After more than 21 years of service, National High Performance & Pathway Manager Chet Gray has informed Softball Australia of his resignation.

Chet joined Softball Australia in 2002 as National Coaching Director, during which time he assisted in redeveloping the Open Men’s program, taking the team from 15^th in the world to a gold medal at the World Championships in 2009, and bronze medals in 2004 and 2013. As National Coaching Director, Chet also helped establish the International Friendship Series, that exposed 15- and 16-year-old athletes to high-performance competition, leading to long-term success in the junior and Open Men’s programs.

Chet then served as General Manager, Technical and Operations, before becoming CEO of Softball Australia in 2013, during which time he helped create financial stability for the organisation and played an instrumental role in initiating the implementation of the One Softball management structure. Chet served as the Chief Operating Officer from 2018 until August 2021, and has since been the National High Performance & Pathway Manager, where he has overseen a range of initiatives, including the Downunder Series against professional teams from Japan, which later became the Australia Pacific Cup.

When asked to reflect on his time in softball, Chet said, “I’ve always treated working in sports administration with respect, and I’ve felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in this role for a long period of time. I’d like to think I can now wear the Softball Australia hat with pride for the contributions I’ve made.”

Chet also expressed his hopes for the future of softball in Australia, saying “I think both our men and women have the potential to get back into the top three in the world. Players like Tarni Stepto and Gabbi Plain are coming through the ranks, and the systems we’ve put in place to improve our coaches and players is only going to make them better.”

Softball Australia Chair Richard Lindell praised Chet for his industrious contribution to softball, saying, “Chet’s influence on our high performance and pathways programs is difficult to overstate. Our men and women are currently ranked 3^rd and 8^th in the world respectively, and this success is because of his dedication to being at the cutting edge of athlete and coach development.”

Softball Australia CEO Rosie Williams OBE similarly reflected on Chet’s influence, saying, “Chet’s diplomacy and knowledge of stakeholders in our game has successfully steered our high-performance and pathway programs for more than 21 years. I’d like to thank Chet for the time and dedication he has given to the sport, and Softball in Australia is indebted to his service.”

Chet’s tenure at Softball Australia will conclude early next month, after which time High Performance & Pathway responsibilities will be handled by senior Softball Australia staff.