Softball ACT has completed the transition to the One Softball Management Structure, with the ACT Softball Association entering into the One Softball Agreement with Softball Australia.

As a result, the financial management of Softball in the ACT has shifted to Softball Australia, and Softball ACT members will now receive invoices from Softball Australia on behalf of Softball ACT.

Every other aspect of Softball ACT operations remains unchanged.

Softball ACT was the first State or Territory to begin the process of joining One Softball, which is squarely aimed at optimising back-office processes.

Since mid-2021, Softball ACT has had direct access to Softball Australia’s commercial partners, marketing, communications, governance, legal, finance and accounting resources, and membership development and participation resources.

Under One Softball, Softball Australia has also been working with Softball ACT to appoint a State Operations Manager and Participation Coordinator at Hawker to respectively oversee operations and implement Home Run Hero junior participation programs.

Softball Australia CEO Rosie Williams said, “The progress we’ve made with Softball ACT, Softball SA and Softball Victoria demonstrates that the One Softball model is about growing the sport together.

“States and Territories maintain their identity under One Softball, and Softball ACT will continue to have independence in how they run their competitions and events, meaning they stay connected to the community.”

Softball ACT Acting State Operations Manager Georgia Carpenter outlined the practical benefits of One Softball, saying, “We get support in the office for areas we don’t have time or resources for, such as communications and marketing, and organising our academies and camps. It feels like being part of a team.”

Benefits of the One Softball model include:

• Growing the sport and addressing the long-term membership challenge;
• Ensuring long-term financial sustainability;
• Ensuring a consistent and coordinated approach to the experience of everyone involved in softball;
• Delivering improved services to Members, Clubs, Associations and the wider Softball community by building capability and capacity at all levels of the sport, and;
• Increasing revenue through the pooling of all commercial assets from States and the National body resulting in increased attractiveness to commercial partners for marketing and brand building purposes.

For more information on the One Softball project, visit softball.org.au