Baseball SA Insider May 2026
Welcome to the May edition of the Baseball SA Insider.
As we move into the winter period, there continues to be plenty happening across baseball in South Australia both on and off the field. From national team selections and major championship success to pathway development opportunities and community celebrations, May has been another exciting month for our baseball community.
This edition highlights the selection of four South Australian athletes in the 2026 Team Australia U15 Baseball World Cup roster, the Adelaide Armada Intermediate League team securing a place at the World Series in California, and Baseball SA’s recognition at the 2026 Sport SA Awards.
We also look ahead to the upcoming Junior State Presentation as we come together to celebrate an incredible 2025–2026 junior baseball season and share exciting opportunities within our Performance Pathways and Umpire Development programs.
Thank you to all our players, coaches, volunteers, clubs, officials, families, and supporters who continue to contribute to the growth and success of baseball across South Australia.
We hope you enjoy this month’s edition of the Baseball SA Insider.
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
While the regular season has wrapped up, there is still plenty happening across the game, and preparations for next season are already well underway.
One of the biggest recent highlights has been the Adelaide Armada claiming the Australian Intermediate League Championship. It was a terrific achievement for the team, and we now look forward to seeing them represent Australia at the Intermediate League World Series in Livermore, California in August. That is a fantastic opportunity for the group and a great reward for the players, coaches and families involved.
We also had the opportunity to host the 2026 School Sport Australia 18 Years and Under Baseball Championship at West Beach from late April into early May. It was another great chance to showcase our venue and our sport, and we were pleased to welcome teams from around the country to South Australia for the event.
It has also been great to see so many of you back out playing winter ball across our winter associations. It is great for the game to see so much baseball still being played at this time of year, and it is another reminder of the passion people have for the sport across South Australia.
West Beach is still busy right through winter, with something happening across the venue seven days a week. Whether it is games, training, development programs or team preparation, there is always something happening down at the ballpark. Thank you as well to all of the parents who continue braving the cold and wet to get their kids to training and support their baseball commitments through the winter months.
There is still plenty ahead of us. We have teams preparing to represent South Australia at the Australian Little League Championship, the Little League Girls Championships and the Little League Invitational, while the Adelaide Armada group heading to the Intermediate League World Series will be training hard over the coming months to be ready to compete well.
We are also looking forward to hosting the MLB PLAY BALL event at West Beach on 7 June alongside the Adelaide Giants, as well as holding our Junior Presentation on the same day. It should make for another great day at the ballpark and a good opportunity to bring the baseball community together.
Congratulations again to everyone involved in Adelaide’s Intermediate League success, and thank you to all of the staff, volunteers, officials, parents and supporters who continue to make these opportunities possible. There is already a lot of work going into the next phase of the year, and I look forward to seeing that continue over the months ahead.
LIFTING PATHWAYS TO NEW HEIGHTS
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Team Australia Selection Success
Baseball South Australia is proud to celebrate the selection of four South Australian athletes in the 2026 Team Australia U15 Baseball World Cup roster, following the official announcement of the 19-player national squad.
The squad has been selected based on strong performances over the past 12 months, including displays at the U16 Australian Youth Championships (AYC), ongoing local competitions, and national talent identification programs.
South Australia is proudly represented by:
Jack Bowden – Port Adelaide Baseball Club
Ollie Breach – Goodwood Baseball Club
Seb Watts – Sturt Baseball Club
Felix Oliver – Henley & Grange Baseball Club
Their selection highlights the strength and continued growth of South Australia’s junior development pathways, with all four athletes progressing through strong club and state programs.
2027 AYC Coaching & Team Staff EOI Open
Expressions of Interest are now open for coaching and team staff positions for the 2027 Australian Youth Championships (AYC) in both the U16 and U18 age groups.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be involved in one of Australia’s premier junior baseball events and help guide the next generation of South Australian athletes both on and off the field.
Recognition at the 2026 Sport SA Awards
Baseball in South Australia was proudly recognised on the big stage at the 2026 Sport SA Awards, with Baseball SA named as a finalist in two prestigious categories, highlighting both team excellence and individual brilliance.
One of the standout nominations came in the Junior Team Spirit Award, where the South Australian AYWC Girls Team was recognised following an exceptional 2025 campaign. On the individual front, Alice Brown was named the 2025 Junior Athlete of the Year, marking a historic and well-deserved achievement. Alice has continued to break new ground in South Australian baseball, becoming the first female selected in a U16 State Team for the 2026 Australian Youth Championships, while also competing at an elite level in the Open Women’s State Team as an underage player.
2026 JUNIOR PRESENTATION
Baseball South Australia is excited to invite players, families, clubs, and the wider baseball community to the 2026 Junior State Presentation as we come together to celebrate an incredible 2025–2026 junior baseball seas.
Sunday, 7 June
11:00am – 1:00pm
Mark Hutton Grandstand, West Beach
This special event will recognise the outstanding achievements, performances, and dedication of our junior athletes throughout the season, including:
U16 SABL Awards (Division 1 & 2)
U18 SABL Awards
2025–2026 AWC & AYWC State Team Awards
2026 AYC Awards
We’ll also be celebrating some fantastic team achievements with the unveiling of the:
2025 AYWC Championship Banner
2025 Barclay Cup – Seahorse Championship Banner
2026 Intermediate league Championship Banner
The day will conclude with a community BBQ, providing a great opportunity for everyone to connect, celebrate, and recognise the incredible people who make junior baseball in South Australia so special.
This is a FREE event, and we encourage everyone to come along and be part of the celebrations.
We look forward to celebrating an incredible season with you all.
2026 Charter Nationals
May saw the start of our Little League Charter National Championships for 2026, with our Senior, Junior and Intermediate League teams travelling to Blacktown and Lismore respectively. Whilst our Senior League team struggled with their performance going 0-6, the tournament did give an opportunity for players to travel and play at higher standard than club ball with new teammates and coaches.
Our Junior League Marlins and Intermediate League Armada teams had more success at their national tournaments, as the Marlins made it through to the semi-final of the Junior League tournament, going down to the eventual champions the Eastern Phantoms 7-4 in a closely fought contest, which saw them bring the tying run to the plate in their final at bat.
The Intermediate League Adelaide Armada were able to go two steps better, winning the Intermediate League National Championship and punching their ticket to the World Series in Livermore, California. The Armada only lost one game for the tournament, showing strong and consistent performances with both the bat and ball throughout. The team will now prepare to take on the world at the Intermediate League World Series in August.
2026 Adelaide Seahorses Little League Girls Team Announcement
The squad is here and we couldn’t be more excited. Proudly representing South Australia and ready to take on the country.
Next up : Nationals
July 7–11 | Redcliffe, Queensland
More info coming soon.
2026 UMIPRE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Baseball SA is recruiting new Division 1 umpires for the 2026/27 season through a fully structured, funded development program. If you’ve played the game and want a role in it that can take you further than playing ever could, this program is for you.
What the program includes:
• 52 hours of paid training across the season
• 24 weekly online theory sessions, one hour, from home
• 4 two-hour practical sessions at West Beach (June–September)
• Integration with existing league umpire training group
• Annual Umpire Seminar
• Full uniform and equipment supplied (~$800 value, recovered through pay)
• AABU and BUASA membership paid by Baseball SA
• Season-long mentoring from ABL panel umpires
• $875 paid before Christmas on completing all training and umpiring 90% of weeks in the first 3 months
• Average season earnings of $4,000 paid fortnightly
Who we are looking for:
Age 20–30 (preferred), played state league baseball at any level, available Saturdays, willing to commit 1 hour/week online plus 2 hours/month practical. Training commences on 1st June 2026.
Submit your expression of interest using the email below :
neil.poulton@baseballsa.org.au
Or SIGN UP NOW
