Softball Australia is proud to announce it has entered a three-year partnership with the Sports Excellence Scholarship Fund (SESF), a national charity that supports athletes who are experiencing financial hardship and need support attending national and international events.

As part of the partnership, SESF will provide scholarships to Softball athletes aged 10-18 requiring financial support to get to the School Sport Australia National Championships, the Softball Australia National Championships, or any international event.

SESF Scholarships are valued at $1,000 and can keep athletes in the softball pathway who may be from low socio-economic, indigenous, and/or rural and regional backgrounds.

The SESF also provides ongoing mentoring and education opportunities for student alumni and their parents.

SESF Executive Director Nick Mooney said, “We are delighted to enter a three-year agreement with Softball Australia. As a Foundation National Sporting Partner, we hope to reach financially affected Softball athletes and their families, and by assisting them in the lead up to these events, we can reduce the barriers to representing their state or country.

“Participating at that level can lead to life-changing opportunities that have a positive, long-term impact on athletes and their families.”

Softball Australia National Participation Manager Nick Frayne added, “The timing of this partnership couldn’t be better. International and state borders are opening up, so we have more representative Softball competitions on the horizon. This partnership will make participating in those tournaments more accessible, which benefits everyone in the sport.

“Representing your state or country should be about an athlete’s ability, dedication, and performance, and not about their disposable income.”

Families must be able to demonstrate financial hardship to be eligible for an SESF scholarship, and for more information or to apply, please visit: https://sesf.org.au/application/