Are you an athlete aged between 12 – 18 years of age in 2022 and residing in the South East Region of NSW? Are looking for assistance with your chosen sport?

The South East Sports Academy (SESA) is currently accepting scholarship nominations for Individual Athlete Program (IAP).

The IAP is for athletes aged between 12 to 18 years who are competing at a high level in their chosen sport. Scholarships are available to athletes who reside or attend school in the South East Region. Scholarships will be awarded based on performances by the athlete at national, state or regional level over the past three years.

Athletes with a disability are encouraged to apply.

Visit their website for more information or to submit an application. Applications close Sunday 28th November 2021.

To Our Members,
 
Baseball NSW has been advocating the Office of Sport and Sport NSW for a return to competition for some time now. In the latest update from the Office of Sport, community sports competition activites are permitted effective immediately – in accordance with the Public Health Order.
 
The NSW Government has released the Public Health (COVID-19 General) Amendment Order (No 3) 2021. This amendment relates to outdoor community sport and recreation activities.
 
The amendment outlines the following changes to the maximum gathering size for outdoor community sport gatherings:

• Clause 2.12 (1) (b1) enables a COVID-19 safe outdoor public gathering for a community sporting activity to be the lesser of 1,000 persons or 1 person per 2 square metres.
• All people attending the gathering must be:
  • Fully vaccinated; or
  • under 16 years of age; or
  • have been issued with a medical contraindication certificate compliant with the Order
• The activity organiser must have a 'community sport' COVID-19 Safety Plan.

 
This amendment acknowledges the need for a larger gathering size to enable some community sport activities to recommence while taking into account the significant number of children that participate in community sport and are not yet fully vaccinated. It is anticipated this gathering limit will remain in place until at least 1 December 2021.
 
New COVID-19 Safety Plan for outdoor community sport
In line with the amendment, the Office has been advised a new COVID-19 Safety Plan for outdoor community sport has been released.
 
This plan reflects the outdoor gathering size being changed to 1,000 persons or 1 per 2 square metres and has language which better reflects the nature of community sport, including the role of volunteers.
 
Indoor recreation facilities
Under Clause 2.9 of the Order:

• Gym classes and dance classes remain capped at 20 people.
  • Masks must be worn at all times during gym and dance classes
• The maximum capacity at an indoor recreation facility is 1 person per 4 square metres.
  • There is no limit on gathering sizes within an indoor recreation facility except for gym and dance classes (noted above).
  • Masks must still be worn when not participating in exercise.

​
Major recreation facilities
There have been no amendments to the major recreation facility restrictions. Under Clause 2.7 of the Order:

• The maximum capacity at a major recreation facility is the lesser of the following
  • 1 person per 4 square metres of space in the premises,
  • 5,000 persons
• Under Clause 2.18 (3), an unvaccinated child under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated member of their household.

 
Travel restrictions
Travel between Greater Sydney (including the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Shellharbour, and the Central Coast LGAs) and Regional NSW will not be permitted until 1 November, to allow people in the regions more time to receive their second vaccine.
 
Unvaccinated adults must not participate in recreation outside the local government area in which they reside.
 
Please note: The restrictions outlined in this notice are relevant to ‘the general area’, which comprises the whole of the State other than an area that is a ‘stay at home area’.
 
Integration of the COVID-19 vaccine certificate into the Service NSW app
The NSW Government has introduced the integration of the COVID-19 vaccine certificate into the Service NSW app.
 
The Department of Customer Service has produced a communications toolkit to assist organisations in communicating proof of vaccination requirements to organisations when checking in, and how to add the COVID-19 vaccination certificate into the Service NSW app.

It is the responsibility of the clubs to confirm the vaccination status of their members upon arrival to training which is viewable on the Medicare App. Clubs are not permitted to request that a member provides a hard or soft copy of their vaccination certificate.
 
Please refer to the online service: Express Plus Medicare mobile app - Services Australia and the NSW Proof of COVID-19 vaccination – What you need to know document. 

Baseball Australia President David Hynes has released a statement following yesterday’s announcement that the 2021/22 Australian Baseball League season would not go ahead.

Dear ABL fans and stakeholders,


The decision by the Australian Baseball League to cancel the upcoming ABL 2021/22 season was a decision which the Australian Baseball League did not at all wish to make. The decision was made with a heavy heart, but in the best interests of the Australian Baseball League and its participants as a whole. This is a short-term and rotten situation, but it’s truly our only realistic choice right now and I ask baseball’s stakeholders, including our fans, to consider our reasons.


Everyone – the Australian Baseball League and ABL teams – tried enormously hard to come up with a model that best works for the game’s future, and indeed the future viability of the ABL teams themselves. At the end of the day, and after exhausting ALL options to run the ABL season, the season was abandoned because of the circumstances we find ourselves in due to this once in a lifetime global COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically:

• The ABL and team business model is heavily reliant on teams playing a home and away schedule. This model sees owners invest heavily into their team and the business around the team, and there is a reliance on the delivery of home games to be viable. The lengthy lockdown of major ABL markets and the continued uncertainty of domestic border status across Australia, creates a significant amount of risk that the home games teams demand cannot be guaranteed, where alternatives would have impacted on different teams in different ways and in a materially unequal manner.
• Unlike some other professional sporting codes, many of our players, coaches and support staff have jobs outside of baseball, which means the option of teams spending extended time on the road, in hubs, or relocating to different locations for the summer simply does not exist.
• The financial risk of playing in some modified format for a second year in a row was too high, where to implement such a system may have brought about the demise of some of our ABL teams and made the whole ABL unsustainable in the future. We sought to learn from our experiences in the 2020/21 season whereby enormous financial strain was placed on the league, the ABL teams and the sport in operating during the pandemic.

​
While we acknowledge that there is naturally going to be disappointment and frustration that a season will not take place in 2021/22, we are disappointed that some public messaging has directed blame for the decision on Baseball Australia, other teams, and has involved incorrect and misleading information.
Specifically, and for the record, Australian Baseball League states that:

• The season was not cancelled because of demands from an individual club, or group of clubs.

• At no point did five of the six ABL teams (or any majority of the ABL teams) produce, agree on, or propose anything like a robust plan of action for conducting the 2021/22 ABL season in a viable, sustainable, and financially sensible manner.

As custodians of the game in Australia and as the major shareholder of the ABL, Baseball Australia’s role is to ensure that this sport and ABL survives and thrives well into the future, and ensure it is positioned to come out of this COVID period stronger than ever before as an innovative, financially sustainable, highly competitive and fun league.
We want to reassure fans and aspiring baseballers that the ABL will be back in 2022/23, bigger, better and stronger than before. We anticipate that the major impact of the pandemic on sport across the world will be behind us and that you will all be back at ballparks across the country watching your favourite teams and stars in action.


Thank you for your passion and your ongoing support of the ABL and its teams.


David Hynes
President

​The Local Sport Grant Program 2021-22 is now open for applications.

The $4.6 million Local Sport Grant Program is available to eligible organisations to help support initiatives in local NSW communities.
 
The program will help support projects that: 

• Increase regular and ongoing participation in sport  
• Increase participation and access for women, girls & population groups with low participation rates 
• Address barriers to participation in sport or structured physical activity
• Assist sporting clubs in providing quality service to their members and the local community

Grants between $500 - $15,000 are available to eligible organisations. The amount organisations request should reflect the scale of the project/s.
​
Applications close at 1pm, on Friday the 19th of November.

To Our Members,
 
The NSW Government has published an updated Public Health Order which outlines restrictions in place from Monday 11th October 2021.
 
The Public Health (COVID-19 General) Order 2021 is available for download HERE.

The Office of Sport who having consulted with NSW Health has provided advice to support the sport and recreation sector as it prepares to recommence activities.
 
All members participating in Community Sport Training activities MUST be registered & financial in the Baseball NSW Registration system for the 2021/2022 Season to be covered by the Baseball Australia Insurance.
 
Insurance is applicable from the date of registration for each member as long as they have complied with the Health Order and not contravened any Governing body mandate.
 
From Monday 11th October 2021 -

Maximum number of persons — outdoor sport or exercise

• Clause 2.13 of the Public Health Order states that people can undertake sport and exercise at outdoor public gatherings in groups of up to 20. This figure includes participants, coaches and support staff and spectators/parents. All participants (16 years and older) must be double vaccinated as per the current Public Health Order.
• This will enable community sport training activities that are compliant with the Public Health Order to take place.
• Organisations are expected to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place.

PLEASE NOTE – although the outdoor gatherings and recreation limit has been increased from 20 people to 30 people, this DOES NOT include Community Sport Training activities where the maximum number of people gathering for Community Sport Training Activities remains at 20.

In compliance with the Public Health Order, organized Community Sport Competition is still not permitted at this time, it is Community Sport Training Activities only.

Please check with your relevant local Council to ensure that your ground can be booked for Community Sport Training Activities as some local councils are not permitting Community Sport bookings until the Monday after 80% double vaccination has been achieved in NSW.
 
Maximum number of persons—group classes and activities at recreation facilities (indoor)

• Clause 2.9 of the Public Health Order states that ‘the occupier of a recreation facility (indoor) in the general area must not allow more than 20 persons to attend a group class or other group activity at the facility.’
• The occupier of an indoor recreation facility must not allow the total of more than 1 person per 4 square metres, as per Clause 2.3 (1) a).
• Multiple group activities or classes of up to 20 persons may take place within an indoor recreation facility provided the facility complies with the Public Health Order.
• This will enable community sport training activities compliant with the Public Health Order to take place.
• Facility operators must have a ‘Gyms and indoor recreation’ COVID-19 Safety Plan in place.

Parents accompanying children under 16 years of age

• Clause 2.18(3) of the Public Health Order states the occupier of higher risk premises in the general area must ensure that a person who is under 16 years of age and who is not a fully vaccinated person is not on the premises unless the person is accompanied by a person who is -
  (a) a member of the person’s household, and
  (b) a fully vaccinated person.
• A higher risk premises includes an entertainment facility, a major recreation facility, hospitality venues, places of public worship, and premises at which a significant event is being held, other than a small funeral or memorial service or small wedding service.
• Indoor recreation facilities are not classified as a higher risk premises.

An unvaccinated parent who is accompanying a person under the age of 16 must not leave their vehicle once they have arrived at the Community Sport Training Activity.
 
 
It is the responsibility of the clubs to confirm the vaccination status of their members upon arrival to training which is viewable on the Medicare App.
 
Please refer to the online service: Express Plus Medicare mobile app - Services Australia and the NSW Proof of COVID-19 vaccination – What you need to know document.

BNSW Country Baseball is calling upon players to forward an Expression of Interest to join the touring team to compete at the 2022 Great Barrier Reef Tournament, Trinity Beach, Cairns Queensland.
 
The tour dates are Sunday 12th June 2022 until Monday 20th June 2022.
 
The projected cost per person is approx. $2,000 (excluding flights). This includes 8 nights’ accommodation & breakfast in Cairns CBD, uniform & walkout, land transport, training & tournament costs. This is a self-funded tour for players and coaches/staff, all excess funds will be refunded after the tour.
 
To be eligible for selection, players must be 18 years of age before the commencement of the Tour.
You must have been registered in a Country team/Association or be approved by Country League Standing Committee.
 
To confirm your interest in the selection you MUST by no later than Friday 5th November 2021;
Contact: Stephy Thompson, (Secretary of the NSW Country Liaison Standing Committee)
​Telephone text: 0409 710 459 OR
Email: stephy.1@bigpond.com 
 
You should be aware that you are confirming your interest, you are also under no obligation to pay any money UNTIL your final selection.
 
To CONFIRM your EOI please contact Stephy by no later than Friday 5th November 2021,
  
Full Name:
Current Baseball Club & Association:
3 x Playing Positions:
Mobile Contact:
Email Contact:
 
Should you have any enquiries, please contact Stephy on 0409 710 459.

Baseball NSW is pleased to announce the dates and venues for the 2022 Representative events.
​
We’d like to thank the associations and the host clubs for their continued support and look forward to seeing you around the diamonds soon.

​To Our Members,
 
In a recent announcement, the NSW Government advised that Community Sport MAY be given the approval to gather in groups of 20 once NSW residents have achieved an 80% double dose vaccination rate in adults (16yrs or older).
 
Whilst a return to Community Sport may be granted, this does not mean that we can return to organised competition. For the health & safety of all members, a return to Community Sport will be a return to training only and members will be required to adhere to the NSW Government Guidelines and in conjunction with the current Public Health Orders & COVID-19 Safety Plans.
 
To assist our clubs and associations, Baseball NSW has developed a ‘Return to Baseball’ document, outlining guidelines and requirements for all members. We understand the importance that sport brings to our communities and we are one step closer to returning to full competition. We thank you for your continued patience, support, and diligence.
 
Additionally, our members will need to consider the following;
 
Vaccination
As we head towards the NSW Government vaccination targets, vaccination remains the key to reducing the spread of the virus and helping to prevent severe disease and death. Baseball NSW suggests where possible that all participants get vaccinated following State Government guidelines. GET VACCINATED
 
LGA Consent
LGAs are still under varying restrictions, and it is up to the individual to be responsible for managing local COVID rules and restrictions.
 
Club Requirements
As can be appreciated, we, as a baseball community need to ensure a safe return to the fields for players, officials, volunteers, and spectators. Thus, we advise that clubs have the following in place before returning to training and competition.

• Consent from the local council that community sport is permitted to recommence, in addition to the standing Health Orders.
• An updated COVID Safety Plan as required by the NSW Government as of 11 September 2021 (please ensure you are referring to the most recent guidelines).
• Service NSW QR Code.

 
From the October 11th target date, training may be permitted in groups of a maximum of 20 (including children) for fully vaccinated adults (16+) and those with medical exemptions, subject to the Public Health Order. It is the responsibility of the clubs to confirm the vaccination status of their members upon arrival to training which is viewable on the Medicare App.
 
Please refer to the online service: Express Plus Medicare mobile app - Services Australia
 
A Return to Competition is not permitted until such time that the NSW Government authorise a resumption of Community Sport.