The Werribee Softball Association is polishing its diamonds and battering up for a mammoth long weekend of competition.
Association president Trevor Murphy said the organisation was thrilled about hosting this year’s Victorian Masters Softball Championships, which will be run across the Queen’s Birthday weekend of June 9-11.
About 52 teams from all over Victoria – and some from interstate – will descend on Presidents Park for the tournament starring players aged 35 and over. The sport is particularly popular among women, with female teams comprising about 80 per cent of the competition.
Mr Murphy said Wyndham council had top-dressed five of the diamonds, repaired five in-fields and fixed irrigation to make the facility competition-ready.
Association registrar Angela Broadbent added: “We’ll be using all of our 11 diamonds. It’s a huge job to have the grounds up to a standard when all the teams descend on the park.
“It’s pretty exciting. For quite some time now, [the competition’s been held] in rural areas. To get the opportunity to host the masters is a huge coup for our association.”
Mr Murphy said the masters championships was one of two major tournaments being held at Presidents Park this year, with the Werribee association also hosting the Werribee Memorial Shield in mid-September.
For more information about the Victorian Masters Softball Championships, go to vic.softball.org.au/masters/