Our Annual Competition Player Awards

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Our Annual Competition Player Awards

Our annual competition awards illustrate the heritage of our North Shore competition and recognise the many great players that have participated over the years in our morning and afternoon competition.

Annually, on grand final day, we recognise the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and top Pitcher per grade as well as recognising a junior player who shows outstanding attributes in sportsmanship, commitment and performance.

Many of our awards are named after influential members of our North Shore softball family and include:

Congratulations to all the deserving recipients who have received these awards at North Shore over the years.  Check out the award recipients below.

The North Shore Junior Encouragement Award

This is trophy is presented to a player from the Schoolgirls Grades (Teeball to Div 1) who, on recommendation from their club, is assessed by the NSDSA Committee as showing outstanding attributes in sportsmanship, commitment and performance. Note, this award was previously known as the Sports Crazy Junior Encouragement Award. 

The Rachel Lack Rising Star Award

This award recognises players who have made significant improvement in their softball over the past season, or more, and are passionate about achieving their personal best at all times. It recognises players who are working to improve their skills and achieve their personal goals whilst also supporting their team to do their best all the time. Whilst it can be awarded to any player from tball to Div 1, it is targeted at our younger divisions to encourage our junior players to continue to try and work hard to achieve their goals. It is not a rep award but a player demonstrating these values and progress may be nominated. 

Note - This is a new award introduced in the 2023 season

The John Mason Trophy

This trophy is presented to the player who earns the greatest number of MVP points in the Open Grades during the preliminary rounds. The coaches award points (3, 2 and 1) to the three most valuable players on the opposing team.

The Heather McCann Trophy

This trophy is presented to the player who earns the greatest number of MVP points in the Schoolgirls Grades during the preliminary rounds and operates as per the John Mason Trophy.

The Gaye Ledingham Trophy

This trophy is presented to the player who earns the greatest number of MVP points in the Modball Grades during the preliminary rounds and operates as per the John Mason Trophy.

The Brian Higinbotham Trophy

This trophy is presented to the player who earns the greatest number of MVP points in the Teeball grades during the preliminary rounds and operates as per the John Mason Trophy.

The Wally Fogarty Pitching Award

This trophy is presented to the pitcher who has achieved the greatest number of K2s in the Open Grades during the preliminary rounds.

A K2 is accredited to a pitcher when a third strike is delivered to a batter even though the batter might reach first base because the pitch is wild or is not caught by the catcher (i.e. dropped third strike). A K2 is also accredited to the pitcher where a batter bunts foul on a third strike. 

The Top Gun Schoolgirls Pitching Award

This trophy, donated by Col & Jan Jarvis, is presented to the pitcher who has achieved the greatest number of K2s in the Schoolgirls Grades during the preliminary rounds and operates as per the Wally Fogerty Pitching Award. 

A K2 is accredited to a pitcher when a third strike is delivered to a batter even though the batter might reach first base because the pitch is wild or is not caught by the catcher (i.e. dropped third strike). A K2 is also accredited to the pitcher where a batter bunts foul on a third strike. 

The NSDSA Primary Schoolgirls Pitching Award

This trophy is presented to the pitcher who has achieved the greatest number of K2s in the Modball Grades during the preliminary rounds and operates as per the Wally Fogarty Pitching Award.

A K2 is accredited to a pitcher when a third strike is delivered to a batter even though the batter might reach first base because the pitch is wild or is not caught by the catcher (i.e. dropped third strike). A K2 is also accredited to the pitcher where a batter bunts foul on a third strike.