It was a rather tense Sunday for Jersey softballers as they competed in their final games this past weekend. With the main event being the DMS Flyers versus the CPA Pirates game which saw a battle for first place between the top two teams of the indoor season this year. The Flyers kicked the game off with an advantage in their run difference meaning the Pirates had to fight for at least a 44-run win against a very tough team.

Pirates came out strong against their opponents though and fielded a strong defensive side to keep the runs against them low. There were some close calls and a few heated debates, and even though Pirates won their game 48 – 34 it wasn’t enough of a run difference to take the title away from the Flyers who remain the indoor champions for another year.

 The first game of the day saw another exciting game between two of the newer teams to Jersey softball, the Motormall Eagles and the Watergate Warriors. The Eagles won their previous game against the Warriors and were hoping to pull out another win against their closest adversaries. Warriors came out strong though and showed off their pre-season training by taking a 44 – 17 win and thus keeping them in the running for their tied position at fourth place with Phoenix.

The last game on Sunday saw a friendly game between two close teams the Jacksons Falcons and Trinity Tyres Phoenix. However, this weekend, Phoenix needed the win in order to break their tie at fourth place in the table with Warriors. Falcons came out with a strong side for their final game and were not going to give up a win easily for their sister team. Phoenix were unable to get the bats going that they needed and the final game of the day turned out a very low score 9 to negative 6 in favour of the Falcons, pushing Phoenix down the table to fifth place. 

 

Have a listen to former DMS Flyers captain, Chris Le Lion, chat with Ashlea Tracey on the BBC Radio Jersey Breakfast Show about the final games this weekend for our 2018 indoor season.

It also featured on BBC Radio Jersey's Sportscene with Jack Murley. 

We're expecting a 'nail biting' finish to the season and we wish the best of luck to all our teams this weekend!

Interested in becoming a BASU certified umpire? The Jersey Softball Association are hosting a BASU Umpire Training course this year before the 2018 outdoor season starts. 

BASU Trainer Chris Moon will be coming to Jersey the weekend of May 12th and 13th to lead the course. This session is ideal for people interested in learning more about umpiring softball, becoming a BASU certified umpire, and even for those who would like a refresher on the intricacies of umpiring a softball game. 

If you're keen to join this training session, or to find out more information, please get in touch with Steve Le Monnier our Chief Umpire, or your team captain, to register your interest and attendance. 

Steve's email: chiefumpire@jerseysoftball.com 

Nominations for the 2017 John Rive Memorial Award are now open.
John was a great sportsman and so it is fitting that the criteria for such an award should be similar to John's qualities - supportiveness, respect for everyone (for players and umpires alike), enjoyment of the game, honesty, assisting all players whether experienced players or new players.
He never had a bad word to say about anyone on or off the field, he may have thought it but never voiced it. He was always smiling, he always accepted the umpire's calls whether he agreed or not although no one ever knew either way, he kept it to himself as he just loved the game of softball. He was also very modest and got slightly embarrassed when anyone praised him for his play.  
John was just such a nice person through and through and he is still greatly missed as being one not only a great softballer but mainly one of the nicest people to set foot on the softball diamond.
To nominate a member of the JSA for the Award please follow the link below to complete the form, stating the reasons why you are nominating that person.
 
https://goo.gl/forms/zmJsGYJ4vARgYbWD2

The JSA team

This August will see Jersey’s first, all-female softball team compete in Slough in a women’s slow-pitch softball tournament.
 
The team, known as the Crystal Knights, has been kindly sponsored by Jersey firm, Crystal Public Relations, which has funded the kit for the team and has eased the financial cost for each player.
 
The tournament, known as “Let the Girls Play” is the only all-female two-day tournament in the UK, besides the National Championships, and will see teams compete at the Farnham Park Sports Ground in Slough on the first weekend of August.
 
The ladies will compete in at least eight games over the two-day tournament and will test themselves as a team for the first time against some high calibre players from across the UK.​

Lindsay Satchell, Vice President, Jersey Softball Association, commented on the tournament:
“We’re all very excited to be going away as an all-female team this year and compete at a level different to one we’re used to here in Jersey. All the Crystal Knights’ ladies play on different co-ed summer league teams and therefore having this opportunity to play together on an all-female team is very exciting and will offer a very different and welcome dynamic for everyone.”
 
“I’d also like to extend my gratitude to our corporate sponsors, Crystal Public Relations, as they generously offered to cover the cost of our kit. Travelling off island to compete always has a sometimes-prohibitive cost to it, so it’s excellent to have a sponsor that is willing to ease that financial burden in some way.”
 
Mike Sunier, Managing Director, Crystal Public Relations commented:
“Since a member of the agency team is a part of the newly formed softball team, we were pleased to be able to make a contribution through sponsorship as they embark on their first competitive tournament in the UK.”

Registration for the JSA 2017 Corefocus Summer & Corporate Leagues is now open with teams of all levels and abilities welcome.

The season commences in May with Summer League games played on Sunday afternoons and Corporate League games played on weekday evenings.   If you would like to find out more about entering a team or joining an existing one then please get in touch by completing this form.
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See you on the diamond!

The JSA Team

Registration for the 2017 Corporate League is officially OPEN!
This is always an exceptionally popular league and spaces are issued on a first come first serve basis.  So if you're one of the lucky ones that enjoys the company of your coworkers OUTSIDE the office, then send us an email to corporate@jerseysoftball.com to pick up a free information pack!

​Although the 2016 Corefocus Summer League has come to an end for many in Jersey, 4 teams are now eagerly looking to the coming weekend for the grand finale of the softball season as they take on their Guernsey rivals in an annual inter-island show-down that has dominated the calendar since 2001.
 
This year’s Uptons, hosted by the Jersey Softball Association, will take place on Saturday 10th September, with Jersey’s division two winners, Corefocus Cubs, taking on Guernsey’s Drunken Duck Rangers B for the first game at 9.45am at Les Quennevais Sports Centre.
Later that same morning, the division one winners from both islands will meet at 11.30am, with the dms Jersey Flyers looking to take on their Guernsey counterparts, NE Electrics Rookies. After storming the Jersey Softball Associations Corefocus Summer League as undefeated champions, the Flyers are eager to finish their season with another victory.
 
In the afternoon, the highly anticipated Island matches will take place, with the B-teams for each island going head-to-head at 1.45pm, followed by the A-teams at 3.45pm. The Jersey island squad has been training extremely hard all summer with their coaches Ricardo Sousa, Carlos Teles and Chris Le Lion, and all hopes are pinned on this being a golden year, with both teams successfully taking back the titles from Guernsey. 
 
This year’s A- team consists of: Sean Billson (Captain), Chris Le Lion, Phil Bouchard, Javier Gomez, Matt Satchell, Andy Barcis, Paulo dos Reis, Pete Stayte, Rochelle Gardiner, Michelle Le Lion, Laura Poingdestre, Giselle Gosselin, Sarah Mallet, Lyn Ferguson, Teresea Bell and Trudie Lee.
The B-team is comprised of:  Lindsay Satchell (Captain), Robin Tadier, Sam Lempriere, James Marshall, Fil Gouveia, Gabriel Anzla, Dec Renouard, Chris Halford, Luke De La Cour, Steph Henwood-Darts, Candice Parsons, Cat Sousa, Nikki Gasulla-Sole, Amanda Halford, Stevie Renouard and Micky Gosselin.

Speaking about the Island Squads chances this weekend, the Jersey Softball Associations Head Island Coach, Ricardo Sousa, said “We know these will be very tough games against strong opposition but we do have a two strong and capable teams with a good mix of players with previous Muratti experience and also players taking part in these games for the very first time. Training has intensified and brought the best out of the squad and I’m confident that the teams are ready for the challenge ahead and will represent Jersey well.”

Previous Muratti and Upon winners can be seen by clicking here.....