Kara Cassidy '26 Recruiting Profile

I live with my Mum, Dad and brother in Sydney, Australia. Through watching my parents, extended family and many family friends take part in Softball and Baseball, I knew it was something that I wanted to be a part of from a young age, and it didn’t take long for me to be hooked on the game and my love for both the game and the lifelong friendships I have made.

I am currently in Year 12 at The Hills Sports High School a school that specialises in sports development across a range of activities including Softball. I successfully made it into the Talented Sports Program (TSP) from the beginning of High School Year 7 and loving every minute of it. Softball training is a timetabled subject, this includes training with a professional coach, strength and conditioning training, skill testing and theory behind the game and mechanics.

My Senior subjects for year 11 and 12 are:

• English Studies
• Math Standard 1
• Biology
• Certificate 2 in Sports Coaching
• Certificate 3 in Fitness - SBAT (School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship)
• IBL (Industry-Based Learning) - The purpose of this course is to enable students to demonstrate the additional knowledge, understandings, skills, values and attitudes they develop from the on-the-job training component of a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.

Thought the past 3 years I have had some amazing opportunities and made some noteworthy teams:

• 2024 – U16 Australian Softball Squad
• 2024 – New South Wales U16 Softball State Team – Silver Medallist
• 2024 – New South Wales U18 State Squad – 2025 team to be announced by September
• 2024 – New South Wales Baseball State Team
• 2024 – U18 Representative Team – 3rd in State
• 2024 – Aussie Drop Bears Softball Team for Babe Ruth World Series in July 2024 – 2^nd Place

• 2023 – Aussie Drop Bears Softball Team for Babe Ruth World Series in Florida July 2023
• 2023 – Sydney West Softball Team – State Champions
• 2023 – Selected in 18’s Representative team – State Champions
• 2023 – Selected in 16’s Representative team – 3rd in State
• 2023 – Western Sydney Academy of Sport – Softball Program
• 2023 – Sydney West Athletics Relay Team – 4^th in State

• 2022 – NSW U14 State team – Placed 3^rd in the country
• 2022 – 16’s Representative team – Placed 3^rd in State
• 2022 – 18’s Representative team – State Champions
• 2022 – Western Sydney Academy of Sport – Softball Program
• 2022 – Hills Sports High School Softball Team – State Champions
• 2022 – Hills Sports High School Baseball Team – State Champions
• 2022 – Sydney West Softball Team – Equal 1^st
• 2022 – Sydney West Athletics Relay Team – Placed 5^th in State

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• To experience a full college sports program, that unfortunately are not available in Australia, would be an amazing opportunity. I see it as a chance to improve my skills and techniques through playing with and against some amazing athletes, while be guided by the best coaches on and off the field whilst also gaining a quality education.
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In 2017, NSW hosted the Softball Asia Pacific Cup for the first time. It was the first time I had seen the Australian team play, that tournament was where I decided that my softball goal was to play for Australia and now the aim is to make the Australian Olympic team which would be amazing to do on home soil at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

Softball of course is my first love but is not my only interest. I also Play State level Baseball since I was 15. I have been dancing since I was 3 which has assisted in developing my core strength, flexibility, deportment and coordination, and I also enjoy baking, spending time with friends, going to the gym, music of all kinds and just hanging with family.