30 August 2023
Here's how family - both literally and metaphorically - connects the U18 National Team
On the night players from Australia’s Under-18 roster were informed they made they made the prestigious World Cup squad, longtime senior team member Sam Holland surprised the group for a chat.
He brought with him something incredibly special and deeply personal to this country’s baseball community – an Australian flag with a unique history.
“What I showed the players was the Senior Team’s Australian flag. It has the signatures of our past and present senior team players, with the earliest dating back to 2004,” says Holland. “It is there at all Team Australia names and embodies the respect and passion we all share when we put on the uniform.”
The message was simple. From a senior Team Australia member to the up-and-coming players in our sport – you are part of family, and nothing will change that.
“It was awesome to share this small piece of our country’s more recent baseball history with the U18 group. It was also mentioned that there is plenty of space left to be filled and if they continue to play the game the right way and represent our country with pride and passion, they may one day get the privilege of adding there names right there beside some of our nation’s greats,” says Holland.
When you’re part of Australian baseball community you’re part of a family.
This is represented on the national team’s uniform, with an indigenous designed emblem telling exactly that story and presenting a message of community, gathering and sharing knowledge between generations.
This Under 18 World Cup squad playing this week in Tawian has more than a few more family links. This is in the literal and metaphorical sense – the next generation is quite literally coming through.
Let’s look at infielder Nic Paparella. The South Australian infielder is about to put on the Green & Gold at World Cup for the first time. He’s following in the footsteps of his father Mark, who also played for Australia’s Under 18 team in 1995.
Mark flourished in the 1995 World Cup, helping Australia to a Bronze Medal, and being named to the tournament’s All Star team.
Above: Mark Paparella in 1995.
“It’s pretty uncanny,” said Mark to an Adelaide newspaper this week. “Chinese Taipei has always been huge in baseball – we actually played against them in the bronze medal games all those year ago.”
Mark says Nic has the potential to do more damage than himself.
“Nic’s a bit bigger than me,” says Mark. “He’s got a bit more pop.”
Other generational links from South Australia? Jack Bushell’s father James played baseball for the Adelaide Giants in the 1990s. His mum Selena won a bronze medal in softball at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“The reason I started playing was because dad played baseball and mum played softball, I didn‘t really have an option,” Jack Bushell told CODE Sports earlier in the week.
The most famous link of all comes from the West.
Under 18 member Jai Hewitt is following in the footsteps of his dad Jason, who doesn’t need much of an introduction to Australian baseball fans.
Jason became the youngest player selected for the Australian National Team in the 1994 Baseball World Cup held in Managua, Nicaragua. He also played for Australia at the 1996 Olympics, was an ABL All Star in 1998 (Perth Heat), a Heat MVP and a three-time Claxton Shield winner.
“My dad definitely influenced me to play,” says young Jai. “My goal is to play for the Perth Heat in the ABL, [like my Dad].”
Victorian infielder Jayden Kim comes from great stocks, too. His dad David played in the Australian Baseball League and is now a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He wasn’t forced into anything, but fell in love with the game. After exploring other sports, Jayden landed on baseball, he told a local newspaper.
“I began playing when I was 10 years old after a short stint playing soccer and tennis. I like them both but I love baseball,” he said.
Jack Ratcliffe’s (VIC) father played for Team Australia at a World Cup too.
“I first started playing baseball at age 6 at Upwey Ferntree Gully Baseball Club [in Vic],” Ratcliffe says. “I wanted to follow my dad’s footsteps and aspire to be like him and represent Australia.”
How about the literal brotherly connection? Josh Nati’s brother James played for an U15 Australian side a few years ago. Jimmy now plays college baseball in the USA at high-end Pac-12 program Stanford.
But family links don’t just have to come from past Team Australia members. There are other ways people found their way into the game. And once you’re part of the Australian Baseball community, you become family.
Koby Chesterton’s father played baseball so he signed up his son to play t-ball in the ACT. Now he’s the only U18 national team member from the Capital.
Benjamin Karakasis (NSW) watched his brother play. That’s how he started.
Other kids like Tom Chessell had their parents sign them up. Now, he’s in Taiwan playing for his country.
Lachlan Smith stumbled upon the game when at a friend’s ninth birthday party. Who would have thought that part would have led Smith to representing Australia?
“You never know where baseball can take you,” says Baseball Australia’s high performance manager Andrew Riddell. “The powerful thing here is that when you put on that Green & Gold you are forever and always part of that special family. Teams are bonded by it.”
Riddell says the night of the team selection was moving.
We’re not stereotypically Australian at all…. 🦘🐨 (sound on) #BaseballWorldCupU18 @WBSC pic.twitter.com/0szVTNkjnI
— Team Australia (@TeamAusBaseball) August 29, 2023
“It was a big deal,” he says. “We had a cool video where we had previous players from U18 teams – guys from 2019 and 2022, some of them are playing pro now – send us a video congratulation the players on making the team and wishing them luck. You could just tell how much it meant.”
This family goes to battle as a unit starting Thursday night in front of an anticipated full house vs tournament hosts Taiwan. Australia plays five games in the six-team Pool A of the Under 18 World Cup. They need to finish Top 3 to advance to the Super Round to contend for a medal.
You can watch all games via the WBSC’s streaming service at www.gametime.sport.
First pitch is 8:30PM AEST Thursday night vs. Taiwan. You can read all our stories on the U18 team at our International Hub.
