Vanessa Stokes is an Australian softball pitcher. She plays club softball in South Australia. She has represented Australia on the junior and senior level.
 Stokes in March 2012 during a photoshoot | |
| Sport | |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Sport | Softball |
| Event | Women's team |
| Club | Glenelg Rebels |
Personal edit
Stokes is an Aboriginal Australian[1][2] from Gepps Cross, South Australia[1][3] who grew up in Darwin.[4] In 2003, she was awarded an Indigenous Excellence Scholarship.[1] She moved to South Australia after her Darwin-based softball coach moved there and encouraged her to move as well.[1] She attended Gepps Cross Girls High and took Japanese language classes.[1] Her mother also played competitive sport, representing her state in national competitions in softball and soccer.[1]
Softball edit
Stokes is a pitcher.[4][5] She started playing softball when she was four years old.[1][4] Her mother was her first coach.[4] As a young player, she dreamed of playing softball for the University of California, Los Angeles.[4] She plays for the South Australian club Glenelg Rebels.[5][6] She was with the team for their 2011 season.[7] In March 2012, it was announced she and Stacey Porter would be ambassadors in a programme to increase aboriginal participation in softball around Australia.[2]
Juniors edit
Stokes competed at the 2001 Arafura Games in softball.[4] In 2001, she was invited to play for a Texas U14 team, Hearts of Texas at a national competition in Oklahoma. The Texas team paid for her travel to the country.[1][4] She has represented Australia on the junior national level. In 2001, she was a member of the Australian U19 national team.[4] She was invited to play for the U19 team when she was thirteen years old.[1]
Senior national team edit
Stokes was a member of the 2012 Australia women's national softball team.[3] She played 2012 game against New Zealand women's national softball team.[7] In March 2012, she participated in a seven-game test series in Canberra against the Japanese national team. She was one of two South Australians to participate in the series.[5][6][8]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "COMING OUT SWINGING". Messenger — News Review. Adelaide, Australia. 16 October 2002. p. 27. MNR-20021016-0-027-K066757. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ a b Rees, Courtney (24 March 2012). "Chasing indigenous talent". The Canberra Times. Canberra, Australia. p. Sports, 14.
- ^ a b "Australian Open Women's Squad 2012". Australia: Softball Australia. 24 February 2012. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Stockwell, Grant (5 June 2001). "Play ball for Texas-bound Territorian". Northern Territory News. Darwin, Australia. p. 40. NTN-20010605-1-040-183773V14. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
- ^ a b c Schultz, Duane (29 February 2012). "White puts Australia before Dutch dream". Messenger — Eastern Courier. Adelaide, Australia. p. 62. MEC_T-20120229-1-062-007515. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- ^ a b Schultz, Duane (29 February 2012). "Country over cash — White puts Australia before Dutch dream". Messenger — Guardian. Adelaide, Australia. p. 62. MGD_T-20120229-1-062-101315. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- ^ a b "Vanessa Stokes - gets her Aussie Spirit cap". Glenelg, South Australia: Glenelg Rebels. 2 December 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ Schultz, Duane. "Belinda true blue Aussie — Softball — Sport — Portside Messenger". Portside Messenger. Retrieved 7 March 2012.