Players of Giants & Imps selected for national teams
The first provincial baseball tournament for women was hosted in Cape Town in 2021.
Three women from the Giants & Imps Baseball Club will represent SA after being selected for South Africa’s first-ever national ladies’ baseball teams.
The announcement made at the start of August, Women’s Month, highlights the growth of women’s baseball in SA.
Geraldine Grobler (utility) and Storm Butler (pitcher) were selected for South Africa’s first senior women’s baseball team.
Kirame Kleber (catcher) was selected for the first national U18 women’s baseball team.
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In addition to being selected for the team, Grobler is a coach for the U18 team.
The national teams will compete against Zimbabwe during Africa’s inaugural continental women’s baseball event.
The home and away series will start at Boksburg Baseball Club.
It will be televised, live, on Super Sports Schools.
The first leg will be held between August 22 and 25 while the second leg will be played in Zimbabwe in December.
Filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness, the Edenvale trio are honoured to represent the country.
“We are nervous and excited at the same time, there are always some nerves in sport,” said Grobler.
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“If you don’t have some nerves you’re not a true sports player.”
Butler explained that the team has been working hard.
“With all the meetings leading up, it has made everything more exciting,” said Butler.
Looking forward to competing against new players Kleber said, “Facing new players is an adrenaline rush.”
Butler, who has played baseball for the past 14 years, got involved in the sport through friends at the age of eight.
“I came to one practice and never left, Although I stopped for a short while, I returned and became a coach,” said Butler.
Before she started playing baseball, Grobler enjoyed a stint in softball.
She has 35 years of experience in both softball and baseball.
“I started at the age of six and started as what was known as a bat girl back in the day.”
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Grobler played for the SA school’s softball team.
“I got involved in baseball through the men’s league at the age of 30 as a social league.”
Grobler has also been a provincial coach for the U12 boys.
Kleber started playing baseball through her dad at the age of 12.
“My dad started playing baseball at the Southern Stars and then we moved to Edenvale. When I started playing, Storm was coaching me.”
Grobler explained that ladies’ baseball in South Africa started three years ago.
“We took all the ladies who were interested in baseball and we thought let’s try a lady’s baseball league. We started a draft league, it included a lot of the old softball players and women who could no longer compete alongside the men.”
She said it was comprised of players from various clubs.
“Starting with four teams ladies’ baseball has grown each year, we now have about six teams.”
Over time enough women joined the sport for each region to have its league.
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Grobler said once the regional leagues were established the women formed a provincial league which attracted the attention of Cape Town.
The first provincial baseball tournament for women was hosted in Cape Town in 2021.
Speaking about the upcoming series, Grobler said this will be the ladies’ teams’ first international return trip.
“It will help us put South Africa out there internationally to gain points to qualify for the World Cup.”
