Redlands Rays Baseball Club recently hosted the 2017 Diamonds in the Rough Girls’ Friendship Baseball Series.
The series saw the first Indonesian girls’ baseball team travel to Australia for a baseball training camp alongside the Queensland Girls’ Junior Bandits Baseball squad.
The series, which was aimed at inspiring and empowering young Indonesian women through baseball, was held from September 26 to October 5.
It included team building, leadership skills and specialised coaching in throwing, catching, batting and fielding.
In preparation for the training camp, the Junior Bandits team, which included players from Windsor Royals, Ipswich Muskateers, Western Bulldogs, Redcliffe Padres, Gold Coast teams and Redlands Rays’ player Paris Bastow, attended a six-week intensive development program.
The development program was conducted by Geoff Wade and members of the Australian Emeralds Baseball Team at the Allstars Baseball Club at Hendra.
During the series, each day’s schedule included warm-up training, individual coaching and two games between the Indonesian girls and the Junior Bandits.
Unfortunately, the final game and a scheduled exhibition match were cancelled due to heavy rain.
Prior to lunch on the final day of the event, the Indonesian players shared their culture with the Queensland squad and spectators by performing some traditional Indonesian dance routines.
They then took to the baseball diamond for the day’s first scheduled game during which the teams split into two to produce two combined teams of mixed Queensland and Indonesian players.
The Indonesian players also got the chance to enjoy some down time.
They had the opportunity to experience the fireworks during Brisbane’s Riverfire event, as well as making a visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast and doing a few trips to shopping centres.
Redlands Baseball Club player Paris Bastow said the experience was highly enjoyable.
“I loved being a part of this series and learnt many new skills through my involvement,” she said.
“It was a great way to make new friends who also love baseball.”
For more information on the Redlands Ray Baseball Club you can email rave@redlandsrays.com.au or visit them online at redlandsrays.com.au/home/ or on Facebook at facebook.com/RedlandsRays/ or follow the club on Twitter at twitter.com/RedlandsRays
