North Queensland: Professional Development and Baseball5

North Queensland: Professional Development and Baseball5

October 2025

Building Capacity in the North: Baseball Queensland Development Team Gathers in Townsville
Baseball Queensland’s Game Development Manager, Sam Cawdron, and Baseball5 Coordinator, Joe Surrentino, recently travelled to Townsville to support and oversee two days of professional development led by Development Officers Luke Ardill (Townsville) and Mila Bender (Cairns).
Luke and Mila took the reins in organising and running the sessions, showcasing their leadership as Baseball Queensland’s North Queensland Development Officers. The event brought together the growing northern team at Country Bank Stadium, with Mila joined by her Cairns casual staff Mia Bender and Owen Macpherson, and Luke supported by Michael Mount and Paris Bastow.
Strengthening the North Queensland Delivery Network
The goal of the visit was to continue building the capacity of Baseball Queensland’s expanding North Queensland workforce. With part-time Development Officers now established in both Townsville and Cairns – supported by a growing team of casual deliverers – the region is now better equipped to deliver quality programs across schools, clubs, and community spaces.
“Having local Development Officers supported by a casual team means they don’t have to do it all themselves. It helps us reach more schools, deliver more sessions, and maintain the professional standards that represent Baseball Queensland.”
– Sam Cawdron, Game Development Manager
Professional Development at Country Bank Stadium
The two-day PD event, held on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 October, focused on upskilling new staff and aligning delivery standards across the region. The program covered:
  • BQ policies, procedures, and workplace expectations
  • Pay scales and administration processes
  • Coaching practices, teaching styles, and session structure
  • Interactive icebreakers, team-building games, and hands-on activities
  • Emerging initiatives, including childcare centre programs, after-school sessions, female participation programs, and Sporting Schools delivery
The sessions balanced theory with practice – avoiding “death-by-PowerPoint” and instead getting participants active, coaching, and learning from one another in a supportive environment.
“This was a great learning opportunity not just for our new Development Officers, but for everyone involved,” said Cawdron. “We all learn from each other, and that was exactly the environment we wanted to create.”
Championing Diversity and Inclusion
A highlight of the PD days was a session with Matthias Graepel, Inclusion Coach for Sport4All in North Queensland. Matthias shared his own inclusion journey and provided valuable insights on how Baseball Queensland’s Development Officers can create welcoming environments in schools and community programs.
He offered practical examples and coaching tips around inclusive communication, adaptability, and understanding that inclusion is a journey, not a destination. His contribution added an important layer to the team’s professional development and will no doubt influence how staff engage with participants across all programs.
Spotlight on Baseball5 and B5 Development
The PD also featured Baseball5 Head Coach Adrian Medina and Team Australia athlete Jonah, who introduced the group to the sport’s rules, coaching techniques, and participation potential.
Their passion and experience were infectious, inspiring the regional staff and strengthening Baseball Queensland’s commitment to using Baseball5 as a tool to grow participation across the state.
First North Queensland Baseball5 Come & Try Day
Following the PD days, Sam and Joe joined Luke and the Townsville team, along with Baseball5 Head Coach Adrian Medina and Team Australia player Jonah, to run North Queensland’s first Baseball5 Come & Try Day at Calvary Christian College.
Adrian and Jonah were heavily involved throughout the session – sharing their expertise, guiding participants through the fundamentals, and bringing great energy to the day. Their passion for the game helped create an engaging, high-energy environment that perfectly showcased what Baseball5 is all about.
It was also a great opportunity for Adrian to help upskill and work with our new BQ’s Baseball5 umpires. Our BQ casual staff, along with new B5 umpire Tara Cocks, had the chance to umpire live games, learn the calls, and gain confidence in the gameplay ahead of the new social Baseball5 competition kicking off on Wednesday, 5 November 2025.
Around 15 participants took part in the fast-paced, energetic format – a preview of what’s to come when Townsville hosts Australia’s first Baseball5 competition.
“Baseball5 is a great opportunity for everyone, it’s perfect for current baseball players wanting to stay active over the off-season, but also a fun and welcoming way for new players to try the sport for the first time. It’s fast, social, and something the whole community can enjoy together.”
– Luke Ardill, Game Development Officer (Townsville)
For more information about Baseball5 and how to get involved, visit www.baseballqueensland.com.au/b5.
Opportunities for Players:

Townsville’s Baseball5 Competition is coming fast, and is now open for registrations! Find out more here:

Opportunities for Schools:

Sporting Schools applications are open until November 14, apply to host a Baseball or Baseball5 schools session in Term 1!

Now Calling Friendship Players for 2025 Women’s, Youth Women’s and Little League Girls!

Now Calling Friendship Players for 2025 Women’s, Youth Women’s and Little League Girls!

2025 QLD State Titles Women (Div 1)/Women Youth/Little League Girls Friendship Player Registration Form

October 2025

As per information released in July the Baseball Queensland Tech Norms have had some changes come into effect recently. You can read more here>>>

Any player that does not have a roster spot with the Region they have registered with for the current season and who would like to participate in the 2025 QLD State Titles Women (Division 1)/Youth /Little League girls needs to meet the requirements within the BQ Tech Norms and complete this form (https://forms.office.com/r/7PLjTHGQf1) to be eligible to be placed with a team. 

Players must play with the Region in which they were last registered prior to the State Titles, unless they have registered with a club within another Region for the pending summer season prior to 31 August. 

Should a player be registered with, and/or played with two (2) or more affiliated teams during the season prior to the dates of the State Titles, then the Region in which the player registers and pays their Baseball Australia and Baseball Queensland Capitation fees will have priority on that player for selection. Note: This rule has come into effect from 1 August 2025.  

It is a fundamental assumption that a team exhausts all possible avenues to secure as many players as possible from within their own Regional boundaries. If the team is unable to field a team from within its own Regional boundaries, it is then entitled to make a request to the Tournament Advisory Panel through this form (https://forms.office.com/r/JbVck0Y4Jz) to secure players from other Regions.  Regions should not directly approach friendship players. Failure to adhere to this rule will result in the player being deemed ineligible for the Tournament. Note: This rule is in effect from 1 August 2025. 

All friendship players must register into the “Pool”. A Friendship player can nominate a preferred Region but there is no guarantee they will be added to that roster. Note: This rule is in effect from 1 August 2025. 

2025 QLD State Titles Women/Youth/Little League Girls (Division 1) Friendship Player Pool Registration Form has been extended and will remain open until Monday 10 November.

Please note: Women’s Div 2 teams remain eligible to source players as they see fit.

Players without a roster spot with their parent Region can nominate as a Friendship Player and the Tournament Advisory Panel will attempt to match you with a Region looking for players.

Regions seeking to pick up players to complete their roster can complete this form and the Tournament Advisory Panel will attempt to allocate players from the Friendship Player pool to your Region to complete your roster.

Need to find the Tech Norms or other event related information? Use the button below.

September Events Wrap-up

September Events Wrap-up

29 September, 2025

September has been a big month for Baseball in Queensland, with the completion of Futures League leading into the Baseball Queensland U16 and U18 Showcase, as well as Queensland Representative School Sports’ first ever 13-19 Girls State Championships.

We celebrated contributors to the sport at the 2025 Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner, which included a variety of acknowledgements from State Teams to community nominated Of the Year awards alongside Distinguished Service Awards and Mal Mackay’s induction to the Baseball Queensland Hall of Fame.

We also took to the parks of the Gold Coast for our first two Baseball5 Active and Healthy sessions supported by the City of Gold Coast.

School Sport Girls 13-19

For the first time ever, Queensland Representative School Sport facilitated a competition for Girls 13-19. This was hosted alongside the annual 12-14 School Sport competition at Redlands Rays Baseball Club.

Congratulations to the Sunshine Coast region for taking out both events!

It is incredibly exciting that Queensland was home to one-off, if not the first state Girls Baseball Schools Championship and is a clear demonstration of the demand and growing player base of youth women and girls and we’re excited to see this opportunity to continue and grow in future years!

12-14

Gold: Sunshine Coast
Silver: Met North
Bronze: South Coast

Girls 13-19

Gold: Sunshine Coast
Silver: Met North
Bronze: Met East

Queensland Representative School Sport have announced their dates for 2026, make sure to reach out to your school or school sport region for trial information!

 

Baseball5 Active and Healthy Gold Coast

Set to hit the parks of the Gold Coast monthly until June 2026!

During the school holidays, Baseball5 launched its monthly Active & Healthy park pick-up-and-play sessions on the Gold Coast. These sessions were held at Broadwater Park in Southport and Pizzy Park in Miami, and have quickly gained momentum, with attendance growing each time.
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A huge thank you to Gold Coast staff members Stephen and Amelia, whose energy and commitment helped make these sessions a fantastic experience for all who attended.

In October, we’ll be back at Broadwater Parklands on the Great Lawn on Saturday the 18th between 9am and 11am.

A huge thank you to GC Active & Healthy and Sam Hughes for supporting Baseball5 and giving us the opportunity to grow the sport while keeping the Gold Coast community active and engaged. We’re excited to see Baseball5 thrive in such a vibrant and energetic region!

– Joe Surrentino
Baseball5 Coordinator

Futures League 2025

The multi-week Futures League competitions wrapped up for 2025, organised by the Futures League Committee, the competition stands as a pre-season opportunity for U14’s and as a capstone for a number of U16/U18 athletes off-season training programs.

This year, from a participation perspective, we had the biggest Futures League to date. We had over 300 athletes participating across the youth and Women’s competitions. The games were played in good spirit with an exceptionally high level of baseball seen across all ages and divisions. With player participation and development being the main focus, we were fortunate enough to see a lot of improvement from our athletes in their skill development on the field. It was also great to see the positive attitudes displayed in all aspects of the game. This was demonstrated in the hustle on and off the field, supporting their team mates and the high level of respect shown to other players, coaches and officials. Whilst it was made clear at the start (and echoed the whole way through) that Futures League is not driven by results, the high level of competition and game play shown across all ages was impressive to say the least. Observing the talent we have coming up through the ranks is exciting and seeing our athletes harness the opportunities and giving their all on the field is fantastic. Off the field, I would like to say a big thank you to Ready Towing for their continued support of baseball in Queensland. It’s partnerships like this with the Futures League that give our players the opportunity to get out on the field and play the game. Last, but not least, I would like to acknowledge and thank all the host venues committee members and volunteers for providing their facilities and support to house the competition.

– Jordan Ballard
Futures League Junior Coordinator

This years’ Futures League featured 3x Women’s teams, 4x U14s, 4x Emerging U14s, 4x Emerging U16/18s and 6x U16/18s teams! A massive thank you to all of the host venues, coaches, umpires and scorers who dedicated their time to ensure these athletes could take the field! We are also incredibly grateful for the support of Ready Towing as a recurring sponsor of the Futures League, their ongoing support ensures that opportunities like this are available to our members.

 

2025 Baseball Queensland Showcase

75 athletes and 20 coaches from across the state came together for the 2025 BQ Showcase. The event delivered a high-tempo, game-paced environment that showcased emerging talent and supported continued development across the Baseball Queensland pathways.
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A sincere thank you to everyone who made the weekend possible:
🙌 Pine Hills Baseball Club – for hosting and supporting the event
👨‍⚖️ Umpires, scorers, and game-day officials – for keeping the games running smoothly
🧢 Our incredible coaching group – for their energy, guidance, and leadership
📸 Michael Lovell from desolve.com.au – for capturing the action through a brilliant lens
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The Showcase was about more than just games. It was about creating opportunities, building connections, and driving Queensland baseball forward.

This year’s BQ Showcase was a great opportunity to bring together a strong concentration of athletes and coaches, which really highlighted the outcomes of our off-season programs. Across our Performance Pathway this year we’ve delivered close to 700 program opportunities, with athletes and coaches engaged across multiple programs from Cairns through to the Gold Coast. The Showcase reflected the growth and depth that’s come from this work, and it was also a chance to acknowledge the dedication of our coaching and support staff whose commitment ensures our athletes are prepared and progressing. Importantly, the event also demonstrated how our pathway continues to open new opportunities for both athletes and coaches to develop and perform at higher levels.

– Nick Bachono
Interim Performance Programs Manager

A big thank you to the Queensland Government’s Department of Sport and Recreation for their support of the 2025 Baseball Queensland Showcase through the Active Industry Project Super Fund. You can read their post via the following:
⚾ Queensland’s best baseballers have knocked it out of the park at a weekend showcase in Brisbane’s north.
Players and coaches from all parts of Queensland levelled up their game with professional development sessions and 15 selection matches to decide who represents their state in 2026.
We were proud to pitch in and help Baseball Queensland hold the event, which created an equal playing field for talented athletes from regional Queensland to be identified, developed and supported alongside their Brisbane teammates.
Read more about how Baseball Queensland is giving a home run to regional Queensland’s baseball community: https://bit.ly/42TY56f
– Queensland Sport and Recreation

2025 Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner

On Saturday, 20 September, the Baseball Queensland community gathered at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Spring Hill, to celebrate the 2025 Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner. The evening brought together players, coaches, officials, volunteers, families, and supporters in recognition of the achievements and contributions that make baseball in Queensland so great.

We extend our sincere thanks to our valued event sponsors — Leading Edge Sports, The Ballpark Portside, and The Brisbane Bandits — for their generous support in making this event possible. A special thank you also goes to Honsa Studios for capturing the memorable moments on film and to Ben Foster, whose energy and professionalism as MC guided the evening’s celebrations.

On Saturday, 20 September, the Baseball Queensland community gathered at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Spring Hill, to celebrate the 2025 Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner. The evening brought together players, coaches, officials, volunteers, families, and supporters in recognition of the achievements and contributions that make baseball in Queensland so great.

We extend our sincere thanks to our valued event sponsors — Leading Edge Sports, The Ballpark Portside, and The Brisbane Bandits — for their generous support in making this event possible. A special thank you also goes to Honsa Studios for capturing the memorable moments on film and to Ben Foster, whose energy and professionalism as MC guided the evening’s celebrations.

The highlight of the night was the induction of Mal Mackay into the Baseball Queensland Hall of Fame, recognising his outstanding contributions as an umpire and leader in the game. We also proudly acknowledged three new Distinguished Service Award recipients — Barry Foat, Keith Land, and Steven Landsberg — for their long-standing dedication and impact on baseball in Queensland. Congratulations are also extended to all other nominees and winners of the 2025 Baseball Queensland Annual Awards, whose achievements represent excellence across all areas of our sport.

Finally, Baseball Queensland recognises and thanks all those who make our game possible—our volunteers, officials, participants, and supporters. Your passion, hard work, and commitment are the foundation of our sport’s success, and this evening was a celebration of your collective efforts as much as of the award recipients themselves.

Pick up and Play Baseball5 with Gold Coast Social Sport

Pick up and Play Baseball5 with Gold Coast Social Sport

September 2025

Baseball Queensland are excited to announce the dates for our Baseball5 Active and Healthy sessions!

You’ll have the opportunity to pick up and play Baseball5 across a 2-hour session every month. (with an extra School Holiday session on the 24th!)

With fast-paced, easy to pick up skills, you don’t need any previous experience or athleticism to join in on the fun of B5! Our Game Development Officers will give you everything you need to know!

Have any questions? Reach out to Joe, [email protected]

This activity is supported by the City of Gold Coast.

 

The Upcoming Dates

September 20, 2025

From 9am to 11am, on Fisherman’s Lawn at the Broadwater Parklands.

 

September 24, 2025

From 9am to 11am, at Pizzey Park, located next to the Skate Park.

Baseball Queensland to Celebrate Excellence at 2025 Hall of Fame & Awards Dinner

Baseball Queensland to Celebrate Excellence at 2025 Hall of Fame & Awards Dinner

September 2025

Baseball Queensland is proud to announce that four outstanding contributors will be honoured at the 2025 Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner, to be held on Saturday, 20 September 2025 at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Spring Hill.

The centrepiece of the evening will be the induction of Mal Mackay into the Baseball Queensland Hall of Fame. Mackay has enjoyed a decorated career as an umpire at both the domestic and international levels, including service at the Australian Baseball League (ABL). His professionalism and consistency on the field earned him the respect of players, coaches, and officials across the country. Beyond his time on the diamond, Mackay has been a leader and mentor to generations of Queensland umpires, dedicating countless hours to developing their skills and instilling confidence in the next wave of officials. While his induction into the Hall of Fame recognises his individual achievements on the field we also acknowledge his enduring impact on the future of umpiring in Queensland.

Barry Foat will also be celebrated for his tireless work in support of community umpiring and his passion for grassroots baseball. A familiar face around the grounds, Barry has long championed the development and recognition of community umpires, ensuring they are valued and supported in their roles. His enthusiasm for the game shines brightest through his commitment to Little League baseball, where he has helped nurture an environment that encourages young players to grow their love for the sport while respecting the role of officials in creating a positive playing experience.

Keith Land will be recognised for his achievements as a coach within the Little League program and his significant contribution to Queensland’s state representative pathways. Keith has guided numerous young athletes through their early development, with many of his teams enjoying success on the national stage. His coaching style balances technical development with a focus on enjoyment and teamwork, making him a role model for both players and aspiring coaches within the program.

Steve Landsberg will be honoured for his wide-ranging contributions as an umpire, coach, and administrator across baseball and school sport communities during his lifetime. Steve’s involvement spanned decades, with his efforts extending from officiating and coaching on the field to serving in leadership and administrative capacities that have strengthened the game’s presence in schools and community programs. His willingness to give back in multiple capacities demonstrated his deep commitment to ensuring baseball continues to thrive across Queensland.

Coaching teams and their athletes worked hard on the field across the Australian Youth Championships, Australian Women’s Championships and the Australian Youth Women’s Championships. Now four players from each team are set to be awarded the Team Pitching, Hitting, MVP and Culture awards. The respective coaching staff for each team have identified three nominees for each award.

U16U18Queensland MaroonQueensland WhiteQueensland Youth
PitchingKai Flynn-Ballard
Leo McKenna
Troy Dean
Eli Hardey-Abdy
Caleb Duke
Thomas Calvert
Ashley Van Staden
Hannah Wilson
Charlotte Stokes
Jessica Mitchell
Cathy Rowe
Storm Law
Lillian Fogg
Amelia Stephens
Olivia Hancock
HittingMax Stefanutto
Isaiah Carrington
Troy Dean
Caesar Gardiner
Liam Overlack
Wesley Wilford
Holly Moellers
Molly Paddison
Mackenzie Rogers
Lily Moffat
Ashley Ruzicka
Britany Wyllie
Hannah Elliott
Sally Knechtli
Anouk Newbury
MVPBuzz Mecham
Lachlan Pawsey
Hunter Ryan
Thomas Calvert
Caesar Gardiner
Cooper Teichmann
Shiori Hoshino
Molly Paddison
Charlotte Stokes
Jessica Mitchell
Lily Moffat
Britany Wyllie
Hannah Elliott
Bella Nolan
Kayla Sparks
Team CultureLogan Lokeni
Blake Pearce
Bailey Russell
Eli Hardey-Abdy
Lachlan Reed
Ray Song
Kya Foxwell
Ruby Orchard
Jessica Sullivan
Tiffanie Morris
Ashley Ruzicka
Amelia Wright
Sienna Fens
Lucy Plumb
Bella Nolan

2025 Of the Year Award Nominees

Taking home the ‘Of the Month’ award in their respective categories, these candidates are up against each other for the ‘Of the Year’ award for 2025. These five categories seek to identify champions of Administration, Coaching, Scoring, Umpiring and Volunteering across our state.

Administrator of the YearCoach of the YearScorer of the YearUmpire of the YearVolunteer of the Year
Maria ReynoldsTammy & Kim McMillanBlake StephensStephen LewinKatie Hill
Katrina WilsonDallas Prior & Amelia StephensKerri RichAnahera RussellMoana Thomas
Grant McDonoughJodie McLeodAmanda MurphyAndre ChangLee Gaskell
Kelda KrafftPeter HillRick WaterworthAlisha JewryKirra Childs-Ferrari
Matt EllemsMatthew VickersSharon TeakleMarc GeyerKrysten Wallace
Chris CliftonLee BrandMelody CallahanRoger BastowAli Stephens
Anna SmithCatriona StoneGayle FletcherCameron MontagueAdam Bonney
Sean LuttonNoel TateTracey RobertsConnor ReynoldsWade Morrison
Vicky McLoughlinConor Laverty & Camron ReedLeigh DrueryBrad HarrisonDean Ainsworth
Lee GaskellKeith LandStuart ClarkWilliam Clifton
Jared LongKaylah ReynoldsTom West
Sylvia ForbesRhett Rohweder
Paul Johnston
Chloe Stone

 

The Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner is Baseball Queensland’s premier night of recognition, celebrating excellence, service, and the people who make a difference to the game. The 2025 event promises to be an inspiring evening, bringing the baseball community together to celebrate achievements that span grassroots to the elite.

Tickets are available now, and Baseball Queensland encourages the community to join in honouring these outstanding individuals who have left a lasting legacy on the sport.