Fastpitch Ireland has confirmed the inaugural Irish National Fastpitch League will launch on 10 November in the new indoor arena in Sports Campus Ireland. Melanie Cunningham, the Irish National Team Head Coach and Director of Fastpitch, has been driving the project.
The League will be co-ed in its inaugural year with a minimum of five Women per team and will run from November 2019 to March 2020. The playing field will be a full size indoor artificial turf diamond, using indoor rubber softballs.
The inaugural Irish National Fastpitch League will run over four half-day tournaments on four different Sundays: 10 November, 15 December, 2 February and 1 March 2020.
Softball Skills Coaching will be available on league days for players seeking to work on the basics or improve their skills. Fastpitch Ireland will also arrange skills days in-between league days for those interested.
At the end of the season, the league will select an All-Star team to participate in the Great Britain Fastpitch League (GBFL), a three-weekend tournament in the UK.
WBSC approved a development project to support Colum Lavery, the President of Irish Softball, with starter’s kits.
Ireland, number 22 in Women’s Softball WBSC World Rankings, finished second in the U-19 European Championship 2018 and participated in the WBSC U-19 World Cup 2019.
The Irish improved in the Women’s Softball European Championship from 15th place in 2017 to 8th place in 2019.
Ireland also finished third in the U-22 European Championship.
