A mix of talented newcomers and experienced athletes are joining this year’s Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Softball program, from which the Australian women’s softball team is selected.

Promising new athletes will be training with established talent — including Olympians Jodie Bowering, Kylie Cronk, Stacey Porter, Justine Smethurst and Danielle Stewart — at the AIS Brisbane campus from 21 September 2009 to 5 March 2010.

The new AIS squad will also be taking part in a training camp at the Canberra campus, from 10 to 12 November, which will aid the athletes in preparing to play for their state teams in the first round of Softball Australia’s Gilley’s Shield competition, which takes place 13–15 November in Blacktown, New South Wales.

AIS Softball 2009/10 squad

• Jodie Bowering (Queensland)
• Georgia Casey (New South Wales)
• Michelle Cox (New South Wales)
• Kylie Cronk (Queensland)
• Brenda De Blaes (Australian Capital Territory)
• Chelsea Forkin (Western Australia)
• Simone Freeman (New South Wales)
• Leigh Godfrey (Western Australia)
• Verity Long-Droppert (Western Australia)
• Jocelyn McCallum (Queensland)
• Stacey McManus (New South Wales)
• Lena Merzliakov (Queensland)
• Aimee Murch (Australian Capital Territory)
• Leah Parry (Western Australia)
• Stacey Porter (New South Wales)
• Katina Robson (Australian Capital Territory)
• Justine Smethurst (Victoria)
• Jodie Stevenson (Western Australia)
• Danielle Stewart (Queensland)
• Tayla Supple (Victoria)
• Erin Thras (Queensland)
• Kym Turnell (New South Wales)
• Lana Tye (New South Wales)
• Melinda Weaver (Queensland)