The year 2023 has been a big one for Frankston Softball Association alumni Cody Smith, representing Australia in a successful campaign at the U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup, securing his position in the 2024 squad and walking away with first place this week in the World Cup Oceania Championship in America Samoa.

No stranger to success on the softball field, Cody first started playing softball at Frankston at the age of 11, and since qualifying for the Victorian Under 15’s squad has gone on to represent Victoria at ten national tournaments and two School Sport Victoria competitions. Cody’s ongoing passion and commitment to the game resulted in him securing a position on the Aussie Green’s friendship tour of New Zealand in 2019, and the Under 18’s extended Australian squad in 2020 before representing Australia at the Under 23 World Cup earlier this year.

A hugely successful campaign, the World Cup victory was secured for the Aussie Steelers with wins against Singapore, South Africa, Argentina, Czechia, and Canada before facing off against Japan in the final. When asked about highlights from the tournament, Cody mentioned the thrill of hitting a homerun against Singapore, learning Spanish with their translators, and the experience of participating in the professional nature of the three-week world cup tour.

“Going through the process of warm up games, goal setting, learning the history of the Steelers, and recovery and treatment,” were exciting parts of the tournament for Smith, but he emphasised that the true highlight was of course the victory itself.

“There is no better feeling than winning it all,” Smith said, “the everlasting friendships and the long night that followed our game of a lifetime.”

The Frankston Softball Association are incredibly proud and have been watching Cody’s progress at the world championships qualifiers in America Samoa, where the Aussie Steelers secured first place and confirmed their spot in the 2024 WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Group Stage. For all the latest, check out the Aussie Steelers Facebook page.