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The Redlands Softball Association had its very small beginnings in the playing field of the Cleveland Primary School in June 1976. At that time, there was absolutely no sport or sporting facilites for women in the Redlands. Through connections in the school with parents and sisters of pupils, Alice Cullen (a teacher at the school) organised five teams to play trial matches in the school grounds. The teams were Sundowners, Rejects, Rebels, Berries and Knickerbockers. The trials proved so successful and popular, it was decided to form an Association and move to the bigger grounds at the showground, and play in the normal softball season of 1976. The Redlands Womens' Softball Association was formed at a meeting of all the players sitting on the grass in Cleveland Primary School. A great deal of learning was had in those first six weeks. Scorers had to be taught and umpires trained to control games. Coaches did their best to help their teams and learn at the same time. Diamonds had to be measured and marked out each week and everyone had to learn the rules of the game. The first "formal" season of the R.W.S.A. was then played at the showground with twelve teams competing. A very humble beginning to our now very successful Association. The Redland Shire Council, after many meetings with us, decided they must cater for womens' sport in the shire and gave us the old farm near Hilliards Creek to develop. The Council knocked down the trees and part levelled what now are Diamonds one and six. Working bees of
very dedicated players every weekend, cleaned, levelled, grassed, fertilized
and marked diamonds. Oh! How hard we all worked. Brigades with buckets
walked the whole area picking up sticks and stones. Lines of people
hand raked from top to bottom. Barrow loads of topsoil and chicken manure
with lawn seed were spread over the two diamonds and gradually the green
grass grew. Look at it today - a far cry from the old grass diamonds. The Foundation members had a dream and they gave it all they had until they saw their dream come true. They have passed their dream onto others, they onto more, and today we have some of the best playing fields in Queensland. The Association grew so quickly we needed more fields, so the Council cleared the area now occupied by Diamonds two and five. More working bees, more back breaking ground work, clearing, levelling, grassing and fertilizing. Fences and backnets were gradually being erected. Four main diamonds were completed but the sport was mushrooming and more diamonds were needed. With the help of Council our first lights were erected on diamond one in 1982. To celebrate, a highly successful Nightball Series was organised. Queensland Softball invited us to attend our first Sate championships in Ipswich on an "invitation basis only" in 1978. Our teams competed so well that we were affiliated with Q.S.A. in 1979. This was an important year for R.W.S.A., we became of age and participated in the Queensland State Championships in Mt Isa. Our very first State Representative player, Simone Jones, was chosen as State Pitcher and Alice Cullen as scorer. R.W.S.A also staged the very frst State Championship of any sport held in the Redlands. The Primary School State Softball Championships were organised and held at our grounds. Nineteen centres from all over Queensland participated and highlight was a march with bands, banners and police escort through the main street of Cleveland on a Saturday morning. This really put Redlands Womens' Softball on the map. Redlands first State Junior Championships were won by our Under 14's and Under 16's in 1983/84. Mens' Softball entered their first State Championship held in Gladstone in 1983. They were Country Champions and Dennis Cullen as catcher, was selected as our first Queensland representative. He went on to be selected in the Australian All Stars team the same year. The entry of Men's
Softball in 1985/86 at Redlands hastened the ground development and
also aided the man-power for working bees. Continued growth demanded a clubhouse and Council helped by transporting the old Methodist Church building from behind the council buildings , placed it on high stumps and enclosed an area for a canteen. Some years later we concreted underneath and made a store room. In 1999, with Council's help, we expanded and restyled the whole club house to what it is today. Redlands has hosted many State and Australian Championships and gained many selections in both State and National teams. Today Redlands is the biggest Association in Queensland and has the best facilites and grounds in the State. All this is due to one person who had a dream, and to many dedicated people who nourished that dream and made it come true.
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