Wagga happy to host again after Regional Round brings the softball to town

Wagga Softball Association president Prue Adams said it was a fantastic experience having the league in town, and she welcomes them back for future events.

It wasn't just locals spectating though, with five umpires taking the field to hone their craft.

Adams said it was exciting to see the diamonds full again.

"It was great to see the diamonds full," Adams said.

"We saw some great batting and there was some fabulous fielding and some really good banter.

"Just to have the new faces around was exciting, and for a lot of the Sydney and metropolitan teams, they haven't seen the facilities that we have down here in Wagga, and we got lots of really positive feedback."

Adams heard of supporters from Cootamundra, Orange, and across the Riverina attend who usually cannot travel to Sydney to watch.

Reducing travel time for regional officials, players, and supporters, as well as removing accommodation costs for many was a welcomed change.

Adams said Wagga was an accessible venue for supporters coming from surrounding towns and towards the Central West.

"To not have a fuel cost attached, or a motel room to have to pay for was really good, and from what people were saying, they were all very happy with coming down," Adams said.

With state representative competitions on the horizon, the two-day event was also a chance for local players and umpires to get a look at people they'll see next month.

For local under 18 players especially, they're hoping to use what they saw in their preparations for next month's state championships.

The regional round is a new initiative by Softball NSW to showcase the sport outside of the major cities.

Adams said the work done by events coordinator Aimee Sutton to include the regions has been outstanding, and she cannot wait to see how the sport continues to benefit from these events.

While the weekend marked the beginning of the Waratah League season, the local season has wrapped up, but Adams is hopeful that the crowds at the diamonds may have sparked interest for the 2024/25 competition.