CLUB HISTORY
The Lilydale Ejays softball Club was formed in 1982 as a breakaway group from the original Ladybirds Softball Club. In the past 38 years the club has grown to become the largest softball club in the Knox and District Softball Association (KDSA).
The club name “EJAYS” is thought to have originated from the founding members. Now whether this is from Ed and Jean Jones (EJ) or Nola and Wally Kenny’s daughter Ebony Jade (EJ) remains a mystery. ‘Lilydale’ was added a number of years ago to give the team recognition within the area (primarily for the purpose of recruitment) and the ‘INC’ was a legal requirement upon incorporation of the club.
The original uniform was a brown and beige affair. The colours were changed some years ago to navy, aqua and white and the style and design has recently been updated to be just navy and white.
The club started with just two teams, (an under 14 girls and a B Grade women’s) and over the years grew significantly in all grades. Ejays has fielded under 12 and under 14 girls, boys and mixed teams, open age women’s and men’s teams in A Grade, A reserve, B Grade and C Grade. We have expanded to 12 teams in the summer season and 3 teams in the winter season on and off over the years. The club also is a regular entrant in various Master’s Competitions held locally, interstate and internationally.
The club’s original training ground was at the Keith Hume Fraser Reserve (soccer ground) on Swansea Rd Montrose. After petitioning the Shire of Lilydale (now Yarra Ranges) the club was able to negotiate the construction of a diamond at Pinks Reserve Kilsyth. At the time this was the only diamond in the Shire. Some years later we were offered the “old Healesville Information Centre building” and this became our “clubrooms” affectionately known as the “cubby”.
Since that time decking has been added to the front, the room structure inside altered and a kitchen area formed. Major capital works include light towers on the diamond, development of a specific car parking area and the club resurfaced the entire diamond to become fully skinned (granitic sand). Most recently we have had the addition of 2 dedicated batting cages, and an upgrade of the lights to LED that are capable of lighting the entire diamond including the outfield, making ours a unique (and to the best of our knowledge) the only club training facility of its kind in the state, if not all of Australia.
As a club we have always had support from players, parents and friends and we are proud of our reputation in the community as a family oriented club. We have celebrated our 20th and 30th birthdays, and with our 40th birthday coming up, we are looking forward to that party and celebrating with current members and those that have been involved in years gone past that have helped make Ejays the fantastic club that it is today!
