Shawna's Baseball Journal

Liberty Belles Getting A Lot of Attention In Montreal

2009-05-17T22:25:00.005-04:00

THE LIBERTY BELLES ARE COMING! A SPECIAL FEATURE TO BWI

The North American Liberty Belles will be playing in our Midseason Showdown this July. Who are they you might ask? Well they are a women's baseball team created specifically for the 2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup Women’s International Baseball Tournament.

They include players from the United States and Canada with varying levels of skills and experience, and although they primarily plan to tour North America and compete against other women's baseball leagues. they have agreed to test their mettle by playing in our tournament against our B-Division.

Tough luck A-Division, you get the Red Sox instead. And let's not make the mistake of taking these girls for granted, for they will be every bit as competitive as our men's teams, and they will be oodles more attractive to look at as well. Rawwrrr.

Scroll down to middle of page for story and pix after clicking on the yellow title above. We'll also be the only women's team in this tourney.

Viva Las Vegas!

2009-05-15T17:21:00.004-04:00

The North American Liberty Belles elite women's baseball team will be headed to Las Vegas, Nevada to play in the NABA Las Vegas Memorial Day Weekend baseball tournament there from May 23-25. The team will practice for a couple of hours on Friday, May 22 and will begin play on the 23rd. The Belles will be the ONLY women's team in the tourney, and I'm a part of that team.

We'll also be stopping by Sunrise Children's Hospital on the 22nd before our team practice to visit with several ill children and to give each of them gifts such as a copy of the children's baseball book "A Glove of Their Own", "Play It Forward" bracelets, and autographed team photos.

We're really looking forward to this trip and visiting with the children to help brighten their day!

GO BELLES!!!

Baseball Digest Article On Women's Baseball

2009-04-28T14:22:00.003-04:00

No-hitters, Increased Participation, and an Olympic Opportunity… Baseball for Girls and Women Growing Quickly in Stature Around the Globe.
April 26th, 2009

womensbaseball — It seemed like a simple enough idea, or maybe a ploy for extra media coverage to garner an Olympic bid, when a few weeks about International Baseball Federation president Dr. Harvey Schiller announced that baseball would add a women’s discipline to its bid for 2016. After all, the IBAF was rebuffed by the International Softball Federation in January to join forces in a combined bid, so was this announcement a media ploy to get back at softball?

“Not at all,” Schiller said recently. “I was one of the people (at the Atlanta Olympics) who helped bring softball into the Olympics, and I believe both sports belong on the Olympic programme. This move (to add women’s baseball) was long overdue and has been met with a flood of support around the world because the numbers and the opportunity support the growth of baseball as a sport for all…and all means women and girls of all ages who may leave the game now because that opportunity is not there.”

Some of those positive developments have picked up steam following the IBAF’s announcement. Sandra Monteiro of Portugal became the first female president of a baseball federation when she was elected as head of the Portuguese Baseball Federation. Then last month, 16-year-old Eri Yoshida became the first woman to appear in a Japanese professional game, striking out the first batter she faced, and touching off a storm of interest in girls baseball in Japan, where the game is already offered on the high school and collegiate levels. Korea announced the government was putting more funds into growing its baseball programs for both boys and girls, and no less than eight nations placed bids to host the 2010 Women’s Baseball World Cup. Then this past week in Bayonne, New Jersey, 12-year-old Mackenzie Brown threw a perfect game…the first by a girl in Little League…and received national attention in the United States.

Perfect Game — Another interesting development will take place later this week, on Sunday, May 3, when the first baseball game in over 100 years played entirely by college-eligible women’s student-athletes, assembled from over 10 New England colleges and universities, will be held at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. The game is believed by historians to be the first all-women’s college baseball game since a game between Georgia College and Alabama College in March of 1900.

“Baseball is a game for all, and over 250,000 girls play the game through their early teens in the United States alone,” said game organizer Justine Siegel, who serves as associate head coach at Springfield College, the only female coach in collegiate baseball. “We think this game will serve as a small sample that if given the opportunity, many young women would continue playing recreationally and competitively in high school and as adults, not just in the United States but around the world.”

The game, dubbed, “The Friendship Game,” will have over 25 players from at least 12 New England colleges and will be played on a regulation diamond, follow all NCAA baseball rules, and last seven innings. Among the participants will be Karen Costes, who played for Team USA in 2008 and Christal Fitzgerald, an Australian who was the first international female to play college baseball in the US and is currently the only woman playing college baseball, now in her third season at Daniel Webster College.

So with all the interest, numbers globally reaching 500,000 and over 30 nations now offering women’s baseball, is this a fad or a growing movement? “We know the growth potential is there, judging by the responses we are getting, and they are all genuine, not contrived at all,” Schiller added. “Baseball offers young girls and women so many of the life lessons that boys and men have already enjoyed, and most girls are introduced to ball sports or team sports through attending a professional game or playing teeball, so why shouldn’t we encourage the growth of the game? It makes perfect sense, not just in the United States and Asia, but in places like Europe and Africa where the game is really starting to grow, and the Olympic platform will help push that growth. It is a great time not just for men’s baseball or women’s baseball, but for baseball in general.”

Now many challenges still remain in growing girls baseball internationally and in the United States. The new book, “Stolen Bases: Why American Girls Don’t Play Baseball,” by Jennifer Ring, details many of the challenges faced, which include limits in coeducational opportunities in the United States, no NCAA plan for women’s baseball and cultural challenges in many countries around the world. The IBAF has added Dr. Donna Lopiano, one of the most respected names in international sport and the former head of the Women’s Sports Foundation, to chair a committee dedicated to growing the women’s discipline globally, and addressing those challenges. That committee will be formed in the coming month.

However the upside and opportunities for growth do exist, and by adding the women’s platform, and garnering media and grassroots support, a simple idea” may have spawned a new growth level of interest and participation in the great game of baseball.

INTERNATIONAL BASEBALL FEDERATION NAMES DONNA LOPIANO, Ph.D., AS CHAIR, WOMEN’S BASEBALL COMMITTEE

2009-04-20T19:33:00.001-04:00

(LAUSANNE, Switzerland) – The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) today announced that Dr. Donna Lopiano has been named the chair of the women’s baseball committee. Dr. Lopiano is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Sports Foundation, and has been internationally recognized for her leadership advocating for gender equity in sports by the International Olympic Committee, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports, the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. She is currently President, Sports Management Resources, a consulting firm based in Easton, Connecticut, USA.

“We are truly honored that Donna has decided to join us as we formulate our global plan for women’s baseball and its inclusion in our bid for the 2016 games,” said IBAF President Dr. Harvey Schiller. “There is perhaps no one more respected in sports or the development of women and girls in athletics than Dr. Lopiano, and we look forward to having her work with us in this very important endeavor.”

“Baseball is a global game that embodies all the ideals of the Olympic movement, and one of those ideals is fair play for all,” said Dr. Lopiano. “I am honored that the IBAF recognizes the great global opportunity that they have in giving women of all ages the chance to take part in baseball at any age, and am looking forward to helping in any way that I can to get baseball where it belongs for both men and women, as part of the Olympic programme.”

The IBAF announced on 6 April that it would add a women’s discipline to its bid for the 2016 Olympics, and a committee to oversee the growth of the women’s discipline would be formed. The organization has been accepting nominees for the committee from its member federations and interested parties, and will announce that committee in the coming days.

Over 30 countries currently offer a women’s discipline, with an estimated 300,000-500,000 girls playing baseball globally. Japan won the bi-annual Women’s Baseball World Cup in 2008, with the next event slated for 2010 at a site currently out to bid. The 2016 Olympic tournament, made of eight teams, would take the place of the World Cup during the 2016 calendar year.

DR. DONNA LOPIANO FULL BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Donna Lopiano is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Sports Foundation (1992-2007) and was named one of “The 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports” by Fox Sports. The Sporting News has repeatedly listed her as one of “The 100 Most Influential People in Sports.” She has been nationally and internationally recognized for her leadership advocating for gender equity in sports by the International Olympic Committee, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports, the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

Dr. Lopiano also served for 18 years as the University of Texas at Austin Director of Women’s Athletics and is a past-president of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. During her tenure at Texas, she constructed what many believed to be the premier women’s athletics program in the country; twice earning the top program in the nation award. All eight University of Texas sports were consistently ranked in the nation’s top ten in Division I where they earned eighteen national championships in six different sports, produced 51 individual sport national champion athletes, 57 Southwest Conference championships and 395 All-American athletes, dozens among them Olympians and world champions. Ninety percent of women athletes who exhausted their athletic eligibility at the University of Texas received a baccalaureate degree. Prior to Texas, Dr. Lopiano served as an Assistant Professor and Assistant Athletic Director at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.

Recognized as one of the foremost national experts on gender equity in sport, Dr. Lopiano has testified about Title IX and gender equity before three Congressional committees, served as a consultant to the U.S. Office for Civil Rights Department of Health, Education and Welfare Title IX Task Force and as an expert witness in twenty-eight court cases. Dr. Lopiano has also served as a consultant to school districts, institutions of higher education and state education agencies on Title IX compliance and to non-profit organizations on governance and strategic planning. She received her bachelor’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University, her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California and has been the recipient of five honorary doctoral degrees. She has been a college coach of men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s basketball and softball and coached the Italian national women’s softball team.

As an athlete, Dr. Lopiano participated in 26 national championships in four sports and was a nine-time All-American at four different positions in softball, a sport in which she played on six national championship teams. She is a member of the National Sports Hall of Fame, the National Softball Hall of Fame and the Connecticut and Texas Women’s Halls of Fame, among others.

Women's Collegiate Baseball

2009-04-11T23:01:00.002-04:00

Justine Siegel is organizing a women's college baseball game at Springfield College on May 3rd. If you know of any players currently in college (undergrad or grad) who would like to play, please have them contact Justine. Robin Wallace will be the head coach of a misfit team, compiled of players from different schools. Justine will be heading the team from Springfield College. Please pass the word.

BaseBall for All web site
Contact Justine Siegel or e-mail her at justinebaseball@gmail.com

Sparks To Japan

2009-04-11T22:55:00.000-04:00

Justine Siegel of BaseBall for All is looking for 11 and 12 year old girls to accompany her to Japan to play in the World Children's Baseball Fair Friendship games. She is submitting her roster on April 15th, so if you have someone in mind, please pass on the info.

BaseBall for All web site
Sparks Page

Contact Justine Siegel or e-mail her at justinebaseball@gmail.com

IBAF Helping In Women's Baseball Movement

2009-04-07T14:57:00.002-04:00

The fact that the IBAF is completely supportive of women's baseball and has added women's baseball to its bid to the IOC to bring baseball back to the 2016 Olympics will help the growth of women's and girls' baseball tremendously. Most girls and women don't even know that they do have opportunities to play real baseball with people of their own gender, but this will help change that. And, of course, if baseball is brought back, then the popularity of girls' and women's baseball will soar.

Some people don't like the fact that women's sanctioned international level softball is no longer part of the IBAF and that this hurts both baseball's and softball's chances of being reinstated to the Olympics.

However, I am VERY happy that they are separate and that the ISF refused to partner with the IBAF in being reinstated to the Olympics. Instead, the ISF wants men's softball to be added to the Olympics.

That's all fine for me, because baseball and softball are completely different sports, and women have been pushed into playing softball in lieu of playing baseball since the mid-1800s in the U.S. Softball has been seen by society as the female version of baseball... which it is not in the least.

So, what this means is, if the IOC decides to reinstate baseball and adds women's baseball to the agenda, women's baseball will FINALLY be noticed on a global stage and will grow and will become accepted by many societies that have a hard time accepting it currently. Also, if men's softball gets added to women's softball, this will strengthen the separation of baseball and softball, which would make me and so many others EXTREMELY happy!

IBAF Plans to Add Women's Baseball to the Olympic Program

2009-04-07T14:55:00.000-04:00

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) today announced that it is moving forward with an addendum to its original submission to the International Olympic Committee, which will propose to add baseball as a women's discipline for the 2016 games. The addendum is expected to be submitted to the IOC no later than May 1, 2009."

There has been a great amount of talk about adding women's baseball over the past year, but recently the growth of the sport in places where baseball is already popular, as well as the request by new federations to increase the number of young girls playing in baseball, has led us to move ahead and amend our 2016 proposal," said Dr. Harvey W. Schiller, President, IBAF. "We have shown that baseball is a sport for all, and the addition of a women's discipline for the Olympics...which will take the place of our women's World Cup in 2016...only further illustrates that point."

Currently over 30 of the IBAF's 128 member Federations have a full discipline for women, although almost all have combined programs for boys and girls through at least age ten. The addition of women's discipline would likely double the number of federations offering a full women's discipline in the next year, and will increase the number of countries eligible for the Women's World Cup in 2010. The Women's Baseball World Cup was held in Japan in 2008, with the host country defeating Canada in the final before a near-capacity crowd. The host of the 2010 World Cup will be announced in the coming months, with no less than eight nations interested in hosting the event.

The IBAF is also in the process of finalizing a committee of sports executives who will work specifically on the growth of the women's discipline worldwide. The committee will include Sandra Monteiro, the president of Baseball Portugal, as well as Andre Lachance of Baseball Canada and others. The IBAF has also received very enthusiastic support on the issue from both Major League Baseball in the United States and the Japanese Professional Leagues.

Currently over 500,000 young women play baseball around the world, with the number growing exponentially every year. Two weeks ago, Eri Yoshida became the first female to pitch in Japanese professional baseball, striking out the first batter she faced and touching off an immediate growth of young Japanese women interested in baseball.

AP NewsBreak: Baseball To Add Women To Olympic Bid

2009-04-07T13:09:00.002-04:00

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER – 22 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Baseball will be adding a women's component to its bid to get reinstated for the 2016 Summer Games.

The president of the International Baseball Federation, Harvey Schiller, tells The Associated Press the change will be made in the next few days.

The move comes a few weeks after women's softball rejected baseball's proposal for a joint baseball-softball bid. The two sports are among seven competing for two openings for new sports at the 2016 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee will vote in October on which sports to add.

Schiller says women's baseball is a growing sport. He estimates that between 300,000 and 500,000 women and girls play baseball worldwide. Meanwhile, women's softball has given the IOC an option of adding men's softball.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

No Support From U.S.

2009-02-27T09:46:00.002-05:00

Upon participating in the recent 2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup International Women's Baseball Tournament, my teammates and I learned that every other country that participated in the event received sponsorship support from their respective countries to attend, and they regularly receive support for their women's baseball programs. However, the North American team (at least the players from the U.S.) received nothing and doesn't receive anything to help support the ongoing women's baseball endeavors in this country.

I don't have a problem with paying my own way to participate in any baseball event, but I find it very odd and frustrating that other countries... where baseball may not be quite as popular as it is here... support their women baseball players and women's programs, not only financially, but in other ways as well. Sure, we're not the official national team of the good ole USA, but neither are any of the other teams that just participated in Hong Kong.

In a land that boasts the birth of the modern baseball game and of it being its national pasttime, something isn't quite right here. It says a lot about where our society is right now.

Liberty Belles Shining with Silver

2009-02-25T09:34:00.002-05:00

The North American Liberty Belles were very strong in our performances at the 2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup International Women's Baseball Tournament in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China from February 14-17, and thus, we were undefeated in all of our games leading up to the championship match. We had a very solid team, and everyone fit very well into their spot in the lineup. Strong team chemistry played a very important role in our success, along with a lot of talent and skill and very strong coaching and training from our manager, Philipe Yan.

We topped the solid Korean team in our first game by a score of 10-5. We then defeated the Hong Kong contingent, 18-5, later that same day. Those 2 victories gave us the 1st place seed in our pool, sending our team to a playoff game vs. a very tough, solid hitting, and improved Taiwanese team. This playoff game would determine who would advance to play for the gold medal and who would battle it our for the bronze the next day. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to play our great and jovial friends, the Aussies, at all in this tourney.

In a weird array of events, we were only able to play 1/2 inning in the playoff game vs. Taiwan. We had a very solid pitching and defensive 1st inning to find that we wouldn't be allowed to bat in the 2nd half of the inning. I was the starting pitcher for this game, and my performance was very solid. 3 of my 4 pitches were working beautifully (I hadn't tried the 4th one yet), and my command and control were top-notch. Things were falling into place wonderfully for us, and we got out of the 1st inning easily.

Then, it all was ripped away. A Taiwanese coach was questioning some of the home plate umpire's calls, to which the umpire responded unhappily. After the Belles sent Taiwan down in the 1st inning, a disagreement occurred between the coach and the umpire, the coach was ejected from the game, and then the coach pulled his team off the field in protest. What would've been a very exciting and competitive game turned into a jaw-dropping event. Nonetheless, the North American team respects Taiwan's decision and continues to have a close and friendly relationship with it and looks forward to seeing the team again next year.

It's very hard for a pitcher who's on top of their game and who's helping their team advance to the gold medal match have that ripped out of their hands, especially when they're playing in an international competition of this magnitude. Also, we wanted to play the game out and not have it given to us in a protest. Even though I'm frustrated about it, I have to let it go and respect Taiwan's decision.

By default, the Belles won the protested game by a score of 7-0, sending us to the gold medal match vs. a very tough Japan. Even though North America played a good game against the Far East Bloomers, we failed to score a single run in the game. Nervousness, no doubt, played a role in our loss, but we make no excuses and know we can improve and give Japan more of a run for its money next year!

So, the North American Liberty Belles walked away with silver medals and a 2nd place trophy at the 2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup International Women's Baseball Tournament (Oh... and we also had a terrific time). Not too shabby!

On a personal note, I received the win vs. Taiwan, and I went 2 for 4 with a BB, 1 run scored, and an RBI at the dish.

In addition to this wonderful playing experience and meeting new friends and reuniting with old ones, we were able to do some great sight seeing in the Hong Kong Region. Many of us made it to see the Big Buddha (the largest Buddha in the world) on beautiful Lantau Island. I also went to Stanley Market (very cool place) on Hong Kong Island, up to Victoria's Peak at night (incredibly awesome train ride up the mountainside and the most breathtaking view I've ever experienced) to see the whole cityscape and beyond, and to Bride's Pool waterfall out in the New Territories countryside with Kat, my Detroit Danger and Liberty Belles teammate. The Hong Kong countryside is absolutely gorgeous, peaceful, and inspiring. I can't wait to spend more time there next year!

All of us did plenty of touring through the City of Kowloon and Hong Kong City in addition to the sight seeing... visiting the famous markets, trying several traditional Chinese restaurants, and taking in many of the sights and sounds of this highly active place.

NCAA Reverses Interpretation That Softball And Baseball Are The Same Sports

2009-02-10T12:54:00.001-05:00

NCAA Baseball and Softball
Talking Points
February 2009

NCAA legislation governs NCAA amateurism regulations, allows student-athletes to use four seasons of competition in any one sport and limits outside athletic activities in the student-athlete’s sport (amateur team participation, etc.).

Previous interpretations of NCAA legislation stated baseball and softball were the same sport for NCAA amateurism and outside competition regulations. Therefore, a softball student-athlete could not participate on an organized baseball team during the academic year, for example, without jeopardizing her eligibility in softball.

The Women’s Sports Foundation asked the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) to review the issue of softball and baseball being considered the same sport. The CWA asked the divisional interpretive bodies to reconsider the interpretations.

Based on the information gathered, including a West Virginia court case that treats the sports as different, NCAA Divisions I, II and III voted to reverse the interpretations.

The reversal now allows a softball student-athlete, for example, to participate on a baseball league and vice versa, within other NCAA rules and bylaws.
__________________________________________________________
This is extremely important, because it will help change society's attitude toward women's baseball... and that will help change things for the better along other avenues of baseball.

North American Liberty Belles Blog

2009-02-09T16:04:00.001-05:00

Well, my North American teammates and I are heading to Hong Kong this week to play in the 2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup International Women's Baseball Tournament in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. The tourney is from February 14-17. I'm leaving this Wednesday, February 11 and will return on February 21. We'll be doing a lot of sight seeing while there, and we can't wait to meet new people, make new friends, and experience a completely different culture!

My teammate, Tiff Brooks, and I are going to be blogging from Hong Kong and posting pix. We hope we can keep up with it each day.

The blog can be found at CheckSwing.net and is called Hong Kong, China International Women's Baseball Tournament -- 2nd Annual Phoenix Cup.

North American Liberty Belles Player Bios
North American Liberty Belles Player Bio Pix
North American Liberty Belles 2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup Tourney Pix
2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup International Women's Baseball Tournament

National Women's Baseball Organization

2009-01-12T09:21:00.001-05:00

I'm a member of a national women's baseball organization in the U.S. that's working hard to grow baseball for girls and women by providing all kinds of playing opportunities for them... teams, leagues, and tournaments at different levels. We have monthly web meetings to discuss our agenda and what we can do to move forward. We're also working internationally with other women's teams, leagues, and organizations in other countries to further the growth of girls' and women's baseball.

Positive Thinking Magazine Article

2009-01-09T14:07:00.002-05:00

Back in the summer of 2008, I was featured in "Positive Thinking Magazine" in an article about women's baseball.

Click here to get to the article.

Holiday Trip

2008-12-14T01:58:00.001-05:00

I'm going to Mexico for 2 weeks, via Arizona, for the holidays. I won't be playing baseball at all on this trip, but I'll be stopping by my cousin's house in the Phoenix area on my way to Mexico, to give her some pitching lessons. She plays varsity softball in high school and just started playing baseball.

2009 NABA California Kickoff Classic/2009 NABA Boricua Caribbean Classic

2008-12-14T01:22:00.001-05:00

I've been invited to play on a men's 35+ team at the 2009 NABA California Kickoff Classic wood bat tournament in Los Angeles, Cali over Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend (January 17-19), and I've accepted the invitation. My friend, Tiff Brooks, also will be playing on my team. She and I will be the only women in the tournament (the tourney is open to women and women's team).

I also was invited to play on a men's team at the 2009 Boricua Caribbean Classic in Puerto Rico (February 20-22). Unfortunately, I won't be able to make this one, because I'll still be in Hong Kong at that time.

North American Liberty Belles -- Hong Kong 2009

2008-12-13T15:15:00.001-05:00

My friend (sister baseball player Tiff Brooks) and I have organized a North American women's baseball team to go to Hong Kong in February 2009 to play in the 2009 Hong Kong Phoenix Cup International Women's Baseball Tournament from February 14-17... in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. 12 players from the U.S. and Canada, including myself, will make up the team. We all are extremely excited to travel there to meet new people, make new friends, see Hong Kong, and to play baseball. We'll be playing teams from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), and Australia.

Our team is called the North American Liberty Belles, in honor of the Racine Belles women's baseball team of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) that existed from 1943-1954 and that was the subject of the 1991 Penny Marshall feature film "A League of Their Own".

I'll be there with the North American gals and a few of our fans for 10 days... sight seeing and playing baseball. We can't wait for this terrific experience!

2008 U.S. Women's Baseball National Championship

2008-12-13T15:06:00.001-05:00

At the end of the summer of 2008, I organized the Great Lakes Tide Women's Baseball Team to play in the 2008 U.S. Women's Baseball National Championship in Tucson, Arizona. The team consisted of players from the Great Lakes Region... Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Indiana, West-Central Michigan. The tournament was played from October 2-5 at Kino Sports Complex, Spring Training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox. We played 2 games in the stadium (Electric Park).