The 2021/22 season may be only two months old, but softball membership in South Australia has already surpassed last years’ registration figures, with further growth expected over the remainder of the season.

Softball SA attributes the rise in membership numbers to the softball community coming together and putting the needs of the sport first.

Clubs have taken a proactive approach to offering innovative, community-based products, aimed at improving local participation.

One example of a community-first approach is Riverland Junior Diamond Sports, a joint initiative between Riverland Baseball League and Riverland Softball Association, where the sports worked together to create a model that enhances 4–10-year-old participation in both baseball and softball.

Changing to the One Softball management model has also been instrumental, as the coordinated investment from Softball Australia and Softball SA into two Participation Coordinators enabled them to hit the ground running with a renewed focus on entry level products and junior membership.

This has resulted in practical outcomes, with Port Adelaide Softball Club recently delivering the first session of a new entry level program, “Mini Magpies”, with current A-grade players Emilia Dolphin, Taylor Chillingworth, and Charlize Callaghan helping drive participation among 3-to-9-year-olds.

A new customer relationship management tool – RevolutioniseSPORT – has also been implemented under One Softball, providing members with flexible and cost-effective membership choices based on individual circumstances that facilitates greater interest and participation at every level.

Softball Australia CEO David Pryles said the rise of softball in South Australia is testament to the hard work of Softball SA and the benefits of the One Softball system.

“This type of growth is a demonstration of what can be achieved when the efforts and interests of those on the ground at state level and in local associations aligns with what One Softball has to offer. These outcomes flow through club and representative pathways that benefits the whole sport.”

Viewership of the Softball SA Premier League also continues to grow, with elite-level softball taking place on Wednesdays at 8pm and Saturdays at 2pm, and Softball SA anticipates further casual membership growth over the remainder of the season, with the calendar punctuated by several feature events:

• Senior State Championships (Jan 21-23)
• Junior State Championships (Feb 18-20)
• SA Masters Games (April 7-10)
• Riverland Masters (June 11-13)