Aussies softballers bound for Olympics

Two softballers from north of Brisbane played a vital part in helping the Australian team qualify for next year’s Olympics. Both said it was hard to believe their Olympic dream.

It has taken years of hard work and cost thousands of dollars in travel bills but Carmelle Sorensen says it is all worth it for the chance to represent Australia at an Olympic Games.

The 29-year-old, who lived at Rothwell until recently, was part of the Aussie Spirit women’s softball team which dominated the WBSC Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualifier tournament in Shanghai, China last week.

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The women defeated Chinese Taipei 5-1, Indonesia 8-0, Hong Kong 8-0, Philippines 7-0 and China 9-3 to secure their spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Sorensen, the team’s catcher, has been a member of the team since 2011.

Carmelle Sorensen in action for the Australian Women's Softball team in the Olympic Qualifier tournament. Photo: WBSC

She played alongside Redcliffe State High School teacher Chelsea Forkin.

Sorensen said she never imagined taking up softball, at age 12, would one day lead to a chance to play at the Olympics.

“I remember watching (softball) in the 2008 Olympics on TV, it was an amazing game,” she said.

“It was sad too because we knew (softball) was going to be out of the Olympics.”

Next year will be the first time the sport has been played an at Olympic Games in 12 years.

Sorensen said it was “still sinking in”.

Redcliffe State High HPE teacher Chelsea Forkin is in the Australian Softball team. Picture: Josh Woning.

“We have been building towards this opportunity for so long,” she said.

Sorensen said since arriving home to Everton Hills this week she had been thinking about the effort it took to achieve her dream.

Sorensen said the women had to fund their own travel, with the most recent tour to China costing more than $2000 each.

“We all buy our own gear, the camps we have in Australia we have to pay for ourselves and each year we go on different tours to Japan, Canada and America which is all self-funded too,” she said.

“Reflecting on all those trips and time and money spent on softball it was all so worth it.

“We are one step closer to the Olympic dream.”

Forkin, an elder statesman of the team, said it was “hard to put into words’’ the team’s accomplishment.

“It is super surreal,’’ she said. “All the hard work, the preparation is worth it.

Forkin said going through the qualifying tournament unbeaten also gave the squad confidence entering the Olympics. She said it gave the side confidence knowing if “we continue to stick to our processes and game plan, and all play our role’’ then Australia can match it with anyone.

Japan, USA, Italy, Mexico and Canada have also qualified for the 2020 Olympics.