2024 Softball NSW 12 & Under Japan Tour

Softball NSW is excited to annouce the return of the biannual 12 & Under Softball tour to Japan, scheduled for August 2024.

Please find below all of the available information for the tour, as well as the Expression of Interest form for all eligible players and officials.

Japan Tour Information Session

On Thursday 11 April 2024, Softball NSW held an information session for the 2024 Japan Tour via Zoom. Please find below links to the information and presentation:

Information Session Powerpoint: 2024 Softball NSW Japan Tour - Information Session Presentation Deck (V2)

PLEASE NOTE: Since the recording of the Information Session, the tour itinerary and length has been altered (reduced from 14 days to 10 days). The presentation linked above has the updated and correct information provided for the new itinerary (V2); however, the recording below was specific to the previous itinerary, and some details may have changed.

Information Session Recording: 2024 Softball NSW Japan Tour - Information Session Presentation Recording

By request from the Information Session, please also find below the draft itinerary for the 10 day tour (please note that details provided here are a guide only, and are subject to change).

Tour Draft Itinerary (10 Days): 2024 Japan Trip Itinerary - 10 Days

Accommodation/Hotel Details (not confirmed):

Tsuruga: Alpha-One Tsuruga Bypass

Kyoto: Miyako Hotel, Kyoto Hachijo

Tokyo: Washigton Hotel, Shinjuku

Expression of Interest Form

Please find below the Expression of Interest (EOI) Form for the tour, to be completed by the following:

• Eligible players (2012 and 2013 born)
• Eligible wait list players (late-2011 and 2014 born)
• Interested Coaches
• Interested Statisticians
• Interested Team Managers
• Interested Umpires
• Interested general participants (spectators, supporters, etc.)

Parents/Guardians that will be attending the tour with their participating child are not required to complete the EOI form. Details of attending parents/guardians will be collected once tour participants are confirmed.

Expression of Interest Form: 2024 Softball NSW 12&U Japan Tour EOI Form

Please note that all EOIs MUST be submitted by midnight Tuesday 30 April 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please find below answers to some of the more frequently asked questions regarding the tour (both from the Information Session and via email), that we were unable to answer at the time:

Q1. Can kids born in 2011 and 2014 be considered for the tour?

A1: Softball NSW will allow EOI submissions for kids born in late-2011 (i.e. must be still 12 years of age at the time of the trip) and 2014. However, these submissions will form a wait list, and acceptance onto the tour will be dependent on interest from the main eligible age groups. Please note that for ALL eligible age groups, inclusion onto the tour will only be considered via the completion of an EOI form.

Q2. Can we alter the itinerary, flights, etc. to shorten or lengthen the trip?

A2: Based on feedback from the Information Session, Softball NSW, in conjunction with Nippon Travel Agency (NTA), have shortened the tour to ten (10) days (inclusive of travel days), in order to reduce the overall costs and hopefully open up the opportunity for more people/families to participate. The tour will be all inclusive for participants - no changes can be made to shorten or adjust the itinerary. However, the one change that NTA will be able to accommodate will be a later departure from Japan back to Australia, should anyone wish to stay in Japan longer once the tour is complete. Before 51 days prior to departure, this return flight change is free of charge (only pay the difference in the airfare). Within 50 days of departure, the cost for a return flight amendment will be $300.00 per person plus the difference in the airfare. Any additional stays in Japan once the tour has concluded will be at the own expense of the participant(s).

Q3. Can umpires attend the tour as well and officiate at the tournament?

A3: Tentatively the answer here is yes. We are looking at arranging umpires to be a part of the tour, and we are awaiting confirmation from the Japanese tournament officials as to what capacity Australian umpires may be permitted to officiate (as well as whether interpreters will be available to assist during games for communication with teams and officials). Whilst we await this confirmation, we encourage any interested umpires to submit an EOI for the tour, after which point more information will be provided (and umpires can either commit to participating on the tour or withdraw their EOI submission).

Q4: Will players (catchers in particular) need to pay for additional and/or bulky luggage check-ins for kit bags?

A4: ANA allows 2 x 23kg check-in bags per person for flights, which should cover a suitcase as well as a kit bag for each player (inclusive of the catchers). If needed, Softball NSW and NTA are also able to divide additional gear across other players, parents, staff, and officials to avoid additional baggage charges.

Should anyone have any further questions regarding the tour, please do not hesitate to reach out to Softball NSW Events and Facilities Coordinator Aimee Sutton via events@softballnsw.org.au, or Softball NSW Development Officer Donna McGrath via development@softballnsw.org.au.