With the 2024/2025 Summer Softball Season fast approaching, Keilor Park & Districts Softball Association have taken huge steps to ensure the season will be a successful one.

From implementing junior recruitment and development initiatives to providing a coach mentoring program to up skill new and existing coaches, the association have many bases covered!

JUNIOR RECRUITMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

An area of priority for the association is growing junior participation and membership and are currently delivering some exciting programs to achieve this outcome.

One of these initiatives is getting involved in Softball Victoria’s Connected Schools Program. The Connected Schools Program is a 4-6 week T-Ball/Softball program delivered in selected schools in term 3, a prime time for recruitment, leading into the Summer Season. Keilor Park coaches are delivering the program in 5 schools, Taylors Lakes Primary School, Gladstone Park Primary School, St Pauls Kealba Catholic Primary School, St Margaret Mary’s Primary School and Merri-Bek Primary School, seeing approximately 250 students each week. The program is not only allowing the association to establish relationships with the PE Teachers and students it is also removing a barrier by having flyers distributed to students at no cost and students feeling comfortable that they will know someone when they attend their first training session back at the association or club.

Another key recruitment initiative being delivered by Keilor Park in term 3 is a 6 week Junior Development Program involving juniors aged 8-14 being delivered by experienced coaches and State representative players. Currently 39 juniors are participating in the program, learning and developing key fundamental skills which will help them excel during the season.

COACH MENTORING PROGRAM

The Association is also using the Junior Development Program as a strategy in upskilling and developing their coaches by having new coaches involved in the program assisting, and at the same time being mentored by experienced coaches. Being involved in the program has become a great learning experience for these new coaches as they have been actively involved in delivering activities in conjunction with an experienced coach, learning how to apply key coaching principles and teaching fundamentals, as well as gaining confidence to pursue other coaching roles.

BUILDING A POSITIVE CULTURE

The Association over the last few seasons has established a culture based on fun, fundamentals, fair play and family involvement.  “We have an inclusive and supportive community where its ok to “fail” - we feel this will lead to success of our teams.”

Committee roles have also been identified to cover the range of tasks required to run and grow a successful softball association and not burden any one person with the lion’s share of the work.

“We have created a culture of volunteering so no one person is relied upon to do everything.  Everyone at the association is required to contribute towards the running of association.”

OTHER EXCITING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES PLANNED

-    Tuesday night Home Run Heroes Program for 6 weeks in Term 4 2024, and Term 1 2025 for 4–6-year-olds

-    Tuesday night T-Ball Comp for 8 weeks in Term 4 2024 and Term 1 2025 for 7–10 year-olds utilising the relationship we have established with the schools through the Connected Schools Program 
-    Tuesday night Open Age Social Softball for 8 weeks in Term 4 2024 and Term 1 2025

The Association is also planning to field teams in all grades in the North West Softball League (T-Ball, U12, U14, U16, U19, Open Women A, Open Women B, Open Men) and also aims to have two KP representative teams at State Championships and players at all State Championships/U12s Carnival.

For more information on Softball at Keilor Park and Districts Softball Association visit https://www.revolutionise.com.au/kpdsa/home/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KPDSA