Award Winning Bobcats

On Saturday 18^th February the Birmingham Bobcats were presented with the British Softball Federation’s President’s Club Award 2011 at their AGM.  This was in recognition of all the development and progress the Bobcats made in 2011. 

Kate Page-Smith receiving the award on behalf of the Bobcats from BSF president, Stella Ackrell.

The Bobcats were also presented with the Give a Glove, Bring a Bat campaign which was an initative to ask players to donate old or unused playing equipment to provide starter packs for new teams.  The BSF executive considered the Bobcats and the West Midlands League to be the most promising team and league.  We were awarded with a complete kit of refurbished bases, a catcher’s mask, bats, balls and loads of gloves! 

Chris Williams receiving the Give a Glove, Bring a Bat Kit from the BSF executive.

Last year was a formative year for the club and we are absolutely delighted to receive these awards.  Here is a summary of just some of the things we achieved last year – I think you will agree we deserve it:

·         Membership increased from approximately 10 people to 35. 

·         Sponsorship from Straightline

·         Creation of an active, structured Committee

·         BSF accreditation

·         Good relationship with BSUK

·         Large amount of features on BSUK/BSF website

·         Softball for Beginners Course – money from Sportivate

·         Creation of a new website, blog, facebook page and twitter

·         Creation of a structured coaching programme

·         Creation of a structured social programme

·         TourCats international trip – good team building exercise, building internal relations, exciting opportunity for members, advertising.

·         Creation of the Newslitter

·         Indoor Softball

·         Training programme for West Midlands teams.

·         Successful start of a community outreach programme – Police, Waterworks Save Haven Youth Club, Handsworth Sports Day

·         Won the BSUK video competition and documentaries are a hit.

·         Created link with Razorbacks to strengthen Softball and Baseball in Birmingham

·         Created link with Leicester and Bristol teams  to strengthen Bobcats' role in the wider softball community

·         Planned Tournament for next year

All of this could not have been possible without the support and continued dedication of all the Bobcats.  However, there are also some individuals who went out of their way to help the Bobcats progress throughout the year.  These include

·         Jim Kent who created the Bobcat films and won the BSUK film competition

·         Sapin Patel for looking after the kit

·         Steve Pinnel who set up and updated the website

·         Quentin Young, who took on the role of Head Coach and established a superb coaching structure

And the 2011 Committee:  

·         Alex Levine (Chair)

·         Justin Evans (Secretary)

·         Debbie Evetts (Treasurer - for always keeping on top of the books despite the agony of chasing everyone for money and for assisting with the social events/TourCats)

·         Kate Page-Smith (for the blog, twitter, co-writing the 5 year plan, establishing a training programme for West Midlands teams, setting up the community programme with Police and Waterworks Save Haven Youth Club, contacting and maintaining link with Leicester and Bristol teams, photography, co-organising the TourCats, re-designing the advertising literature and generally being a social bully)

·         Reinout Mildner (for holding committee meetings and co-organising the TourCats)

·         Jeff Nash (for acquiring sponsorship and preparing and running raffles throughout the year)

·         Chris Williams (for creating and maintaining the newslitter, setting up the indoor softball, co-writing the 5 year plan)

To all these people we thank you so much, you have really made the club what it is and we are eternally grateful.    Hopefully we have made you proud.