By ADEM SARICAOGLU
SUNSHINE will challenge any decision to allow Division Two premier Williamstown into Division One if proposed changes to Baseball Victoria’s Summer League competition are not invoked.
Baseball Victoria held a meeting with officials from all Summer League clubs last week, where the new concept was introduced.
Clubs have until 26 April to respond to a proposal that would introduce a brand new league structure that removes the requirement for top division clubs to meet specific junior participation criteria. A final proposal will then be put to a vote a week later.
Under the current system all Division One clubs must field at least four senior men’s teams and six junior teams to participate in the top tier.
It also stipulates the bottom two clubs in Division One get relegated and both the Division Two minor premier and grand final winner take their place.
Sunshine finished second-last in Division One this summer while Newport finished on top of Division Two before falling short in the finals.
While Newport, whose junior program is considered second-to-none, meets the criteria and will be promoted, Williamstown does not, meaning Sunshine will keep its place in Division One next season. However Williamstown president Ryan Camov has revealed his club will make its case for promotion if a new system does not get voted in next month.
While Camov, like most of his colleagues, agrees in principle to some kind of restructure, he has told Star he believes his club has done enough to deserve a place in Division One next season.
“We won the club championship for Division Two, which is in itself a demonstration of the depth within the club,” Camov said.
“We’ve been taking pretty significant strides in the season just past to reinvigorate our junior program but I guess the junior program is not something that just happens overnight.”
Williamstown struggles to attract junior talent because the demographic of its geographical location is measurably smaller than others.
Nearby Division Three club Footscray has had similar problems in recent years, and both clubs’ proximity to more successful clubs Sunshine and Newport only adds to their troubles.
If such an application were to be successful then Williamstown would replace Sunshine in Division One.
However Sunshine president Robert Blackmore confirmed he would intervene if Baseball Victoria were to make such a decision.
“Off course, we would be putting up a hard case to stay up there,” Blackmore said.
“(Williamstown) can make their push and they’re entitled to be able to make their push, but they’re wanting to change the rules and I don’t believe that they should be able to.”
Both Blackmore and Camov stressed any action will only take place if the system remains intact, and it is understood the new proposal will likely be passed.
If it is, the top level division will most likely consist of 16 teams, up from the current 12, and will be evenly split between the best eight clubs from the eastern and western suburbs.
Should the motion pass, all clubs will effectively be given a clean slate and will have to apply for their place in the division.
