A Brief BWC Softabll History
One Monday afternoon in 1968 Thelma Hainey received a call from Southern Districts Softball Association that would be the start of Blacktown Workers Softball Club. Sothern Districts Softball Association told Thelma to have her teams ready to play at their Canley Vale grounds at 8am the following Saturday. Nothing could faze Thelma, so she agreed. Even though she had no teams, no players, no uniforms, no equipment, and no coaches. She soon rang the Blacktown Workers Club for support and transportation, they agreed but needed names of her committee. And so, the first committee was born and consisted of three ladies.
President – Thelma Hainey
Secretary – Wilgar Smith
Treasurer – Bea O’Brien
Within a couple of hours of that phone call Thelma had arranged everything that would be needed for that Saturday. She had coaches, equipment, uniforms and nine teams took the field that day.
Within a year the club had grown to such an extent that Southern Districts Softball Association could no longer cope with them. So, Thelma got in contact with Bankstown Districts Association and were invited to a meeting at Bankstown Sports Club, so their committee of three headed off to the meeting.
The club took 30 teams to Bankstown Districts Association and so the games were played at Henry Lawson Drive in Villawood.
The following year with Blacktown Workers Softball Club continuing to grow Thelma decided to form her own Association. After some hard work, meetings and negotiations the Cumberland Nepean Women’s Softball Association was established, with Thelma Hainey elected president and Blacktown Workers Softball Club being one of the founding clubs.
Today Blacktown Workers Club still plays under Cumberland Nepean Softball Association, playing at both International Peace Park and Stanhope Gardens. Each season competing with fifty to eighty members starting as young as three. The Blacktown Workers Club group continues to support and sponsor our club each year.
