Aussies to show Pride at Junior World Championship

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 6/3/07 8:10:46 PM 
From:  "DiAnne Lilburn" <dianne.lilburn(at)softball.org.au> 
 


  
Subject:  Aussies to show Pride at Junior World Championship
 

  



 

Media Release

Issued: 04 June 2007

 

Aussies to show Pride atJunior World Championship

 

The Australian Under 19Women’s team, Aussie Pride, will compete
in the VIII InternationalSoftball Federation’s Junior Women’s
World Championship in June2007.  

In a little over a week, 17 players who have been selected, from
an initialsquad of 30, will represent Australia in Enschede,
Netherlands from 20-30 June2007. 

Australia is one of 16 countries competing in the ISF Junior
Women’sWorld Championship and with four years of preparation,
Head Coach Leanne Evansis confident the young team will perform
to high expectations. 

“The world championship will see a very well balanced Australia
team taketo the diamond with a good mix of speed and power. I
feel, compared to that ofthe 2003 team, it is a much stronger
team offensively and defensively,”said Evans. 

Australia is in Pool B and will be up against some tough competitors
in the USAand Canada who will pose the biggest threat and strongest
competition. Also inPool B are Russia, Argentina, Italy, Botswana
and Puerto Rico.

China played host to the seventh ISF Junior Women’s World Championship
in2003 where Australia finished third, picking up their second
bronze medal at aJunior Women’s World Championship, after being
defeated by USA 7-0 in thepreliminary final.

China, Japan and the USA have dominated the medal tally at the
JuniorWomen’s World Championships with Japan having won the last
two and Evansis confident the Australian team will perform well
saying that “given theteam’s preparations in the lead-up to this
championship have been againstmainly senior teams (Chinese National
team, Australian Open Women’s teamand National Women’s League
teams), the young squad has demonstratedtheir abilities to rise
to any challenge to take on the best,” addedEvans. 

Evans who played in the first ever ISF Junior Women’s World Championshipin
1981 said that her coaching style and experience as a player
will provideextra benefit to the team. 

“As a player and coach I have participated in many international
eventsand will manage our game strategies to ensure we are positioned
well andproducing our best softball at the business end of the
tournament”concluded Evans. 

The junior women’s world championship team includes Alison Bourne
(NSW),Sarah Bradley (NSW), Carly Cheesman (Vic), Clare Currie
(ACT), NicoleDeegenaars (NSW), Ashleigh Deen (NSW), Chelsea Forkin
(WA), Renee Gloss (NSW),Leigh Godfrey (WA), Monica Gray (Vic),
Nikki Hollett (Vic), VerityLong-Droppert (WA), Nikki Pallister
(ACT), Kaia Parnaby (NSW), Sheree Schenk(SA), Brooke Spence (Captain)
(Qld), Erin Thras (Qld) and officials LeanneEvans (Head Coach),
Shane Hughes (Assistant Coach), Marissa Carpadios(Specialist
Coach), Chris Clough (Team Manager), Cheryl Dawes (Statistician),Sue
Itzstein (Umpire) and Debbie Grove (Umpire). 



AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

Leanne Evans, Head Coach,Australian Under 19 Women’s team

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

DiAnne Lilburn
National CommunicationsCoordinator
Softball Australia
Suite 4, Ground Floor
38-40 Prospect Street

Box Hill, Victoria 3128

T: +61 3 9890 8200
F: +61 3 9890 8295
M: +61 (0) 405 509 674

For moreinformation visit www.softball.org.au

_____________________________________________________________________________
Did you know thatAustralia is the world's number one softball
nation?  
World number three - Open Women's team (Aussie Spirit), Silver
Medallist(Athens, 2004), Bronze Medallists (Sydney 2000 and Atlanta
1996). 
World number one - Under 19 Men's team (Aussie Colts), three
consecutiveWorld Championship titles. 
World number three - Open Men's team (Aussie Steelers) and Under
19Women's team (Aussie Pride).

 

 

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