Softball NSW - Ph 02 9677 4000 Fax 02 9677 4040

June 22 - 23 at BISP
DRAW RESULTS

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Softball facts & stats

Speed & skills
International competition
Olympic statistics
Softball in Australia
Awards & recognition
Governance & management

Aussie Steeler Adam Folkard's pitching speed has been recorded at 136.79km per hour
USA pitcher Jennie Finch has demonstrated that it's harder to hit a softball than a baseball (You Tube)
According to scientific research Softball batters have less reaction time to decide, react and implement their swing compared to baseballers. Men have .369 of a second to react and women have .419 of a second to react. To increase the challenge for batters, pitchers can make the ball rise, drop and curve inside and outside.
Japanese pitcher Yukiko Euno became the first pitcher ever to produce a perfect game at the Olympics – against China in Athens in 2004. She is widely recognised as the fastest pitcher in women's Softball with a recorded pitch of 121 km/h (75.19 mph).
Softball pitcher Eddie Feigner, is reported to have been clocked at 167km/h (104 mph) in a game against Major Leaguers ballplayers. Eddie also struck out 5 elite hitters in a row.

Aussie Steelers, Australian Open Men's team won Gold at the XII ISF World Championship in 2009
Aussie Colts, Australian Under 19 Men's team won Gold at the VIII World Championship 2008
Our Open and Under 19 Women's teams are ranked 3^rd and Open and Under 19 Men's teams ranked 1^st in the world
At the 2009 VII World Masters Games held in Sydney the Softball competition was the 2^nd largest event attracting 198 teams and 2,650 male and female players from 11 countries. The 1996 Australian Olympic Softball team entered their team in the A Grade section, winning gold. The oldest Softball player at the Games was 75 years old.
The Australian Special Olympics National Softball team has competed in the 2007 and 2011 Special Olympics World Games (winning gold in 2007 and bronze in 2011)
Women's Softball has never had a positive doping test in any international competition
Softball is truly an International sport – the International Softball Federation (ISF) has 128 national affiliates with Gambia, Jordan, and Guinea Bissau recently joining

The Aussie Spirit Australian Open Women's team has medalled at all 4 Olympic Softball competitions: Atlanta in 1996 (bronze), Sydney in 2000 (bronze), Athens in 2004 (silver) and Beijing in 2008 (bronze)
Melanie Roche, Tanya Harding and Natalie Ward played in all 4 Olympic Softball competitions
Highlights of the Beijing Olympics Softball competition:
- Almost 180,000 passionate spectators attended Softball matches
- Softball had the most sell-out Olympic crowds in Beijing since Sydney 2000
- Softball's average game time in round robin play was just under 1 hour and 50 minutes – our lowest Olympic average
- Around 40% of Softball’s games were won by 3 runs or less
- The Softball Competition generated positive media coverage in approximately 100 countries. In Japan 47.7% of all NHK TV viewers (more than 51 million Japanese) watched the last third of the Softball final. This was NHK’s highest rating for any Olympic sport
- At least 45% of all spectators were male. And at least 55% of all spectators were under the age of 25
- Softball completed the Beijing Games with no positive doping test - Softball has a 100% clean Olympic track record

Softball Australia's membership comprises:
- 8 States and Territories,(Member States)
- 105 Softball Associations and 500 Clubs
- More than 32,000 individual members who play, coach, officiate and support Softball in Australia
Recent research on the membership base of Softball in Australia revealed:
- 76% of participants are female
- The age of participants ranged from 6-69 years with an average age of 35 years
- More than estimated 73,000 girls and boys participate in softball at school
- There are an estimated 5,906 primary school softball teams and 839 secondary school teams
- While softball is still predominately played by girls in schools, boys make up about 29% of participants
- 80% of participants perform volunteer duties in Softball
Softball is a popular sport in the Australian Sports Commission's (ASC) Active After School Communities Program (AASCP). In 2009
- More than 12,000 children participated in 411 programs
- 34% of programs were delivered by Softball Associations and Clubs
- 28% of programs were delivered at school or by out of school hours care services providers
- 28% of programs were delivered by private providers, students and community members
- 31% of programs were conducted in Victoria and 21% in NSW.

Australia's most capped female player is Natalie Ward with 429 caps for the Aussie Spirit
Australia's most capped male player is Mike Harrow with 160 caps for the Aussie Steelers
The hard work and dedication of many Softball Australia members has been recognised with:
- 14 Life Memberships
- 60 individuals and 2 teams inducted into the Softball Australia Hall of Fame
- 90 Softball Australia Awards of Excellence winners, including 15 umpires who received the Vivienne Triplett Award for their outstanding contribution to umpiring
- 375 Softball Australia Service Award recipients since 2004
- 22 Australian Honours recipients
- 26 ISF Hall of Fame inductees

The Softball Australia Constitution was adopted in October 2008
Softball Australia became a company limited by guarantee on 13 January 2009
On 4 April 2009 the first Softball Australia Ltd Board of Directors was elected at the new entity's first General Meeting
The 5-year Softball Australia Strategic Plan was ratified by the Board in May 2009
Softball Australia Limited's 1^st Annual Report was published in October and the 1^st AGM was held on 20 November 2009
The Board meets a minimum of 6 times a year, usually in Melbourne.
There are 2 Board Committees – the Governance Committee and the Finance Committee

The work of the management team is supported by 8 Working Committees that report to the CEO