Upon relocating from the United States, Dom Kleeman and her husband embarked on a somewhat lonely chapter of their lives in London during the pandemic.
“We arrived during the pandemic and didn’t know anyone here,” Ms. Kleeman remarked.
However, the couple soon expanded their social network by joining a local softball team, connecting with others on a diamond-shaped field.
Like nearly 5,000 other Londoners participating in the sport each week, they discovered a welcoming and inclusive community, along with a healthy pastime.
“After finding MI6 (the softball club), we were embraced by them,” Ms. Kleeman shared.
“For me, softball has become my social hub—it’s incredibly social, and everyone is friendly.”
“I’m truly thankful to have discovered this community, as it has become my network here in London. We feel very fortunate.”
Originating over a century ago in the US, softball has two variations: fastpitch and slowpitch, with the latter being more prevalent in the UK.
The slower pace of the sport, including various rules such as the manner in which the ball is pitched, enables co-ed play, which many players consider one of its main attractions.
Duncan Waugh, who competes for MI6 and the National Softball League team Legends, explained: “It’s distinctive because in the States, the game is predominantly single-sex, with men competing against men and women against women.”
“Here, the balance encourages diverse strategies, tactics, and values throughout the game.”
Gelske Huyer, a player for the Greater London Softball Mixed League (GLSML) Division 1 team MI6, echoed this sentiment: “You really experience a sense of community with both men and women playing side by side.”
For Ms. Huyer, who also plays for Legends, the co-ed nature “fosters an atmosphere of inclusivity and respect.”
She also stressed the significance of providing adults with competitive outlets. “There are opportunities for everyone—from beginners to experienced players—and the spirit of competition and camaraderie is strong,” she noted.
David Peters, a member of the Fuzzy Ducks team, pointed out that it’s not just the gender mix that contributes to the sport’s inclusivity.
“In many sports, once you’re over 35, you might feel like you’re at the end of your playing career,” he remarked. “However, in this sport, people maintain a good level of play into their 50s.”
He emphasized that the softball community in London is exceptionally welcoming.
While softball shares traits with baseball, it possesses some notable distinctions.
For instance, softball utilizes a larger ball and employs an underhand pitch, in contrast to baseball’s overhand throw.
The “diamond” in softball is smaller, with bases spaced 60 feet (18.28 meters) apart rather than the 90 feet (27.43 meters) found in baseball.
Additionally, softball games consist of seven innings, in contrast to baseball’s nine.
John Boyd, the CEO of BaseballSoftballUK (BSUK), explained that softball has increasingly become ingrained in London’s corporate culture.
“If you stroll through Regents Park, you’ll witness 19 softball fields in operation, with various teams competing in multiple corporate leagues,” he stated.
“Due to its mixed-gender format—essentially a 50/50 dynamic—it cultivates a positive environment both socially and in the workplace.”
Inclusion plays a vital role in BSUK’s mission, according to Mr. Boyd.
A few years back, the organization established an LGBTQ+ panel aimed at modernizing the sport beyond a binary gender framework.
He shared, “[The panel] devised a set of ‘inclusive’ softball rules that not only promoted participation among men and women but also encouraged broader involvement across the entire gender spectrum.”
These inclusive rules have since been widely implemented in the sport, categorizing players as “small ball hitters” or “big ball hitters” instead of solely by gender.
