QLD Bandits To Tour Japan in 2019

As part of Baseball Queensland’s agreement with Saitama Prefecture High School Baseball Federation (Japan), Baseball Queensland will take a touring team to Japan from 5-14 July 2019.

The Saitama agreement has seen teams from Japan visit Queensland to play against our U18 QLD Bandits team since 2015. This long standing relationship provides our team with high quality competition in the lead up to our event which serves as a great preparation for our annual National Championships campaign.

In the interest of preserving the relationship with Saitama so future generation of Bandits players might benefit from playing this series of high quality games right before heading off to Nationals, it is imperative that we service the relationship by reciprocating with a tour to Japan. It is BQ’s intent to establish this tour to Japan as a key element in our Queensland Bandits program moving forward.

It is our intent to take the most competitive team available. We are aware that some players on our soon to be selected final team (for 2019 National Championships – 2018/19 QLD Bandits U18 team) may have commitments that render them unavailable for the tour next year (University etc). With this in mind the tour is currently open to any player named in the 2018/19 Squad that was announced after the 2018 U18 State Titles.

Early indications are that the tour will cost approximately $4000.00 per participant. For those interested in participating, you have ample time to start raising/earning funds to help cover the cost of your trip.

If you would like to express your interest or book your spot on this touring team for July 2019 please contact Shayne Watson – E:shayne@baseballqld.asn.au

QLD Senior and Youth Women’s coaching staff announcement

The Junior Elie Pathways Manager, Shayne Watson is pleased to announce the Coaching Staff’s for both Senior and Youth Women’s QLD Bandits State Team’s. “We have put together two great coaching staff’s to lead our Women’s Pathway into the future” says Watson. The return of Geoff Wade, Field Manager for Youth Women’s Program, has been at the forefront of our BQ Development Programs over previous years and leading initiatives to build on a sustainable future.

The Senior Program will be led by Lisa Norrie who is Assistant Director of Baseball Operations & Women’s High Performance and first female coach in the Australian Baseball League. Watson explains “I am excited to have Lisa in the State Program and continue our work together following a successful Brisbane Bandits season last year”.

Both programs will be commencing throughout December following Baseball Queensland first Women’s State Titles, 15th-18th December. “This is massive step forward for us” Watson continues, “This tournament will be exclusive to all BQ Female members”. For further information please contact your Region.

With Baseball Queensland’s commitment in developing and promoting a female pathway, there will be a seven week Strength and Conditioning commencing 7^th November at Banister Park. Delivered by BQ S&C Staff, the purpose will be developing functional movement and general strength for all female athletes over the age of 12 years.

To register for this program please follow the link: https://eventdesq.sportstg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main&EventDesqID=30261&OrgID=16727

QLD Bandits Coaching Staff

Senior Women

Field Manager- Lisa Norrie

Assistant Coach- Shane Bennett

Pitching Coach- Justin Erasmus

Youth Women

Field Manager- Geoff Wade

Assistant Coach- Neal Ragau

Assistant Coach- James Foxwell

Executive Officer- Maureen Lessmann

For any further questions please contact Shayne Watson, Junior Elite Pathway Manager, shayne@baseballqld.asn.au or 07 3876 2222

Far North Coast Making Waves

Far North Coast making waves.

Far North Coast Baseball Association made history within their club by having teams selected to represent their region in the National tournaments across all three age divisions: Junior League, Little League and Senior League.

FNC Little League coach, Danny O’Sullivan, shared that “It’s certainly a big achievement for the club, we’ve been struggling for numbers in this area for a while so to have three teams go away is just great and the expectations of the coaches at all those tournaments were fairly conservative, so all the teams have exceed our expectations.”

Senior League coach, Brad Donald, said that the inclusion of the three FNC teams to Nationals paths the way for the future of baseball in the Far North Coast, “just for these kids to get there in the first place is a great achievement, a remarkable effort just being here. [They’re] playing against the best of the kids in Australia and Far North Coast is on that map in three age divisions.”

Baseball Queensland would like to acknowledge Far North Coast Baseball Association’s efforts and we wish to extend our congratulations to the region for their continued professionalism during the recent Australian Little League Championships.

David Nilsson announced as Manager of Team Australia

DAVID NILSSON ANNOUNCED AS TEAM AUSTRALIA MANAGER

David ‘Dingo’ Nilsson has undoubtedly had one of the most influential baseball careers in Australia. Nilsson was the first Major League Baseball All-Star player to come out of Australia during his time playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. Nilsson is the current Head Coach of the Brisbane Bandits and has been since 2014; during his time as Head Coach he has led the Bandits to three consecutive championship titles. David Nilsson was announced as the fulltime High Performance Manager at Baseball Queensland in July of 2017 and has built successful foundations within this program.

Chief Executive Officer for Baseball Queensland, Paul Gonzalez comments, “I have had the honour of competing on the diamond with David Nilsson and have watched him contribute to the game as, arguably, the greatest Australian player to ever compete in this game. Since David’s appointment as the High Performance Manager, he has helped restructure the programs into five tiers ensuring we not only capture our high performance athletes but we continue meeting the needs of all our athletes. The program’s measurables speak for themselves, with 9 players on the National Team in 2018 as well as three Claxton Shields in the ABL across 2016, 2017,2018. He has 15 players committed to colleges within the Junior Elite Program as well as made Australian history by including the first female coach in Australian Baseball League. David’s leadership has given Baseball Queensland the ability to grow the sport as well as build foundations for our people.”

Baseball Queensland sat down with David to get his comments on this momentous achievement.

David, it really is an incredible time to be a Queenslander, you’ve just won ‘Coach of the Year’ along with the ‘Queensland Greats Award’, what does it mean to you to represent Australia as the Manager of Team Australia?

“I grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, so you have to grow up here to understand what that really means, I’m a proud Queenslander and without the support of my family and all the other Queenslanders, whether they be players, coaches or staff, there is no way that I would be in this position and it makes it even more special that I am a Queenslander because the public understand what that means.”

Baseball Queensland would like to congratulate David on this wonderful achievement.

Written by Liv Wilson