The Senior League Charter team from Melbourne’s South-East had three tournament victories throughout 2016 before coming agonisingly close to being crowned World Champions.
This special group of players, made up of kids from Sandringham, Cheltenham, Berwick and Springvale were brought together for the first time in January 2016 when they won the Senior League State Championship and after their first tournament win, the team just continued to grow more and more confident.
After going on to win the Australian Senior League Championships followed by Asian-Pacific Senior League Championships, no one could have guessed what lay ahead for Jack’s record-breaking Mariners, making it all the way to the Senior League World Series Final against Chicago, only to be narrowly defeated in the internationally televised game.
Jack wins this year’s award ahead of a number of other worthy candidates including:
Tom Dicker (Fitzroy Baseball Club) who not only led Division 1 newcomers Fitzroy to their first Division 1 finals series since 1961, but also lead the Lions to their first ever Club Champion award for Division 1.
Grant Irving (Moorabbin Panthers Baseball Club) who, like Dicker, led the newly anointed Division 1 Panthers in this year’s Division 1 competition only narrowly missing out on a Semi Final berth after some late season player availability issues.
Shae Lillywhite (Springvale Lions Baseball Club) who has led the Springvale Lions to their fifth consecutive Division 1 Women’s Championship in a row after they defeated Essendon in the 2016/17 final. Shae’s impact with Springvale felt club wide with Springvale women’s teams also playing off in the Division 2 & 3 Grand Finals.
Jon Deeble (Melbourne Aces) earned his nomination off the back of the most successful season ever at the Melbourne Aces. Deeble’s season included the Club’s first winning record, first minor premiership and first time hosting an Australian Baseball League Championship.
Congratulations Jack Larner on being named the VIVA Baseball Victoria Coach of the Year for 2017.