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Softball and baseball were centre stage on Sunday 14 April as hundreds of potential athletes visited the Brentwood Centre to take part in the Brentwood Games.
The two sports had a prime spot, situated by the entrance to the Centre, and a large number of enthusiastic men, women and children took part in throwing, catching and fielding drills and learned more about softball and baseball in Essex.
Joint effort
The softball and baseball area was set up and manned by volunteers from the Redbacks Baseball and Softball Club, including Phil Candice, who runs annual softball development sessions for the Greater London Softball Mixed League and will coordinate softball events in Chelmsford during the summer.
Further support was provided by Mike Jennings from the British Softball Federation and BSUK Youth Panel Chair David Hurley, and further thanks go to baseball coaches Neil and Sophia Hall and softball coach Adrienne Elly for their extra assistance throughout the afternoon, without whom the club could not have made such a great impact at the event.
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Throughout the afternoon, the coaches worked hard to promote the sport against many others – some more familiar to visitors but none as fun and immediately interactive. A highlight came when the Mayor of Brentwood, Councillor Ann Coe, smashed a softball around 40 yards, over the heads of would-be fielders and deep into the Centre’s playing fields!
Significant interest
By the end of the day it was estimated that over 100 people had visited and chatted to the softball and baseball coaches and over 20 people expressed significant interest in joining the club or coming along to future sessions, both for softball and baseball.
Phil Candice said: “It was fantastic to be able to get out and give people a chance to try our sports this weekend. I think the Redbacks' offer for baseball at all levels is excellent and I can’t wait to get started with bringing softball back to Essex after such a long time.
“I’m confident that with opportunities such as these to increase the exposure of the sports, people will be eager to take part as soon as we begin sessions in the summer.”
With softball sessions run by the Redbacks due to launch in June in Chelmsford, the Brentwood Games was an excellent way to promote the sports to new people in the area. The hope is that by the end of the summer, there will be enough players to take part in or host softball tournaments in Essex.
Contact details
Anyone who would like to find out more or get involved with the softball programme should contact Softball Coordinator Michael Jones at: mike@essexredbacks.com or on 07585-701756.
For baseball enquiries, contact Club Secretary Sean Briscomb at: sean@essexredbacks.com.