Panania pitcher Bronte Sheppard dazzles on the diamond

Her pitch flies at 90km/h, she’s the number one power batter on her team and recently struck out “more than a couple” of boys on a softball tour in Japan.

Softball star Bronte Sheppard is this week’s Junior Sports Star nominee. Picture: Tim Clapin

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Her pitch flies at 90km/h, she’s the number one power batter on her team and recently struck out “more than a couple” of boys on a softball tour in Japan.

Now factor in that Bronte Sheppard is only 11 and you can begin to understand the talent of this young softballer.

Since picking up a mitt at seven, the first-string pitcher from Panania has quickly climbed the rungs.

Bronte Sheppard in action. Picture: Tim Clapin

She has played club for St Christopher’s, representative softball for Georges River and qualified for two Primary Schools Sports Association regional championships.

Bronte’s skill level means she often plays up in the under-13s and -15s for Georges River and went as far as to play with the Tropics’ under-17s side in a tournament at Blacktown.

But the pinnacle, no doubt, was her recent selection by Softball NSW for an international tour of Japan.

“It was really fun and a good experience,” she said.

“They have different food, but they were very good and (Japan) are one of the best teams in the world in their senior teams.”

While Sheppard has gone as far as she can in her age group, she hopes to keep chasing the next base in the game.

“I’ve got a NSW West tournament coming up where they pick a state team, so hopefully I’ll get picked in that,” she said.