Australia women's national softball team

The national team has not secured as much funding as male dominated sports in Australia despite having performed better than some and having won major international competitions.[3] The removal of softball from the Olympic programme resulted in the national team getting less funding.[4]

Australian women competed in their first international competition in 1949 when they played a series against New Zealand in St Kilda at the St Kilda Cricket Ground.[5] 10,000 people watched the game live.[5] The first international for Australian women took place in 1951 when the Australians toured New Zealand.[5][6] Australia won both games against the New Zealanders.[6] In 1960, Australia hosted its first international tournament with national teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa competing.[5][6] At the tournament, Australia beat South Africa by a score of 2–1.[6] Australia hosted the event again in 1962, where they beat the New Zealanders in the final 2–1.[6] At the ISF Women's World Championship, Australia finished first in 1965 and second in 1998.[7] The 1965 victory was considered very impressive as they beat the Americans, who invented the game in 1887, to win the championship.[8] Between 1949 and 1967, Australia's senior women's side was undefeated in international play.[6]

Australia's women have won the World Championships.[3] Australia was one of five nations to compete at the inaugural ISF Women's World Championship held in Melbourne, Victoria in 1965.[9]^: 375[10] At the time Australia hosted the event, the sport was being played by women across the country on the club and school level.[9]^{: 482–484} At the 1965 Championships, Australia played two games against the United States where they shut them out and allowed them to score no runs.[11] In 1974, Australia was knocked out at the semi-finals stage by the Americans by a score of 6–0.[12] Australia finished second to the United States at the 1998 championship. They lost in a one hit shutout.[13] This was their best finish since the competition's inception.[7] Australia will compete at the 2012 edition.[14]

Australia competed at all four Olympic Games where the sport was played. At them, they won three bronze medals and a silver.[15]

Parade of Olympians – Sydney 2008 – Women's softball team

Majorie Nelson was a Victorian softball player. She was the first softball player to represent any country at four World Series of Softball. She was the Australian captain in 1974 and 1978 and the World Series.[23]

Australia earned a bronze medal at the 2005 World Cup.[24] In 2009, they earned a silver at the World Cup of Softball.[25][26]

Australia earned a gold medal at the 2005 Canada Cup.[24] They earned a silver in 2008.[20] They earned a bronze in 2011.[27] Australia earned a silver medal at the 2005 Pacific Rim tournament.[24]

The roster was released on 1 July 2021.[28]

Softball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Australia roster
Players				Coaches
Pitchers 6 Ellen Roberts 14 Tarni Stepto 32 Kaia Parnaby 54 Gabbie Plain		Catchers 22 Belinda White 25 Chelsea Forkin 65 Taylah Tsitsikronis Infielders 2 Clare Warwick 4 Stacey McManus 16 Stacey Porter 31 Rachel Lack 44 Leah Parry Outfielders 1 Jade Wall 17 Leigh Godfrey 47 Michelle Cox		Manager Laing Harrow [29] Coaches Nathan Jones Andrew Kirkpatrick

In 1962, Australia played a test series against New Zealand in New Zealand. Australia won two out of three games in the test.[30]

In March 2012, the team played a test series against the Japan women's national softball team in Canberra.[31]

Stacey Porter was the team's first aboriginal teammate to represent Australia in softball the Olympics.[32] Other aboriginal members of the national team include Vanessa Stokes[32] Tarni Stepto and Janice Blackman.

• Softball Australia