More Indigenous players are taking up softball in the ACT and teams which is experiencing a surge in popularity. Their passion and enthusiasm is inspiring many other Indigenous participants to play the game.

Since 2001 the number of Indigenous teams in ACT Softball has grown significantly from just one single women’s team to two women’s and one mixed slow pitch team. The game is also taking off in popularity at the junior level. Indigenous players are getting involved in the mixed junior teeball, mixed junior modified and mixed primary/high school teams.

The teams are being supported by a growing number of parents who have become accredited managers, scorers and coaches.

Contributing to the rapid growth has been the support from the Australian Sports Commission’s Indigenous Sport Program which aims not only to encourage Indigenous people to be more active, but to increase opportunities for Indigenous people to organize, maintain and manage community-based sport.

All teams operate under the banner of the WhISPers Club in acknowledgement of the Indigenous Sport Program’s support.

The Australian Government’s ACT Indigenous Sport Development Officer Joanne Robson says the surge in interest is primarily due to finding the right mix of family unity, appropriate age competitions and opportunities and offering children a chance to showcase their new skills. Softball activities, weekly competitions and even community ‘feasts’ during registration days have provided an important outlet for community members to participate.

‘As long as the children can meet other members of the Indigenous community, learn from their peers and elders, and the families can become part of a sporting community that’s nurturing, have the same common goals for sport participation, then they will bond and build a sustainable club,’ she says.

Among future plans for the club are, establishing a junior umpiring scholarship, running an annual Indigenous primary schools softball carnival and running softball clinics during National Aboriginal Islander Day of Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week.