If you missed our Come Try Day and Junior Presentation amid the monsoonal rains this year, you can catch up on all the news, announcements, and awards here. The following is the running sheet from afternoon, though we've omitted the coaches' speeches, along with the many raffle and door prize winners!
Introduction
Welcome everyone and thanks for braving the lovely weather today.
We would like to pay respect to and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which this presentation takes place, which were taken from them without their consent, treaty, or compensation, and also pay respect to Elders both past and present.
We would like to offer a very warm welcome to everyone here: committee members, coaches, managers, umpires, players and our supporting members for this 2020/21 season, including many wonderful parents and carers.
We are holding our Presentation for the first time in this setting, in part due to Covid. But also because we wanted to give everyone a chance to have some fun and for those new to softball this year to finally give it a try after watching your daughters and sons - or grandchildren - play all year.
Though that didn’t work out the way we planned because of the rain, we do hope everyone will remember that we have teams for all ages, and experiences – and we would love to encourage many of you to give softball a try next year – even if you are a complete novice. We can accommodate all playing abilities, and competitive or non-competitive natures.
As most of you know, our President Sammi Williams, can’t be here with us today because her father is very ill in Adelaide, and Sammi has been spending as much time with him as possible. We would like to send Sammi our best wishes at this difficult time.
In turn, Sammi sends her greetings to everyone and her thanks to the many people who have helped out this year. She is particularly proud that in the midst of the Covid crisis, and Peninsula has grown in numbers – with 11 teams in our Junior comp and 9 in our senior comp - which is four more than we entered last year. And it is particularly welcome news to have four teeball teams this year - they are our future! This is testimony to the welcoming environment, the strength and positivity of all our Club members and our renewed presence on social media.
Thanks to the many people who have helped out
It is also thanks to a great group of committee members, who Sammi would also like to thank. The committee plays an integral role in the running of our club – from organising teams and uniforms to getting volunteers to the canteen and setting up the diamonds.
There is an enormous amount of work that goes into getting our players on to the diamonds every weekend.
Sammi wishes to thank in particular Kath Fox for her work as Treasurer in getting us back on track this year, and Michael McDonnell for his work as Secretary, Clair Poole and Anne-Maree Newbery for their work on our uniforms, and Gai Cohen for liaising with MWSA and her amazing and steady help in all aspects of the Club, especially in Sammi's absence in the latter part of the year. Likewise Sue Tonga for pitching in and helping wherever help was needed – like today! And a big thank you to Heidi Tetz for keeping all the volunteers on track this season. Other committee members not here today include Jill Horne, Karen Southwood, and Emma Wardman.
Also a big shout-out to Amanda Lau for her amazing work on social media – follow us on facebook, like us on Instagram! And for the many great images that now populate our new website. Amanda has been doing amazing work for the Club and helping to raise its profile and celebrate its achievements.
A huge thank you also to those who put their hand up for grounds duty this season. It was an early start and a late finish when it was our turn and without their help the diamonds would not be ready for us to play on. Thank you again Heidi Tetz, Matt Devine, Gerry Wilkins, Ghinny Lau and Rochelle Turbidy. We are very grateful.
And a huge thanks to Clair Poole particularly for her amazing work in organising our Junior Presentation event today!
We should also say – if you have enjoyed the year with Peninsula, and want to get more involved, please think about joining the committee – we’ll be calling out for volunteers soon. And if you haven’t enjoyed the year, and think you know how to help improve it, then also join the committee!
And many many thanks to our huge coaching staff and team officials (managers, scorers, administrators, and umpires), and all the many volunteers who have pitched in to help throughout the year. It is a huge amount of work and Peninsula is very grateful to have such an enthusiastic and helpful group. Players – we should give a big round of applause to all those around you for all the work they’ve done this year.
Finally, We should also thank our sponsors – especially Yes Pizza – and also All Sports Apparel.
And we should also note that we have just partnered with the Australian Sports Foundation to create a tax-deductible donation facility that gives us 95% of all donations to the Club and makes these tax deductible – if anyone is looking for a place to stash their money before the end of the tax year – it is a very good cause! – and will go to Junior equipment, uniforms etc.
Awards
Now, to the really important part of the Presentation – the players and teams!
For this, we are going to turn it over to three of our most Senior Peninsula Players in the Junior Division – Ingrid Frew, Issie Frew, and Anna Butler – who are currently with the Raiders in Div 1. It might be their last year in our Junior Comp – possibly? Thank you Ingrid, Issie and Anna for your help and your service with the Club!
First, we’d like to congratulate ALL the Junior Teams on a fantastic year of softball. Congratulations to everyone for making it through the crazy weather, Covid, and all your other commitments to play your best every week over the summer season!
We’d also like to congratulate all the Peninsula teams who made it into the Finals this year – the Raiders, Bandits, Doves, Blue Jays, Phoenix, and Parrots.
And from the Senior Teams, Eagles Black, Strikers, Condors, and Magpies.
Next, we’d like to recognise all those players who have been with Peninsula for many years. First, a special presentation for a player who has reached an amazing 10 years with Peninsula:
Anna Butler – of the Raiders
Anna will also be receiving a specially monogrammed Peninsula spray jacket – the first of its kind, at the start of next season.
Next we’d like to recognise those who have now played for FIVE years now with Peninsula. Please come up to receive your award when called.
5 YEAR AWARDS:
Mia Cassar – Blue Jays
Alyssa Fox – Blue Jays
Maddie Gorman – Diamond Doves
Jazzy Gorman – Diamond Doves
Emily Harrison - Raiders
Isabelle Frew - Raiders
Ingrid Frew – Raiders
Talea Tonga - Raiders
CLUB SERVICE AWARDS:
We’d also like to recognise the following Junior players for their services to the Club. First, for coaching or assistant coaching.
Coaching:
Blue Jays – Ella Humphrey
Phoenix – Gracie Tetz, Minty Tetz, Emily Harrison
Parrots – Abi Rowe, Alanna England, Milli Hall, Marie Johnston
Thunderbirds – Jamie Lau, Layla Tonga
Flamingos – Kirra Wilkins, Carys Thomas-McDonnell
Rosellas – Sienna Newbery, Brooklyn Poole, Natasha Townley
Now, we’d also like to recognise those who have been training to be unmpires and doing amazing work behind the plate for all of us to enjoy our games.
Junior Blues in training:
Alexa Jarrett
Alyssa Fox
Amelia Roberts
Andi Lau
Brooklyn Poole
Molly Jones
Mietta Dean
Kaitlin Budd
And, a special mention to two very dedicated players who have earned their umpiring Blues, Level 1 this year – a great achievement.
Roxy Armiger
Abi Rowe
Now, to the TEAM AWARDS!
Teeball Awards:
Kat Baldwin came up to present her teeball team, the Sparrows, with their awards
Clair Poole came up to present her teeball team, the Rosellas, with their awards
Karinne Bedingfield came up to present her teeball team, the Flamingos, with their awards
Amanda Lau came up to present her teeball team, the Thunderbirds, with their awards
Junior Team Coaches Awards:
Shaun Smith and Abi Rowe came up to present their awards to the Modball Parrots:
Most Improved Player: Emma Wakely
Coach's Award: Lara Clifford
Kath Fox and Emily Harrison came up to present their awards to the Modball Phoenix
Most Improved Player: Grace Kuga
Player's Choice Award: Kaleigh Hottes
Caitlyn Newbery and Anne-Maree Newbery came up to present their awards to the Div 3A Blue Jays
Most Improved Player: Millie De Laine
Best and Fairest Player: Charli Blenkinsop
Ange Campton came up to present her awards to the Div 2 Diamond Doves
Most Improved Player: Lulu Wrightson
Coach's Award: Alexa Jarrett
Shaun Smith came back up to present his awards to the Div 1R team, the Bandits
Player's Award: Cammy Caffin-Ballingall
Coach's Award: Milli Hall
Kellie Cohen came up to present her awards to the Div 1 Team the Raiders
Player's Award: Gracie Tetz
Coach's Award: Ingrid Frew
Jess Squires came up to present her awards to the Div 1 Team, the Rebels
Coach's Award: Tash Townley
Coach's Award: Andi Lau
Jess Squires also made awards to stand-out Junior players on her A-Reserve team, the Storm:
Coach's Award: Charleigh Kemp
Coach's Award: Caitlin Newbery
Home Run and K2 Awards
A special congratulations too, to our home run and K2 award winners.
Issie Frew won the trophy for the most home runs across the Junior Divisions.
Charleigh Kemp won the trophy for the most K2s across the Junior Divisions (for the second year in a row....!)
Amazingly, Issie and Charleigh later learned that not only had they come first in home runs and strike-outs in Peninsula, but they had also come first across the entire MWSA - a remarkable achievement given the quality and numbers of players across all teams and divisions. Many congratulations to both!
Representative and Development Players
We’d like to acknowledge and recognise the many extra-achievements of our fabulous Peninsula Players, and in particular, all the girls that represented Peninsula on the Manly Warringah Softball Association Representative and Development Teams in 2020 – and who had to put up with a lot of Covid delays and cancellations, but persevered.
MWSA U10 Representative Team – who came runners-up!:
Caitlyn Fox
And Carys Thomas-McDonnell, who was Junior Coach
MWSA U10 Development Team:
Lucy Bedingfield
Annie Hawthorne
Kaleigh Hottes
Maddie Gorman
Mia Cassar
Brooklyn Poole
MWSA U12 Development Team
Amelia Roberts
Gemma Humphrey
Eve Peskett
MWSA U14 Representative Team (placed 5th at the State Championship):
Andi Lau
Alice Campbell
Talea Tonga
Minty Tetz
Carys Thomas-McDonnell
And Cammy Saffin – who played for North Shore
Jazzy Gorman
Abi Rowe – played for Southern Districts at State
Alanna England
Marie Johnston
Roxy Armiger – played for a Combined Team at State
Lauren Allison – played for Southern Districts at State
Charleigh Kemp
Kirra Gilchrist
Ella Humphrey
Emily Harrison
Gracie Tetz
MWSA U16 Development:
Sienna Newbery – also played for Georges River at State
Natale Perry – also played for the Combined Team at State
Kirra Wilkins – also played for a Combined Team at State
Natasha Townley – also played for Southern Districts at State
And finally, on the MWSA U18 Representative Team (State Championship cancelled because of covid/weather):
Ingrid Frew
Isabelle Frew
Many congratulations to all!
Extra Achievements - 2020
And, finally, we also recognise and celebrate the many softball achievements of so many of our Peninsula players outside of Peninsula and MWSA – for Sydney Metro Teams, NSW, School and School Regional Teams. Peninsula will put a full list of these achievements up on the website in the coming weeks. Many congratulations to all.
We hope we haven’t missed anyone! Please let us know if we have…
Many congratulations to all and thanks
Have a great Winter and we’ll see you next season.
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