june2006

Australian Open Women's Team off to Canada Cup

June 26, 2006

off to Vancouver, BC

Australian Open Women’s Team off to CanadaCup


On Wednesday 28 June, the Australian Open Women’s softball team, AussieSpirit, departs
Sydney to head forthe Canada Cup as its lead up to final preparations for the InternationalSoftball Federation’s Women’s World Championship. 

 

The Canada Cup, one of the best competitive tournaments inthe world and in its 13th year, takes place from 1-9 July in Vancouver and willsee Australia go upagainst some of the world’s best pitchers and hitters the internationalgame has to offer.

 

Head Coach Fabian Barlow is lookingforward to the competition which will give players and the team finalopportunities to experience the highest standard of softball prior to the WorldChampionship with strong opponents like the USA, Japan, Canada and China.

 

“The competition will help us continue to work on ourdefensive set-ups and just as importantly our belief systems and team dynamics.It will also give us the opportunity to see our opponents’ strengths andweaknesses as well as what they perceive ours to be,” said Barlow.

 

Barlow is mindful of the tacticsthat will be used by countries competing at the World Championship in Augustsaying that “there is a strong possibility that teams will hide some oftheir potential weapons that they will look to bring out in Beijing and we willbe no different. You need to get a good mix of testing out some of your gameplans but having something in reserve to take to the Worlds.”

 

Under Barlow’s leadership, Australia defeatedUSA Elite 3-0 to take home last year’s Canada Cup and is confident thatthe experienced 17-player team will again put in a strong performance.

 

“I am confident that we will win our share of gamesover the course of the two tournaments and commit to the cause every time wetake to the field to represent the country,” concluded Barlow.

 

The team, consisting of 9 world championship players and 10Olympians, includes Sandra Allen (Qld), Catherine Bishop (SA), Marissa Carpadios(Qld), Kylie Cronk (Qld), Amanda Doman (Qld), Kelly Gentle (NSW), Kelly Hardie (Qld), Tanya Harding (co-captain) (Qld), Danica Howlett (NSW), Simmone Morrow (NSW), Tracey Mosley (Qld), Stacey Porter (NSW), Kate Quigley (Vic), Danielle Stewart (Qld), Natalie Titcume (Vic), Natalie Ward (co-captain) (NSW) and Belinda Wright (NSW). 

 

The Canada Cup willbe held at Softball City, BC Canada and then the Australian team will head to Oklahoma to compete in the US World Cup from 13-17 July 2006.

 

Natalie Ward, Australia’ssecond most capped player will surpass current most capped player Sally McCreedyon day four of the Canada Cup.

 

***The team will be visiting the WestmeadChildren’s Hospital in Sydney at 5.00pm tonight (27 June, 2006) in conjunction with St George whoare proud supporters of Softball Australia***  

 

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

 

Fabian Barlow, HeadCoach, Australian Women’s team

 

DRAW

 

Round Robin format and date and time of games listed in AEST

 

Day 1 – Sunday 2 July

6:30am - Australia vs Venezuela

11:30amAustralia vs SchuttHurricanes

 

Day 2 – Monday 3 July

6:30amAustralia vsWashington Blast

 

Day 3 – Tuesday 4 July

8:30am –Canada Elite vs Australia

 

Day 4 – Wednesday 5 July

1:30pm - Australia vs Japan –Denso Club

 

Day 5 – Thursday 6 July

11:30amAustralia vs AmericanPastime

 

Day 6 – Friday 7 July

8:30amAustralia vs China

 

Day 7 – Saturday 8 July

Play Offs

 

Day 8 – Sunday 9 July

Semi Finals

 

Day 9 – Monday 10 July

Preliminary
Grand
Final

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION
DiAnne Lilburn

National Communications Coordinator

SoftballAustralia

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

 

Formore information visit www.softball.org.au

 

_____________________________________________________________________________
Didyou know that Australia is the world's number onesoftball nation? 
World number two - Open Women's team(Aussie Spirit), Silver Medallist (
Athens, 2004), BronzeMedallists (Sydney 2000 and Atlanta 1996).
World number one - Under 19 Men's team(Aussie Colts), three consecutive World Championship titles.
World number three - Open Men's team(Aussie Steelers) and Under 19 Women's team (Aussie Pride).

 

 

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