It is my pleasure to announce that the Golden Barley are officially on board as Flying Bats sponsor for the 2012 season.

Long-time supporters of our club, Penny and Andrew from the Barley have created a safe and welcoming space with a real local vibe that we just love. They are wonderful supporters of local sport and women, also sponsoring the Sydney Women’s Baseball League.

The Barley provides us with a cash sponsorship, as well as prizes for our trivia night and other events, and ‘happy hour’ prices on Sunday afternoons for our post-match gatherings.

The Bats are proud to be associated with the Golden Barley and thrilled to have such a fantastic pub to call home, with its friendly staff, great atmosphere, brand new menu and, of course, great selection of beer!

We’ll see you there very soon!

The Golden Barley
167 Edgeware Road, Enmore NSW 2042
www.goldenbarleyhotel.com.au

-Alicia
President, Flying Bats

When Team Sydney, home of GLBTQI sport in this fine city of ours, put out the call for board volunteers we knew there was only ONE WOMAN for the job.
Meet Tex – dedicated Bat and Team Sydney’s new Secretary.

As far as Irishwomen go, Tex seems to have finessed ‘Australian’ to a fine art – she enjoys a Cooper’s Pale Ale, fancies herself an ironwoman in waiting and has embraced enough sports to do her newfound homeland proud.

She’s a mad dragon-boater with Sydney’s queer-friendly Different Strokes, avid cyclist and runner who says she’s “vaguely considering” entering an iron-man contest in 2013 (rawr) but some of Tex’s fondest memories are of the Bats.  “The Bats, at its very best, means a community. It’s a pretty amazing and diverse group of women, and as someone who grew up without a single lesbian role model – except those on TV – the Bats have given me role models and friends, changed my view on a lot of things and given me a better sense of myself,” she says.

Preparing to celebrate her “30^th plus GST” in 2012, Tex has been a Bat for four years and devoted two of them to the Committee as Registrar, wading through scores of applications and photos. Quite literally, she knows where you live. Her passion is evident – she has a Bat tattoo as a souvenir of the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne – so we couldn’t be prouder when she put her hand up to represent the club on the board of Team Sydney, the city’s GLBTQI sports association.

Our favourite bit: Tex is among, if not THE first woman to join Team Sydney’s upper echelons and we know she’ll do great things.

“We need more women’s representation – from the grassroots to the top, whether it’s sport or community or company boards - and if we don’t get out there and do it, then honestly I don’t believe we can complain that our views aren’t taken into consideration,” she says.

Love brought Tex (named after a t-shirt, if you can believe) to Australia via China and New Zealand and she wound up at her first Bats training thanks to Google (‘lesbian soccer Sydney’) and a bit of good old-fashioned courage.

“I’ve never looked back. The Bats has totally made my world a more interesting place,” she says.

Sunday 4th December 11am – 2pm
Bicentennial Park, Annandale (Enter via Johnston St or Chapman Rd)

As much fun as it is to hang out as a Club shivering to death at training on a Wednesday, we thought it would also be nice to get together during the warmer months so…

… we bring you the Inaugural Bats Picnic Day!

And yes, Bats DO go out in the day time so if you’ve been waiting for that event that doesn’t involve Palms, here it is!

We would love to see family and friends of the Bats attend too, or perhaps you’re interested in joining the Bats and want more info. This is your chance!

The Club will supply sausages, vegetarian sausages and rolls. Please do bring with you a small plate of salad or a sauce plus your own alcohol and drinks.

Please RSVP on Facebook HERE so we can get the catering sorted. If you are not on FB or know someone not on FB who would like to come, please pass this on and ask them to RSVP to pr@theflyingbats.com

Early Bird Registration stops end of this month!

There’s an early bird registration deadline coming up…

Until the end of this month (August 31st of 2011) you’ll have the chance to register for a fabulous event at an advantage price of 140,- euro.
From the 1st of September 2011 the registration will be raised to 160,- euro. So save valuable money now for other things to do during the worldOutgames in Antwerp, so you can shop till you drop!

HINT You can always change your chosen sport or activity later on, just in case you haven’t decided whether you want to wet yourself in the swimming pool or on the dance floor

So if you were planning on registering, do it now and save money for your superb time in Antwerp, Belgium in 2013! There are quite a few girls already registered so you are in great company!

Short version:
Coogee United were quite good, with an attractive strip.

Long version:
With definite traces of a Saturday party somewhere in the Bats community, it was a sunny Sunday afternoon as another undermanned Bats team took to the field, this time facing the runaway Div 1 leaders… As if you would have subs!

Time and again we held our collective breath, as the ball hurtled towards our net, only for Junior to leap into its path with another fabulous save. That said, our defensive strategy was quite effective and gave a new definition of the term “sagging”.

Fi, Anna and Jane had to cover some serious ground in the middle of the pitch, generally having to defend four Coogee players between them. And each time Coogee approached our goal the backline dealt with the extra player magnificently, seemingly communicating via brain wave to make sure the overlap was covered.

A chance to put the embattled bats on the scoreboard came early in the second half, but a poorly timed micro-sleep in front of the goal meant Carmel’s foot failed to extend the required three centimetres to tap the ball into the back of the net.

And then the break was on – after a rip roaring run from Carmel down the left, she crossed to find Emily, who rifled a rocket into the top corner!!!

Div 1 played a strong competitive game with only 10 players against Coogee who currently top the division. The team fought hard with a lot of determination and defensive spirit to keep Coogee at bay.

So despite a 5-1 loss to the Div 1 competition leaders, the Bats walk off with their heads held high… Could this be the turning point we’ve all been waiting for?

After a 4 -week gap between games we turned up slightly apprehensive to play last year’s grand final winners and old arch rivals Putney.  After our terrific win against Gladesville, we had a few people still injured so we just 11.

After a slightly slow start, we soon found our groove, our new player Kate, who’s also new to the game got right into it and Putney seemed to be attacking less than in recent years, but they still gave our defence a good run around.

Devon did some fancy footwork and was constantly in the goal mouth but their defence was getting in the way, finally there was an opening and as Angela shouted “Shoot” Devon obliged and the ball went straight to the back of the net.

Second half, Maryann was back in her favourite position on the left and before long, she did one of her now classic shots, giving us a 2-0 lead.  Putney seemed to have lost their mojo and ran around but were fended of mightily by the defence. Angela was everywhere diving, jumping and chasing and fought them off, backed up by Shelby who did a fine job in goal.  They didn’t have a chance.

Finally the whistle blew and to our great delight and we’ve now beaten the top two teams from last year.

Player of the match by a landslide was Angela Skolarikis.  Great effort by everyone.  Now the next challenge is the Reds!  Don’t miss this game, they haven’t been beaten either!

Tina King

Manager