Rapids on the rise - picture gallery
Years of hard work is paying off for Pine Rivers Rapids.
The club has taken huge strides on and off the baseball field and is now on the cusp of another landmark.
Rapids’ new Division One side was, at the time of writing, second on the Greater Brisbane League (GBL) ladder behind Redlands.
However, under coach Brad Dutton, the Rapids are back in the mix again this year.
Dutton first played baseball for Rapids as a five year old and has been Queensland Coach of the Year, played in the US and for Team Australia.
Picture gallery - click through
Club landmarks
Rapids has also celebrated its 30th anniversary and opening of a new clubhouse at Les Hughes Sports Complex in Bray Park.
The $6.5 million centre was funded by Moreton Bay Regional Council and formally opened last September.
During construction, Rapids teams were unable to play at home, however the club has secured $30,000 in Federal funding to upgrade its batting sheds.
“Our facilities are over and above other clubs on the northside,” Rapids’ President Sherie Hogan said.
“It has given us the opportunity to grow the senior and junior sides of our club. Everything is in front of us now.
Hard work
“This has been a long process, 10 years of planning, but the people who have done all the hard work behind the scenes can see it coming to fruition.
“We have worked really hard to make it a family club and worked harder with schools, which is where much of our recruitment comes from.”
Rapids has four senior teams as well as Under 8, 10, 12, 15 and 17 sides.
Three players - Luke Smith, Cane McClelland, Cooper Olive – were also selected for the Australian Under 18 team for the World Cup.
The Florida tournament was cancelled due to COVID, but the trio are now in the Australian Under 19 squad.