelly.
The proof is in the pudding, with the turnaround of the program a clear display of said culture.
“We have a core group of players that continue to show up each year and wrap our new players into the fold. We see an influx of Melbourne Uni students every year, which brings new faces and fresh energy into the squad. Even after our players graduate, we’re lucky to have a strong alumni supporter base in Melbourne and around the world.”
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, navigating fluctuating participation numbers, shifting local league structures, and periods where the standard of competition varied from season to season has provided plenty of challenges.
Kelly acknowledges the vast effort of many individuals who have contributed to the club’s longstanding tenure, whom without things would not run.
“Through the hard work, advocacy and commitment of our volunteers and playing group, we’ve been a perennial presence in the winter baseball scene.”
Looking ahead, the club wants to grow the women’s program from two to three teams, supported by continued investment and resourcing needed to sustain that growth. They want to see more women competing in intervarsity teams and representing the club at state and national levels – goals which they train and support their players to achieve.
“Women of all ages and abilities continue to find their home in the baseball community, and we’re proud to be part of that legacy.”
Click here for tickets to the Women's Heritage game on Sunday 3 May.