Following a review of Team Ireland’s preparations for and performace at the World Series in September 2023, the Softball Ireland Board unamiously agreed to appoint Peter Mullen (BatPak) as Head Coach for the Slowpitch National Teams (Co-ed & Men’s). Peter has been apponted as Head Coach until the conclusion of the 2025 World Series.

When appointing Peter to the role, the Board were impressed by the postive post tournament player feedback together with Peter’s committment to the development of our National Slowpitch Programme and determination to raise the standard and quality of Slowpitch Softball throughout the country.

Ireland will compete in Co-ed and Men’s European Championship Slowpitch tournaments during 2024 , and Peter plans to hold training sessions and open trials during January and February 2024 as part of the squad selection process.

Further information on the Slowpitch National Team assistant coaches and team manager will be shared in early 2024.

A new name was placed on the historic IOST trophy in 2023 as Belfast Softball Club (BSC) won the IOST for its first time. BSC won out in the final against the Ori-Ginals having gone unebeaten for the whole tournament.

FULL REPORT TO FOLLOW

After a very successful IOST in MTU cork last year in amazing weather, with sprinklers in great demand, IOST is returning to Cork for 2023 and will be held on the 12th and 13th of August. Once again the venue is MTU.

Team entry fee is €375 with registration closing on Friday the 4th of August at 5pm. Team entry is done using the form IOST Registration.

Accommodation is available for either 2 or 3 nights at Melbourne point at a cost of €80 per room per night. This can be booked online, with the link available on the IOST Registration form. Rooms are not held just for Softball, so it is advised to book early.

Any questions email tournaments@softball.ie

We are full!

We are delighted to confirm that registration for the BWC is now full! Any team wishing to be placed on the waiting list should complete the registration form and should a place become open it will be offered the slot in order.

Full tournament details will be issued to Captains early next week and on the Softball Ireland Website!

The format for the the Women’s Softball World Cup (Group A) which will be hosted in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin between July 11 – July 15, 2023 has been confirmed.

Under the new two-stage format, the World Cups are played over two consecutive years, with the Group Stage the first year with the Finals following the year after.

Two-Stage Softball World Cups: Group Stage Competition Format

• 18 teams feature in the Group Stage spread across three groups
• The top two teams from each group in the Group Stage advance to the Finals
• Each group in the Group Stage will start with a single round robin.
• The best four teams from the round robin will advance to play-offs where the top two sides play each other with a ticket to the Finals at stake.
• The loser of the first play-off game will then play against the third v fourth winner for the second spot in the Finals

Full article on the format is available here

About – The Women’s Softball World Cup is being hosted at a 2,500 seater temporary stadium in Balbriggan Co. Dublin between July 11 – July 15, 2023. The tournament is being jointly hosted by Softball Ireland (Fastpitch) and Fingal County Council – for all media/sponsoship queries please email: softballwcireland@gmail.com

The 2023 Softball Tournaments Calendar has been updated on the Softball Ireland website. As tournaments and events are approved by Softball Ireland the calendar will be updated regularly. If you wish to add an event to the calendar please let us know! The calendar may be found using the link below or under the events menu bar. Click on the event for more details as they become available.

Softball Ireland Events Calendar

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

OF

SOFTBALL IRELAND

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Annual General Meeting of Softball Ireland will be held at ALSAA Sports Centre, Old Airport Rd, Toberbunny, Co. Dublin, K67 YV06 on Sunday January 29, 2023 at 12.00pm (1200) for the purposes of transacting the following business in accordance with the Softball Ireland Constitution: –

1. Adoption of Standing Orders

2. Minutes of the 2021 AGM and Matters Arising

3. Presidents Report

3a. Softball World Cup Update

3b. Baseball Softball Ireland Update

4. Financial

4a. Accounts and Balance Sheet of SI for year ended September 30, 2022

4b. Confirmation of Audit & Compliance Committee Membership

4c. Note the 2023 Draft Softball Ireland Budget

5. Election of Softball Ireland Board

5a. Consider Nominations for Secretary (3-year term)

5b. Consider Nominations for Treasurer (3-year term)

5c. Ratify Appointment of Softball Leinster Representative

5d. Ratify Appointment of Softball Ulster Representative

5e. Ratify Appointment of Softball Connaught / Muster

5f. Ratify Appointment of Fastpitch Discipline Representative

6. Any Other Business

Dated this January 8, 2023

By order of Softball Ireland

Note:

i. The Quorum for a General Meeting shall be 50% of the fully paid up Teams in accordance with Article 7 entitled to attend and vote at a General Meeting.

ii. Each fully paid up Player in Good Standing of SI may attend and speak, subject to the standing orders, at the General Meeting

iii. Unless designated as Representative of a Team at a meeting, the Player shall not have a vote.

iv. Proxy votes will be accepted, by the Secretary General up to 24 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting, from teams based in regions other than that hosting the AGM. Such teams will count towards the quorum of the meeting. A proxy vote may only be cast by a designated Representative of a team.

Nominations: Nominations for the position of Treasurer of Softball Ireland must be submitted noting the proposer and seconder by 1700 on January 22, 2023 to secretary@softball.ie

Locker a new app for sports fans is running a ‘Club Hero’ competition providing clubs with an opportunity to win €5,000.

The Competition which is running until the end of the month and gives clubs at all level of sport a chance to win €5,000 for their club by simply downloading Locker and registering their club.

Locker is a free app that helps centralise premium sports content and put the power in the hands of fans to personalise their world of sport

The Locker app is a must have sports fans
– Centralising content for fans to curate their world of sport
– Club Hero can win you 5k for your club
– App is free to play; download and register your club name to enter
– More entries from members and friends increase your chances to win

Competition ends September 30th

Link to all info can be found here https://getlocker.com/club-hero/

Please use the link below to register your team for the 2022 IOST. This years IOST takes place on the 13th & 14th of August at MTU Cork.

Accommodation is available at €70 per room per night quoting discount code “Softball Ireland” for this rate. Please contact Melbourne Point Student Accommodation on 021 6035500 between 8am-3.30pm. Players and teams are advised to book their accommodation as soon as possible due to extremely high demand in the sector at the moment.

https://forms.gle/G13vs9PDY9aqCQMr7

Details on social events around the IOST will be shared at a later date.

Ireland have lost the opening game of the Men’s Euros 14-10 to the Netherlands.
With only 1 run in it a the end of 5, a 5 run 6th inning for Netherlands left too much for Ireland to chase in the end.
Ireland have a quick turnaround as we play hosts Italy in the opening ceremony game at 6pm Irish Time this evening.

The second edition of the Men’s Slowpitch European Championship starts on June 14, 2022 and the Irish team travels with the confidence to challenge for a medal by the time the tournament concludes in Colorno, Italy on Saturday June 18th.

In order to win a medal, Ireland face tough oppositions with Great Britain, the defending Champions, starting as tournament favourites with strong showings expected from Italy the hosts and Germany. Ireland start the tournament as six seeds with an opening game versus the Netherlands at noon on Tuesday 14th and then as part of the opening ceremony game v hosts Italy at 6pm.

Irleand’s progress at the tournament can be followed on all our social media channels with live play by play available at Play by Play

The WBSC has confirmed that the inaugural the Slow Pitch Softball World Cup for 2023, following a proposal from a Slow Pitch Working Group of which Softball Ireland President Colum Lavery was a member.

The WBSC have confirmed the inaugral World Cup will be a 12-team tournament, with qualifiers coming from Africa (1), Americas (3), Asia (3), Europe (3), Oceania (1) and 1 Wild Card.

The 2022 Slow Pitch European Championships in July will act as Europes qualification tournament for the World Cup and a medal will be needed to qualify.

The Creation of a World Cup for Slow Pitch is a long time coming and a great step forward for the discipline. The World Cup will finally give an opportunity for Slow Pitch players globally to showcase their talent. We were delighted to support our European colleagues on the Working Group in recommending the Slow Pitch World Cup to the Executive Board.

Colum Lavery, President Softball Ireland