Inception
Carine Cats Ball Club Inc is a collective umbrella for the sports of Tee-ball, baseball and softball. The original club was formed with the intention of getting the growing sport of Tee-ball started in the Carine area, and at that time it was known as the Carine Tee-ball Club.
Mr Ted Smith, from the Carine Junior Cricket Club, convened a meeting at Davallia Primary School on the 23rd August 1979. He proposed the formation of a sporting club that would cater for a number of sports in the area. He envisaged that the Carine Sporting Club would be the parent body with each sport having a representative on the Club Council.
It was reported at registration days held at Carine High School and Davallia Primary School that the club would either play in the Wanneroo Competition or the Wembley Competition. However, on the 21st August Mr Ray Buckley had been advised by a member of the Wanneroo Association that players would have to register in the Wanneroo Club.
The first committee of the Carine Tee-ball Association were elected and the members were:
| President: | Mr. Ted Smith | |
| Vice President: | Mr. Ross George | |
| Secretary: | Mrs. Marge Vanderwilk | |
| Treasurer: | Mr. Neil Thomson | |
| Registrar: | Mr. Raymond Buckley | |
| Committee: | Mr. Ian Jasper | Mr. Graeme Clapp |
| Mr. John Parker | Mr. John Clarke | |
| Mr. Rob Wittber | Mrs. Bickell | |
| Mr .Robin Seal | Mr .Ken Ridge | |
| Mr. Kent Hamilton | Mr. Syd Harman | |
| Mr. Nick Piccirilli | Mr. Keith Smith |
The first playing season was the 1979 / 1980 season and 150 players were registered. Sandra Cooper designed the club logo and Ray Buckley suggested the name. Both the logo and the name have stood the test of time.
All initial games were played at the Carine High School oval. Carine entered its first teams in the Tee-ball inter-districts competition. One boy’s team and one girl’s team were entered but it is not stated in which age groups they played in.
After discussions involving all aspects of the formation of a club or joining other associations Mr.Ross George moved that the club join the Wanneroo Tee-ball Association for the 1979/80 season. This motion was seconded by Mr Rob Wittber. The motion was lost on a show of hands. Mr Ian Jasper then moved a motion that the Carine Tee-ball Association be formed, and that the committee explore the possibility of playing against other teams or associations. This motion was seconded by Mrs. Speer. The motion was carried on a show of hands. This formerly started the Carine Tee-ball Club.
General
1982/83 was another year of firsts for the club. Ray Buckley was elected as the first life member of the Carine Tee-ball club.
Season 1983/84 was a good one from a facilities point of view. The Carine Reserve Hall was built and available for use by various organisations. Carine Ball Club was able to share this with five other ground users. Player numbers held steady in Tee-ball. Softball and baseball each added another team to their growing list of players
Continued rapid growth in the popularity of Tee-ball into 1985/86 saw the total number of teams rise to 54. The spin off from this growth was the flow on to baseball and softball of players as they came through the ranks. Softball now had a team entered in the Yokine competition and four in a competition at Balcatta. Boy’s baseball had grown to seven teams and for the first team there were two senior teams, mainly made up from dads of junior players.
Numbers stabilised in 1986/87 with 795 registered players in all divisions. The first significant change in the management of the club occurred this year. To easy the pressure on the committee it was decided to have a sub-committee for each division, and they would in turn report to a club management committee. After many years of work since the inauguration of the club, Mr Allan Cooper was elected a life member.
The 1987/88 AGM minutes recorded that a number of changes to the club constitution were made. It is the first reference that is found in the minutes about club colours. The AGM recorded that a motion was passed to have the club colours recorded as “sky blue and black”. The other significant change was to the name of the club. At this stage the clubs official name was the Carine Tee Ball Club. This was no longer the case with softball and baseball being run out of the same organisation. The AGM approved a name change to the Carine Ball Club Inc.
At the same meeting Hennie Kuenen was nominated as a life member for his service to the club, having been registrar since 1983.
The 1981/82 season saw continued growth in the game and new members. The original oval allocations from Stirling Council proved to be too small. As a result Stirling Council allocated the top and bottom ovals for use on Saturdays. The expansion of baseball under Ray Buckley was already showing some success. The team playing in the B division was undefeated during the season and was rewarded with promotion to the A division. Three boys from this successful team were selected to play in the West Stirling “All Stars” team.
1982/83 was another year of firsts for the club. Ray Buckley was elected as the first life member of the Carine Tee-ball club.
Season 1983/84 was a good one from a facilities point of view. The Carine Reserve Hall was built and available for use by various organisations. Carine Ball Club was able to share this with five other ground users. Player numbers held steady in Tee-ball. Softball and baseball each added another team to their growing list of players.
Numbers stabilised in 1986/87 with 795 registered players in all divisions. The first significant change in the management of the club occurred this year. To easy the pressure on the committee it was decided to have a sub-committee for each division, and they would in turn report to a club management committee. After many years of work since the inauguration of the club, Mr Allan Cooper was elected a life member.
1989/90 was the end of an era on the committee with a number of inaugural members standing down. Hennie Kuenen, John Vanderwilk, Dave Campbell and Ted Blythe all decided to call it a day on the committee.
At the 1990/91 AGM another constitution change allowed for three life members to be elected each season, the intent being that one from each division could be elected. Tom and Rhonda Heitman were elected as life members and Rhonda Heitman was awarded the Presidents trophy. New club and storerooms were completed. With all the winning the clubs teams had been doing, we needed somewhere to put the trophies and banners! 1994/95 saw an order placed for four trophy cabinets and a banner case.
A club mission statement was established this season. It stated, ”Carine Cats Ball Club Inc. is dedicated to offering the youth of our area amateur sporting facilities and opportunities in the fields of Tee-Ball, softball and baseball and to develop their skills in an enjoyable and learning environment through family involvement.”
The 1996 season also saw the culmination of a long project undertaken by Alan White and the seniors with the completion of the building near the batting cages now known as the “White House”. The building was originally planned mainly as an equipment store. Various modifications have taken place over each season and the baseball division now operates a canteen out of the White House.
In February 1998, a special general meeting was held to vote on two constitutional changes. Of significance was the meetings passing of an amendment to Rule 6 which recognised that the management committee will have the power to appoint player life membership to any player reaching 200 games whilst playing Tee ball, Softball or Baseball will have player life membership.
Although Carine Ball Club has always promoted itself as a “family’ club first and results second, 1998/99 was celebrated to be one of the most successful in the club’s history in terms of on field results. All divisions had great success;
1999/00 saw formal agreement reached to amalgamate the Carine Baseball Club (Senior Baseball) with the Carine Cats Ball Club. The change will take place at the commencement of the 2000/01 season. This ensured that players could now proceed along a path through Tee-ball into senior baseball or softball, all with the same club. The promised new batting cages were opened for use. This was a large capital investment for the club and funding was also received from the State Government and the City of Stirling.
The seasons 2002/03 did not herald any significant changes within the club structures. Player numbers, particularly in Tee-ball continued to show a steady decline. Baseball Diamond 2 had a makeover with a semi-permanent back-net installed. Because of ground sharing we are required to take the net down for the winter months. The management committee approved the purchase of further temporary fencing for Diamond 1.
Tee-Ball
Tee-ball was also starting to show some early promise in inter-club competition. 5 teams were entered into the State Inter-districts Tee-ball carnival. The under 9 boys coached by Rob Wittber became the first inter-districts champions from Carine, winning division 2.
In 1980/81 Tee-ball numbers showed a rapid increase with 438 players registering. At this stage not enough players had come through the age groups to form a softball team.
1993/94 Carine players from all divisions continue to do well in club competition and selection in representative teams. All five teams entered into the state Tee-ball inter-districts competition finish as runners up in their respective divisions
1997/98 season saw a significant change for Tee-Ball. Instead of the five weekend format for the inter-districts, the championships were changed to a carnival held over a long weekend.
1998/99 Tee-ball won three of five divisions they competed in at the State Inter-districts carnival. In baseball the division won five pennants and were runners-up in two divisions.
Softball
1982/83 Softball competed in their first competition under the guidance of S.King. The competition consisted of five Carine teams and one from Balcatta.
1993/94. In softball seven junior teams make the finals and five Carine players are selected in the state under 16 team.
2nd November 1996 was an important date for Kirsten Ridge when she became the first softball player to attain the 200 game milestone. Two former Carine players were now playing State League softball – Tracey Fricker and Chantelle James. Both players joined the WAIS softball squad and Tracey was selected to join the pitching squad training for the Sydney Olympics.
Baseball
Baseball in Perth had been formed on a regional system with a number of major clubs responsible for the development of baseball in their respective areas. The West Stirling Baseball Club had the responsibility for developing the game in West Stirling, Innaloo, Carine and Balcatta. In 1978 with the growth of the game, sub-district areas were set up with a view to forming baseball clubs in other areas. So Innaloo, Carine and Balcatta were identified as areas for further clubs to be formed in.
In 1980/81 the club registered its first baseball team and they played in the Under 13 age group, in the Northern Districts Little League. Mr. Ray Buckley was responsible for starting the baseball section of the club.
The 1981/82 season saw continued growth in the game and new members. The original oval allocations from Stirling Council proved to be too small. As a result Stirling Council allocated the top and bottom ovals for use on Saturdays. The expansion of baseball under Ray Buckley was already showing some success. The team playing in the B division was undefeated during the season and was rewarded with promotion to the A division. Three boys from this successful team were selected to play in the West Stirling “All Stars” team.
1982/83. Ray was on the formative committee and was elected to the position of Treasurer. He started the baseball division and was a coach of one of the baseball teams. Club numbers continued to grow and softball arrived. Under the guidance of S.King five teams were formed.
In baseball the popularity of the game was growing as the early tee-ball players matured into baseball players. The Northern Districts Little League now comprised of 6 teams from Balcatta, 3 from Carine and two from West Stirling. Clayton Buckley was selected in the West Stirling team that won the State Peewee Championships. He also became the first known Carine player to be selected in a State team. Aaron Smith was another local boy who did well. Aaron started Tee-ball at Carine and went on to baseball. After completing his first year of baseball at Carine he moved to Balcatta. It was while playing for Balcatta that he was selected in the State team to go to Victoria.
Season 1983/84 Under the coaching of Steve Allen baseball reached their first grand final, but did not manage to pull off a win. Tee-ball had their most successful season yet at the inter-districts competition winning three titles.
Success was now coming to the club in all divisions. Carine Peewee All Stars had their best finish in the Peewee State Championships, finishing runners-up. A number of age group teams made it through to grand finals, and for the first time won the under 13 division A grand final. Softball was also achieving success and finished on top of the ladder for the first time.
1989/90. Our playing numbers reached the highest level to date and we hosted the Peewee Championships for the second time.
In the bigger picture this was the first season of the newly formed West Australian Junior Baseball League.
1990/91. Baseball numbers were at record high level and our teams dominated the various grades on weight of numbers. 5 teams competed in the under 13 division A competition and 6 teams in two B division competitions.
Presidents Trophy winner for 1991/92 was Christian Vanderwilk and Jeff Halliday was the latest life member. This season was the first one since the clubs inception that overall numbers dropped, albeit only by four. Fourteen players from the club toured Japan as part of a Japan/Australia exchange.
Carine Peewees won the State Championships for the third time in succession.
1992/93 Presidents Trophy winner was Lyn Brooks. Carine had its best finish in the baseball Jan Thurley Cup when the U 15 team drew with Balcatta 4 – 4 in the grand final. In softball all junior teams finished in finals positions. 1993/94 Carine players from all divisions continue to do well in club competition and selection in representative teams. Baseball’s success continued when the under 12’s won the State peewee championships. Three under 13 teams and three under 15 teams played in the finals and two players were selected in the State under 14 team. In addition, Cameron Rapley moved from Carine to West Stirling where he was selected to play in the State under 16 team. Finally, Ryan Harding was selected from the under 13 team in one of the South East Asian tournament teams.
1994/95. The other big news for the season was the clubs first two hundred game player – Shane Heitman achieved this on 11th February 1995. It is also reported that a former Carine baseball player, Andrew McNally, who had moved to West Stirling and also pitched for the Perth Heat, had been offered a baseball scholarship at the University of Hawaii. It is not clear from the minutes when Andrew was registered at the club.
Rob Weir, in his President’s report for the 1995/96 season signalled the intent that the Carine Cats Ball Club needed to work closer with the Carine Baseball Club (seniors). This would ensure that baseball players from the junior division would have somewhere to move on to and still play with the Carine Cats Club
1997/98. Baseball division announced at the AGM that work was planned to commence on the new batting cages. These were to be ready for the new season.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the Carine Ball Club has had a successful twenty-five years. However, there is a steady decline in the number of tee-ball players and junior softball and baseball players. Senior teams seem to be static. Unless the registration of juniors can be stabilised it will be difficult to sustain previous success.
As stated in the opening paragraph, there may be some relevant information omitted. I have had to rely mostly on minutes of AGM’s for the accuracy of the information. The divisions have tried to verify the accuracy of data included in the various appendices that follow.
Martin Dempsey
Management Committee Baseball Representative
Chairman Baseball Division
November 2003
Details on baseball association awards have been obtained from baseball organisation annual reports. Again any omissions are an oversight and are because the annual report was not on file at either the Batty Library or the Department of Sport and Recreation Library.
Any additional information for the club history can be submitted to a club committee member
