Baseball NSW congratulates the Macarthur Colts for winning the 2025 State Championships for Little League and Division II over Easter Weekend.
The Colts’ Little League squad won the gold medal on Saturday, having defeated the Manly Maroon in a hard-fought 2-1 game.
On the other hand, the Colts Div II overcame Cronulla Blue in a high-scoring 18-10 affair to win the gold medal also! A win in both divisions highlights a strength across the junior development programs being run out of the Macarthur region.
Against Manly, Macarthur’s starting pitcher Jack Ball had nine outs, giving up six hits and one run, with zero earned, over three innings. He also struck out five and walked one.
Meanwhile, Macarthur’s Division II squad took control of their gold medal game vs. Cronulla deep in the second, scoring six runs off four hits to take a 12-8 lead. Overall, Macarthur’s bats were sizzling, collecting ten hits.
This kind of depth across both divisions showcases a plethora of junior talent coming through the pipeline at Macarthur.
When we asked Macarthur’s Vice President Shane Dodd, he mentioned the “major strength” of their grassroots development programs, which was the “involvement of former players across multiple clubs in the Macarthur region.”
He also mentioned the importance of having “key people in key positions–leaders who understand the long game,” as well as the importance of “coaching the coaches,” where they equip volunteer coaches with “the tools and knowledge they need to grow.”
Dodd also credits their recent success to several junior development programs. One of these is called “Colts Supercharged,” offering “high-intensity, skills-based training to prepare our players for the rigours of representative baseball.”
Other programs, at the club level, includes the Camden Red Sox Baseball Club Pre-Season Development Program and Mets Baseball Club Winter Program. Both of these have become “staples of [Macarthur’s] junior development calendar.”
Moreover, Macarthur’s participation in BNSW’s Rookies Cup as well as the ball tournaments like 5 Star Mafia and Summer Sizzler “has encouraged players to remain active year-round and start viewing baseball as their primary sport.”
What does Dodd have to say about the future of the association?
“The future of baseball in Macarthur is incredibly promising,” he said. “We’re seeing record numbers in our junior age groups, particularly among our youngest players–a strong sign that the game is thriving at the grassroots level.”
He also added, “With passionate volunteers, engaged families, and a thriving junior base, we believe Macarthur is well-positioned to be a long-term leader in junior baseball across the state.”
Finally, the association shared one more critical factor to their success, a “widely shared philosophy across Macarthur”: “If it’s good for the kids, we do it–no matter which club they play for.”
“What makes our Little League and Little League Div II success especially meaningful is that it truly reflects a whole-of-community effort,” Dodd said.
“That kind of collaboration and shared purpose is what underpins our success, and it’s what will continue to drive us forward in seasons to come.”
For more information on the 2025 State Championships, head to the Baseball NSW website under Competitions. All Little League games were streamed live on Gamechanger, though the Grand Final for both divisions can be found on the official BNSW YouTube channel.
Photo galleries of the event are also uploaded on the TeamApp: just head to the BNSW TeamApp’s homepage and navigate to Gallery.