By Caitlin Arnold
Undoubtedly one of the biggest event on the AFL Sydney calendar outside the finals, this week marks the annual Audi Centre Sydney UTS Bats Ladies Day at Waverly Oval.
Expecting a crowd of 500 plus, UTS Club President Nick Haslam implores family, friends and even foes to join the Bats in celebrating the contribution of women to the game of AFL.
Coming up against fellow University side, Sydney University, the cross-town rivalry is set to provide a spectacle despite the Bats’ recent form.
“Our players have historically risen for the occasion on Ladies Day, and I expect this year to be no different,” says Haslam.
“We have enjoyed a long history against Sydney Uni, and it’s great to be competing against them on this day.”
Apart from playing three games on Saturday with Premier Division, Division One and Division Two all on display, UTS will also provide a fully licensed bar, a Pimms Marquee and gourmet BBQ, prizes, competitions and free gift bags to the first 150 ladies present. Following the game, there will be a shuttle bus to take supporters to The Light Brigade Hotel, which is sponsoring the day alongside Eakin McCaffery Cox Lawyers and Corporate Edge.
Other than family, wives and girlfriends, the UTS Bats welcome Ladies Day as a way to commemorate their sister side The UTS Shamrocks (who will be in attendance) and female members of the club such as Katie Hume, who Haslam says has been instrumental on the Bats Committee.
“It’s always great to have the support of family and friends and this is also a great day to encourage ladies who would not otherwise come to the football, to get involved.”
Haslam also takes the opportunity of the Audi Centre Sydney UTS Bats Ladies Day event to spruke his clubmen on the love front.
“It’s worth noting that the single guys who are looking for love at the moment, in particular Frank Boland, Luke Trimboli, Nicky Barrett and James Caica, will be doing everything they can to impress in front of the ladies marquee.”
“We also expect our vanity trio - Damon Collina, Justin Kenna and Tom Zilm - to put in that extra one or two percent given the opportunity to impress.”
Away from this Saturday’s major occasion, the Bats admit that they were hoping for a better start to their 2014 Premier Division campaign.
“It has been a frustrating start to the year for our Premier Division team.We have put good patches of football together and have been in a winning position at different stages of each game before missing out.”
The focus now moves to playing consistent, four-quarter football and maintaining the positive spirit that Haslam says remains at the club despite their early losses.
In an attempt to build for the future of UTS, the Bats are looking into fielding an Under 19s team in the near future. Recognising the strength of the competition, Haslam says that increasing the number of development players coming through for the Bats is the way forward for the club.
“We are focusing on our ties with the University to develop this team.”
Also coming up for UTS is the Inaugural Bats Ball, which will take place at Doltone House Hyde Park on 31 May 2014. Haslam encourages all supporters to come along, and to contact Justin Kenna (0438 422 156) for tickets.
Last Modified on 02/05/2014 16:34
