Photos: Supplied.
BY JAN NARY
“Pitching is probably the most critical thing; the more good pitching you have, the better your chance of winning. You can’t be too sure how well your batting will go if you come up against a first-class pitcher on the other team.
“The record speed for a male pitcher is 168.5 km ph – and it’s not just about the speed. A good pitcher can make the ball drop or rise or curve and they have a move called a ‘changer’, which can actually take speed off the pitch, so the hitter thinks it’s coming fast but it ends up coming slow; it’s very skilful.”
Fabian Barlow, Director of Operations, Softball Queensland State Team, who has coached the sport for most of his life, says the Queensland State Championships are approaching and the selection criteria will be critical for choosing the players who will represent their District Association and be considered for State Team selection. There are 19 teams, and competitors will have to be a member of a club to compete.
Competitors from 16 years old will be testing their skills against older, more experienced players; where does the advantage sit?
“You ignore youth at your peril. More experienced players could bring the emotional ‘baggage’ of previous games that didn’t go well; naïve young players just come in and play the game that’s in front of them,” Fabian says.
“On the other hand, you need the ability to analyse the opposition’s style and that’s where experience comes in. There are so many variables – where are the base runners? What’s the strength of this batter? What’s the strength of our pitcher? What options do we have?
“Defensively, when you’re out there, you’ve got to work all that out and decide what play you’re going to make. You definitely need that game sense which comes with experience. And you need speed. Youth, experience – you’re chasing a bit of both.”
The State Championships, supported by the Redland City Council, will be played from Friday October 9, to Sunday October 11, 2026. For more information, visit https://www.softballqld.asn.au/events/341546
