Bristol Baseball Club has launched a women’s team to meet a growing demand from players across the region.
The Bobcats will join the British Baseball Federation (BBF) and Women In Baseball UK (WB-UK) in growing the game across the south west and be part of a national league from 2021.
If Government guidance allows, players from Bristol could take part in some training sessions and practice matches as preparations for a WB-UK Championship to be held later this year.
“We have had a growing number of women join the club in the past couple of years and play for our teams in competitive baseball leagues,” said club chair, Richard Evans. “With the initiative by the BBF and WB-UK and the number of women who signed up to play for us this year, we feel now is the right time to take the next step in the development in the club.”
At this year’s indoor training, 10 women took part and in 2019 Molly Willcox and Tsz Yan Chan were members of the Bristol Buccaneers and Bats who played in the South West Baseball League (SWBL).
Molly Willcox, who is a club director and a member of the WB-UK organising group said, “I am delighted to see us take this step. Bristol is one of the most progressive sports clubs in the country and we all look forward to developing the best women’s team in the country.”
The BBF and WB-UK initiative will also see the setting up of a GB Women’s Team under the leadership of Doris Hocking, founder of WB-UK.
“I am delighted that we will have a women’s team in Bristol and it is WB-UK’s aim to work with Bristol Baseball Club to make it a centre of excellence for the sport and I know the club will want to see their players representing GB in the future.”
A spokesman for the board of the BBF said,” Promoting women’s baseball is a crucial element for the success of our sport’s development at the local and international level. In association with WB-UK Women’s Baseball UK, we will extend an equitable framework to women to increase playing opportunities, knowledge and support.
We are are delighted that Bristol Baseball Club has joined the initiative to promote women’s baseball. This is another example of the club being innovative and going into the community to develop our sport.”
Anyone from the region interested in taking up baseball can contact the club directly at info@bristolbaseball.co.uk