Philippines women's national softball team

The Philippines Women's National Softball Team, nicknamed the "Blu Girls", is the national team of Philippines. They are governed by the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines. They won a bronze medal in 1970 ISF Women's World Championship in Osaka, Japan and it was their first medal won in a World Championship.

 Philippines
Information
Country Philippines
FederationAmateur Softball Association of the Philippines
ConfederationWBSC Asia
ManagerHailey Decker[1]
WBSC World Rank 14 7 (10 November 2023)[2]
Women's Softball World Cup
Appearances7 (First in 1970)
Best result 3rd (1 time, in 1970)
USA Softball International Cup
Appearances3 (First in 2014)
Best result6th (1 time, in 2014)
Asian Championship
Appearances10 (First in 1967)
Best result 1st (1 time, in 1972)
Asian Games
Appearances5 (First in 1998)
Best result4th (2 times, in 2014 and 2018)

The Philippines is among the best teams in Southeast Asia having won the gold medal in every edition of the Southeast Asian Games which had women's softball event.

History

The Philippine women's team were a powerhouse in Asia never placing outside the top 10 in the global rankings during the 1970s although the Philippines always ranked behind Japan. Their greatest achievement at that time was the third-place finish at the Women's Softball World Championship in 1970. They placed fourth in the 1974 edition.[3]

They are also a dominant force in Southeast Asia, having won all the gold medals in all editions of the Southeast Asian Games where women's softball was contested.[3]

However, by the 1990s, the Philippine national team experienced a decline.[3] The team competed at the 1990 ISF Women's World Championship in Normal, Illinois where they finished with 4 wins and 5 losses.[4] At the 1998 ISF Women's World Championship in Fujinomiya City, Japan where they finished sixteenth[5] and only managed to secure a single win. The policy of the Philippine Sports Commission of dismantling the national training pool whenever a particular sport was scrapped from the calendar of events of the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics contributed to the women's softball team's decline.[3]

In the 2000s, Raul Saberon, a businessman and a former men's national softball and baseball player, secured financial support for the women's softball team from Jean Henri Lhuillier, who later became head of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines.The team made a failed attempt to qualify for the 2006 Asian Games in Doha and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing though made some progress.[3]

At the 2017 Asian Women's Softball Championship, the Philippines finished second to Japan, the best finish of the country in 45 years. In doing so, they qualified for the Women's Softball World Championship and Asian Games in 2018.[3]

Roster

National squad for the 2014 World Cup of Softball, July 7–13, 2014.[6][7]

Head Coach: Randy Dizer

No.NamePosition
1Veronica BellezaPitcher
2Whell Ghene CamralOutfield, Infield
4Annalie BenjamenPitcher
6Marlyn FranciscoOutfield, Infield
8Angelie UrsabiaOutfield, Infield
9Francesca AltomonteCatcher, Infield
10Garie BlandoOutfield, Infield
11Francesca FotiPitcher
12Lorna AdorableOutfield
17Luzviminda EmbudoOutfield, Infield
19Alexandra Louise ZuluagaInfield
26Arianne VallesteroInfield
30Dani GilmoreCatcher
31Gabrielle RodasOutfield
33Morgan StuartInfield
38Rizza BernardinoPitcher
88Elma ParohinogOutfield
-Alleah LaxamanaInfield
-Isabella Ann MendozaOutfield
-Jaexenne BalileaInfield
-Jullian TanakaOutfield, Infield
-Kriska PiadCatcher, Infield
-Leia RuizInfield
-Staca, Lopez, Galido, SanchezDH, JRs

National squad for the 2017 World Cup of Softball, July 5–9, 2017.

Head Coach: Randy Dizer

Player # Name Position(s)
1 Garie Blando Infield
3 Kayla Joyce Outfield
4 Gabrielle Maurice Outfield
5 Skylynne Ellazar Infield
7 Riflayca Basa Pitcher
7 Shaira Damasing Catcher
8 Francesca Altomonte Catcher
9 Kailey Hill Pitcher
12 Lorna Adorable Outfield
13 Chelsea Suitos Infield
14 Sierra Lange Pitcher
15 Cristy Roa Outfield
19 Angelie Ursabia Infield/OF
20 Mia Macapagal Pitcher
21 Dione Macasu Pitcher
22 Ma. Celestine Palma Catcher
24 Dani Gilmore Outfield
25 Reese Guevarra Outfield
26 Arianne Vallestero OF/IF
28 Riezel Calumbres Infield
32 Hailey Decker Infield
33 Kailey Cuico Infield
42 Mary Luisse Garde Pitcher
53 Lovely Arago Infield
91 Lyca Basa Pitcher


Competition results

World Cup
World Cup Record[lower-alpha 1]
Year Position
1965Did not participate
19703rd place
19744th place
1978Did not participate
19825th place
1986Did not participate
199012th place
1994Did not participate
199816th place
2002Did not participate
2006Did not participate
2010Did not participate
2012Did not participate
2014Did not participate
201614th place
201814th place
2022[lower-alpha 2]Did not qualify
2024Qualified
Total7/17

USA Softball International Cup
USA Softball International Cup Record[lower-alpha 3]
Year Position
2005–2013Did not participate
20146th place
2015Did not participate
20166th place
20177th place
2018Did not participate
20198th place
Total4/13

Asian Games
Asian Games Record
Year Position
1990Did not participate
1994
19986th place
20026th place
2006Did not participate
20105th place
20144th place
20184th place
2022To be determined
Total5/8

Southeast Asian Games
Southeast Asian Games Record
Year Position
19791st place
19811st place
1983Not held
1985
19871st place
1989Not held
19911st place
1993Not held
1995
19971st place
1999Not held
2001
2003
20051st place
20071st place
2009Not held
20111st place
2013Not held
20151st place
2017Not held
20191st place
2021Not held
Total10 gold

Notes
  1. World Championship until 2018
  2. The World Games tournament also serves as the World Championship
  3. World Cup of Softball until 2017

References
  1. Reyes, Lito Delos (26 May 2022). "Asaphil names new coaches for Blu Girls". The Manila Times. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  2. "The WBSC Women's World Ranking". WBSC. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  3. Pe, Roger (29 April 2018). "PHL softball and the chase for Filipinos' Olympic dream". Business Mirror. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  4. "1990 ISF Women's World Championship". United States: International Softball Federation. 2013. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  5. "1998 ISF Women's World Championship". United States: International Softball Federation. 2013. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  6. Terrado, Reuben (2 July 2014). "Philippine Blu Girls vie for honors in World Cup IX". Spin.ph. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  7. "Philippines - World Cup IX Roster". Gamechanger. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
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