Shayne Watson Departs Baseball Queensland: A Fond Farewell and New Beginnings

Baseball Queensland announces the departure of Shayne Watson, whose tenure as Performance Pathways Manager has been marked by exceptional dedication and achievement. Over two decades, Shayne has been instrumental in shaping the pathways that have helped countless athletes progress through the ranks of baseball in Queensland. His vision and passion for player development have left an indelible mark on our programs.

Shayne’s impact goes far beyond the field; his ability to inspire players, coaches, and staff alike has enriched the Baseball Queensland community. While we are saddened to see him leave, we are excited for his next chapter with Baseball Australia (BA), where he will assume a pivotal role in the national baseball landscape. His expertise and leadership will undoubtedly contribute to the sport’s continued growth across Australia. We wish Shayne every success in this exciting new endeavour.

Story by: Nick Wyllie, Club Support Coordinator

A competition of 23 teams and more than 240mls of rain between two sides of Brisbane. Indians Baseball Club in Runcorn took hosting rights for the Women’s Division 2, supported by Southern Stars Baseball Club, with Narangba Demons Baseball Club holding the Women’s Division 1, Youth and Girls tournaments.

67 games scheduled, 44 completed and it all came down to 4x champions. Join us as we recap the Women’s Division 1 and 2 tournaments from the 13th-15th of December and the Youth and Girls tournaments from the 16th-18th of December.

Division 2 Standings

#1 Narangba Demons
#2 Brisbane South Green
#3 North Queensland

#4 Gold Coast
#5 Redcliffe Padres
#6 Pine Rivers Rapids Diamond Rebels
#7 Brisbane South Gold

That wasn’t all – a strong squad of Women’s athletes were selected in preparation for the Australian Women’s Championships in April 2025. You can find the named squad by clicking the link below, congratulations to all selected!

Monday was the scheduled start of the Youth Women’s competition. However, the weather had other plans.

Tuesday saw our first five games contested. Wednesday saw four… with the final being abandoned due to thunderstorms.

During Tuesday and Wednesday, our Queensland selectors were hard at work to identify the Queensland Squad, including a brand new initiative for 2025, the Elevate Squad. The primary squad is eligible for selection into the Queensland Youth Women’s team, set to compete in Melbourne for the Australian Youth Women’s Championships in April 2025. While the Elevate squad aren’t yet age-eligible for Nationals, these athletes will be offered further development and training opportunities! See who was selected below:

Youth Standings

#1 Brisbane North
#2 Brisbane Metro
#3 Brisbane South

#4 Gold Coast
#5 Commissioners

This years Girls competition was quite close! Multiple tied games being the perfect example!

Unfortunately, much like Youth, our Girls were only able to complete one game on Monday, with another suspended mid-way through. Our starting timeslot on Day 2 only featured one field. The team at Narangba managed to recover a second diamond, and their efforts meant that five games were completed on Tuesday.

Despite additional Tuesday night rain, Wednesday saw us start the day with both of those Little League diamonds up and running and a full complement of eight games were completed.

The strong showing from our six teams this year resulted in the final standings at the conclusion of Wednesday’s games:

As the 2024 Queensland Women’s State Titles come to a close, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made this tournament possible.

To the tournament staff, host venues, and the incredible volunteers, your hard work and dedication, especially in navigating the unpredictable weather, have been nothing short of amazing. From rescheduling games to prepping fields in challenging conditions, you’ve gone above and beyond to keep the tournament running smoothly.

To the players and their families, thank you for your patience, understanding, and unwavering support. Your flexibility and positive attitude in the face of weather disruptions made all the difference, allowing us to focus on creating the best possible experience for everyone.

Our post-event Feedback survey is now live! Everyone who was involved, spectators, players, coaches, umpires, scorers or other volunteers are all encouraged and invited to submit their feedback!

Luisa Gauci

Queensland Alumni, Milwaukee Brewers

Luisa was our saviour on Monday. Hailing from Queensland’s Performance Programs, working her way up to Manager of Baseball Technologies with Driveline Baseball alongside other coaching roles, culminating in her current position as Minor League Hitting Coach with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Luisa was generous enough to donate her time and inspire our Youth Women and Girls with her story and answering some questions along the way!

Want to play baseball?

All clubs welcome Women and Girls, and you can find all of our clubs on our Local Clubs page by clicking the button below:

Women and Girls Specific Opportunities

Regardless of where you are in the state, if there’s baseball, there’s opportunities for Women and Girls!

Cairns Angels

A dedicated Women’s team within their mixed competitions, the Cairns Angels is a great place to introduce yourself to Baseball and be supported by existing female players!

In case you missed it… Baseball Queensland was successful in receiving Play Our Way funding to boost participation opportunities for Women and Girls! Read about it here.

Runcorn Indians

Wakerley Park, Runcorn

The Southside Indians have been a fixture of Brisbane baseball since 1982. With a strong volunteer base, the club is on the path to growth! The club also neighbours the Runcorn State High School Baseball School of Excellence.

After a big week of Queensland State Titles, we are pleased to announce the players selected for the 2025 Queensland Women’s Squads. The squads include 48 Women’s players, 31 Youth Women’s players, and 22 in the Youth Women’s Elevate Squad.

Preparations are underway for the 2025 Australian Women’s Championships, held from 13-19 April, and the Australian Youth Women’s Championships (U16), from 15-19 April at Melbourne Ballpark. Training begins in January 2025, with tournament teams to be named in early February.

Congratulations to all selected players. We look forward to a big 2025 and an exciting year of women’s baseball ahead. 

🔗 2025 Australian Women’s Championship: baseball.com.au/events/2025-awc
🔗 2025 Australian Youth Women’s Championship (U16): baseball.com.au/events/2025-aywc

baseball Queensland Gender Equity Action Plan Workshop

Creating an inclusive baseball environment for women and girls

Baseball Queensland is hosting a Gender Equity Action Plan (GEAP) Workshop on 18 January 2025, from 9:30am – 2:00pm at the Sports House Meeting Rooms, 150 Caxton St, Milton. Virtual participation is also available, with registrations for the virtual option closing on 13 January 2025.

This workshop invites stakeholders to collaborate on actionable strategies for fostering inclusivity and equity in baseball, focusing on increasing opportunities and representation for women and girls.

Baseball Queensland recognises the importance of achieving gender equity and ensuring that women have a strong voice in our sport.

The National Gender Equity in Sports Governance Policy, a collaborative effort between the Australian Sports Commission and State and Territory Agencies for Sport and Recreation, aims to address the persistent under-representation of women in governance roles within the sports sector. The new policy establishes clear targets for national and state-level sports bodies across Australia, requiring them to achieve the following standards by 1 July 2027:

• 50% of board directors are women and/or gender diverse
• 50% of board chairs are women and/or gender diverse
  50% of key board sub-committee members are women and/or gender diverse

The Queensland Government has set similar targets for funded state-level sporting bodies (including Baseball Queensland) by 2029.  To identify and set our gender equity goals and actions, we will be preparing the Baseball Queensland Gender Equity Action Plan (GEAP) in 2025. It is critical that this plan takes account of input from a broad cross section of our members, including players, coaches, administrators, officials, board and committee members and other volunteers.

Therefore, as an important member of the Baseball Queensland family, you are warmly invited to attend our GEAP workshop, either in-person at Sports House in Brisbane or online via Zoom.

Register your attendance and learn more at Baseball Queensland – GEAP Workshop. Let’s build a stronger, more inclusive future for baseball together.

Please register using the link above no later than Monday 13 January 2025.
Any questions regarding the workshop can be directed to [email protected] or [email protected]. 

Following on the success of the Junior Girls’ Skills Development program hosted by Mudgeeraba Redsox Baseball Club and Gold Coast Baseball Association, it was time to focus on the younger girls. Bad weather couldn’t keep these girls, aged 5-9 years, away. They turned up with smiles and enthusiasm and were met by the same from their coaches.

Led by Kim and Tammy McMillan, Gold Coast Division 1 players Lila Hall, Grace White and Taliyah Paolo put the girls through their paces. Some were new to the game, others had some playing experience under their belt.

Looking forward to seeing some of these girls give it their best at the upcoming Baseball Queensland Girls’ State Titles.

The Queensland U18 Baseball Team depart for Taiwan today, embarking on their second consecutive trip to play in the 2024 New Taipei City International U-18 Baseball Invitational Tournament. This exciting journey offers a blend of cultural exploration and high-level competition, providing an exceptional opportunity for players to grow both on and off the field. The tour serves as a vital part of the team’s preparation for the upcoming Australian Youth Championships (AYC) in January 2025.

The team is set to arrive in Taiwan tomorrow and will dive into an action-packed week of games, sharpening their skills and experiencing baseball in a challenging international environment.

Game Schedule (QLD Time):

• 9 December 2024 @ Sanchung Stadium – 7:00 am
• 10 December 2024 @ Tianmu Stadium – 7:00 am
• 11 December 2024 @ Sanchung Stadium – 7:00 am

Beyond the diamond, the players will have the chance to immerse themselves in the vibrant culture of Taiwan. This combination of competitive play and cultural exposure makes the tour a truly enriching experience.

The players will be supported by a skilled and dedicated coaching staff, including David Badke, Scott Porter, Keith Land, and Rickey Lo. Their expertise and guidance will be invaluable as the team tackles the challenges of international competition and prepares for the AYC.

This international tour provides a unique opportunity for the Queensland U18s to refine their game, build team camaraderie, and gain valuable experience against international opponents. It’s an important stepping stone as they gear up for the Australian Youth Championships in January.

Official Facebook Page for 2024 New Taipei City International U-18 Baseball Invitational Tournament: https://www.facebook.com/NTPCxFUBONxU18