2012 Annual Report - Softball Australia

Community Participation
Special Olympics Australia
Special Olympics Australia is a national, not-for-profit organisation serving approximately 4,500 people with an
intellectual disability, in 250 sports clubs across Australia. Softball is one of 13 sports offered to athletes of varying
abilities, from community to international level.
Special Olympics World Summer Games, Athens 2011
At the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens (25 June – 5 July 2011), Australia was again represented in the
Softball competition, defending their 2007 Gold Medal. A team of 13 extremely talented, hardworking and dedicated
players lived up to the Games slogan ‘I am in’, with each match being tightly contested. The Australian team played in
Division 1, pitting them against tough opposition from the Dominican Republic and Canada BC. Our team came away
with a bronze medal, with the gold medal won by the Dominican Republic.
Special Olympics Softball Program 2011/12
Special Olympics Australia delivered a number of Softball programs and slowpitch competitions nationally for people
with an intellectual disability throughout the year, resulting in:
• 140 Softball participants registered
• 5 state-level games and the World Summer Games
• 45 coaches, umpires, scorers involved
• seasonal training and inter-club competitions (mainly with local mainstream clubs)
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Softball Australia, in partnership with Softball NSW and Georges River Softball Association, developed a pilot program
aimed to develop relationships with Arabic speaking communities in Bankstown, NSW.
Looking forward, a Softball Community Coaching Program will be delivered to the community, providing them with
appropriate skills and knowledge that can be used to deliver community-based Softball events and programs to engage
more Arabic speaking communities to the sport of Softball.
SOFTBALL AUSTRALIA ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Page | 57