By Lance Jenkinson
Werribee Giants Baseball Club is looking to expand its ranks.
Top of the agenda for the Giants is the return of their women’s team this summer.
Last year, the Giants fell short of numbers in their women’s section and were forced to enter an amalgamated Werribee/Footscray team to retain the players.
Giants president Ryan Balzer wants to see the women’s program revived and thrive well into the future.
“We had two women’s teams out of Werribee at one stage,” he said. “For whatever reason, there was a loss of interest one year or some players went to another club, we found ourselves too short to make up the teams.
“That’s why we’re trying to rebuild the program again.”
Balzer was bittersweet about the half Werribee, half Footscray women’s team last season.
While he was thrilled to be able to give those players that wanted to play a chance to do so and was pleased with the partnership between the two clubs, it hurt him that the Giants did not have their own team.
“The fact we could put them on the park as a joint team ensured they could continue to play,” Balzer said.
“That was the biggest thing for us, to give them a game in some way, shape or form.
“It’s important for any of the community organisations to provide a service that allows men, women, children and masters the opportunity to play sport and in our case baseball.”
Werribee has appointed Jacob Sigismondi as its women’s coach.
Sigismondi was one of the co-coaches of the Werribee/Footscray team last season.
“We’re dedicated to Jacob and we’re going to get him a higher coaching accreditation before the commencement of next season to develop his own skills and encourage him on the path he’s chosen to coach the women’s program,” Balzer said. “He enjoyed it and he’s growing his own passion for coaching.”
The new women’s team is not the only growth occurring for the Werribee Giants.
The club has launched two satellite clubs, the Tarneit Rangers, which started last season, and Point Cook Pirates, which begins this season.
Those two clubs will serve their growing communities.
Balzer has put the call out for juniors who want to get involved with either of the teams.
The coaches will hold three come-and-try days. Tarneit Rangers will be first cab off the rank, hosting its day at Hummingbird Reserve on August 31 from 9am-1pm.
Point Cook Pirates have set aside September 1 from 9am-1pm at a venue to be determined.
The last one will be for Werribee Giants juniors (10am) and women’s (noon) at President Park on September 7.
