Stockport Hong Kongers Try Softball with Didsbury Bats

Stockport Hong Kong Community Interest Group met at Clarendon Crescent playing fields in Sale on July 30th for a softball taster session. The group, created by Seagulls player Cindy Chong, was devised to bring together Stockport residents from Hong Kong to make connections and try new things. The day was organised by Cindy and Didsbury Bats, who came along to assist with coaching.

Didsbury Bats president Jerry Seabridge volunteered his coaching skills for the day. Jerry led the group of 16 people with some basic throwing techniques. Many of whom were new to softball and some who seemed to have some experience, practised straight throws, ground balls and fly balls. There was a session of batting off a tee before a short game was played. Many of the attendees were children, some of which had great natural talent. Family and pets came along to watch. Everyone enjoyed themselves and there were doughnuts at the end. We hope to see them at a rookie session soon!

Organiser Cindy Chong chats to MSL

“I helped to set up the group two years ago. We organise activities for the Hong Kongers in the Stockport area. And now they’re getting more and more of them. We have, like, more than 400 of them in Stockport.”

What things have you done besides softball?

“Oh, we have very different activities. Sometimes we have family gatherings. We are organising a visit to Cheadle fire station. Tuesday, we have a one day trip to York for the elderly people over sixty. And, in fact, we have regular meetings for the elderly. We meet up twice a month. And then for the elderly people, because they are quite lonely sometimes when they moved here recently, some of them, like, just a few months ago. And they’re new in the area, and they don’t know anybody, they want to meet up. And then we have regular family meetings, like cooking. We share food together like that. And cookery class! We make moon cake last year and dumpling.”

Oh, moon cake’s so good. So many calories.

“Yeah, we like calories!”

So you decided to do some softball today? How long have you been playing softball?

The year before last year. This is my third season. I didn’t do the rookie sessions. I did a taster session that Arthur [(Didsbury Bats)] organised three years ago. I play for Seagulls in division three.

How have you found softball and its community and MSL?

Uh, Hard work, fun. Friendly, yeah. Um… Welcoming!

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Get Involved

If you would like to give softball a try, come to our rookie sessions!

For under 14s, Manchester Baseball League run youth sessions on Wednesdays from 18:00 at Wythenshawe Park.

There is also baseball in Liverpool at Trojans Baseball Club: https://www.trojansbaseball.co.uk/

Softball in the North West

West Yorkshire: Leeds Softball Association
Merseyside: Liverpool Softball League
North West Coast: Lytham St Annes Softball