Softball Australia, in consultation with its Member States, has re-scheduled all national events that were to be held in the December 2020/January 2021 period.
The decision, resulting from COVID-19’s impacted travel restrictions and quarantining measures, is one that Softball Australia does not take lightly, but is in the best interests of keeping all participants safe whilst still offering the opportunity for National Championships to proceed.
The national events have been rescheduled to be played from the last week of January through until early July.
To provide certainty to Member States and participants, Softball Australia has set dates of approximately three months prior to the start of each event, for a decision to be made on the viability of a championship to proceed.
At the dates set, should an event be considered not safe to proceed due to the COVID-19 situation, events will not be rescheduled again, they will be cancelled all together.
Softball Australia will continue to keep a close eye on the COVID-19 situation across the country and monitor developments on a daily basis.
The Open Women’s National Championship was originally scheduled to be played in the first week of January but has now been rescheduled to the last week of January.
A decision will be made on the viability of the championship by no later than 30 October. By that date, should the championship be deemed too unsafe to play, it may be rescheduled to Monday 15 February to Sunday 21 February 2021. This allows an additional opportunity for the event to be played, given the significance of the championship as a selection event for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Should the championship be rescheduled to mid-February, a final decision would then be made by no later than 30 November as to whether the championship proceeds or not.
The Open Men’s National Championship has been rescheduled to the last week of February, with a decision to be made by no later than 30 November as to the viability of the championship proceeding.
The Junior National Championships (U14s, U16s, U18s) have been rescheduled to the April school holidays.
The U18 Girls’ & Boys’ National Championships will now be played over four days, concluding on the evening of Saturday 17 April, to allow all participants to return home from Perth on Sunday 18 April.
The U14 Girls’ & Boys’ National Championships will now be played as a combined event at Hawker in the ACT.
A decision will be made by Softball Australia by no later than 18 December as to the viability of the championships proceeding.
The U23 Women’s and Men’s National Championships will now be played as a combined event in Queensland in late June.
Softball Australia will work with Softball Queensland to confirm the host association for the event.
Softball Australia will decide on the viability of the U23 National Championships, in addition to the International Friendship Series and Over 35 National Championships, by no later than 19 March.
