Waverley Softball Association
In the 1960’s, when Mount Waverley and Glen Waverley were becoming well-established suburbs and the student population was growing, teams of softball from local primary schools started playing at the Melbourne winter games. In the spirit of some of the local teachers as well as parents of the teams and the local community, the Waverley Softball Association was established in 1961, and then in 1968 was officially constituted as an Association. The initial location is that of the Waverley High School ground on the intersection of Huntingdale and Waverley Roads, Mount Waverley.
In the early years, the Association expanded to include three divisions including the C Grade being for players who were of primary age. The next phase was an area called the Larpent Reserve, Glen Waverley where the kitchen and changing room facilities were in place. The principal divisions had at the time of this change, become Pixie A for sixth graders in addition to Pixie B, for 5th graders. In 1968, the division was extended to include a Pixie C class for fourth graders. There was also an under 14 sections as well as three senior divisions. Pixie C began in the morning and was followed by Pixie B, Pixie A, Under 14, A Grade, and B Grade.
The clubs that were involved in the early years were Ashwood, Dandenong West, Moorabbin West, Blackburn North and Cheltenham Nth and the present club Glen Waverley, Syndal and Glen Heights. The primary grades featured several schools’ teams: Pinewood, Mullum, Waverley North, Ringwood Heights and Heathmont. With the Larpent Street ground at bursting point, in the month of October 1971, the council built an alternative venue (originally a pig farm, later was later donated to the Council to be used for women’s sporting events) located at the intersection of Jells and Waverley Roads, Glen Waverley.
Softball was governed by Women’s Softball Council of Victoria (W.S.C.O.V) during this time, and their tournament in winter was the most prestigious softball competition that saw players chosen for State squads based on the games. In the Waverley season, though very competitive, was the best way to be selected for teams that would represent Waverley during winter months. Since the Waverley teams got overly strong WSCOV became a separate entity, which was later split in its two divisions: Victorian Softball Association and the Melbourne Softball Association. The focus of play was also changed to The Domain in the Domain and Fawkner Park to Jells Park which is the current home of Waverley.
There are many individuals who Waverley acknowledge for their efforts in organising and establishing the Association and the grounds. These comprise Syd Steel Aub Kotz, Arthur and Ray Allsopp, Jack and Peg Chaffey, as well as many more. Parents like Joan andTerry Maher Dick andJean Botfield Barbara Doggett, Peter and Ella Hall and many others were involved in raising funds to help make the Association functional. Arthur together with his wife Edna was a key player in the development of Waverley. Their son Ray was a highly regarded softball coach, and their daughter Norma representing Australia in softball. Arthur and Ray together with brother-in-law Des Smith all had a substantial role in coaching including Arthur being the primary coach for the players who were younger. It is because of the basic techniques they Arthur instructed that Waverley achieved the top spot as the best softball league in Australia. At the beginning of the 80’s Waverley was able to provide the most Australian representation than any other State.
Clubs
Two of the clubs that were founded include Glen Waverley and Syndal, with Glen Heights beginning at Larpent Street. Northvale, Brandon Park and Nottinghill joined after the transfer from Jells Park. Teams also came from Glen Iris, Solway and Essex Heights schools, all currently aligned with Northwood Falcons, who formed as a result of the merger from Ashwood as well as Waverley North. Eastern Raiders formed from the amalgamation with Blackburn North, Mt. Waverley and Burwood East. Rebels were formed out of the merger from Pinewood as well as Brentwood Youth Club. Caulfield Grammar entered school based teams, but later resigned as well. Monash Magic formed when masters softball began to gain popularity. Brandon Park as well as Glen Heights amalgamated to create Brandon Heights and they also enjoyed the addition of Springvale as well as Pandas in recent seasons. The clubs that have been eliminated include East Oakleigh, Ringwood Heights, Mount View, Blackburn East, Nottinghill and Rebels who joined together with Eastern Raiders in 2005.
The start of the first season was planned to showcase softball, with TV Channel O (now 10) offering an outside broadcast van as well as broadcasting the entire afternoon event. North Shore is the leading organization within the NSW competition, came out with their best team to face the top players of the Waverley Association.
At its height, the first slot of play time was able to cater for 22 diamonds from the 4th graders. There were also 18, diamonds for Pixie B’s, four divisions in Pixie A’s and four divisions for under 14’s. Ray Allsopp, along with the other pioneers who set the Waverley comp, came up with the diminutive diamond size to accommodate the youngest players. Their expertise was evident through the quality and the quantity of players that came from the ranks. At the time that players were at the age of 14 they played on a normal size diamond. It was not an Under 16 competition, the top players in the Under 14 age group were immediately enrolled in A Grade and the rest of the players played either C or B Grade. There was not A Reserve. A colorful ceremony was held typically on the second day of the season following during which flags with the colours of the club were handed out to the teams that had won the premiership of the previous season.
National Representatives
Waverley has a long and storied history of Australian players; Rhonda Boyd, Jan Allsopp, Jo Paez (Maher), Merilyn Middlin (Pitts), Sandra Troyahn (Farquarson), Birute Hanlon (Caspar), Rhonda McLeish (Wills), Andrea Clarke, Robyn Godfrey (Chambers), Sue Smith (Chambers), Jenny Cassidy (Harris), Lyn and Jenny Clarkson, Jenny Holliday (Lisle), Lisa Campbell Janine Craig Annie as well Robyn Sanders Lauren Stevens, Kellie Loughman, Nicole Richardson and Peta Edebone, to name a few players who started their careers at Waverley. Others like Lyn Cutler Leanne Evans Gill Batt, Sue Ward, and Julianne Hoskin all worked on their talents in the games. In the present, a new generation of Waverley players is getting National representation, like Justine Smethurst, and Lauren Daykin.
Waverley has a proud past in Australian as well as Victorian Softball as one of the top softball associations. Their excellent reputation in the field and facilities speak to the effort and dedication that Waverley members have contributed to over the years.
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