Australia's 37-year-old 'rookie' pitcher to debut at Baseball World Cup

At 37 years old and recently a new mother, Jess Johnson is set to defy the odds by making her debut for Australia's national women's baseball team, the Emeralds, at the upcoming World Cup. Johnson, a right-handed pitcher, is the oldest member of the 20-player squad, with at least two teammates less than half her age.

Johnson has a long history with the sport, playing T-ball and softball in her youth before moving to Melbourne to play for the Doncaster Dragons and the Victorian state team, where she won two championships. Despite being on the cusp of selection for the 2023 World Cup squad and facing a last-round cut, she remained dedicated.

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I actually think having a child has helped me. It's sort of helped me just maybe relax a bit more and maybe stop caring a little bit much and just, having fun, I think, is a big thing.

She returned to high-performance training just three months after welcoming her son, Mason, last year. Johnson played baseball until she was 30 weeks pregnant, maintaining a rigorous schedule of training and gym sessions. "I actually think having a child has helped me," she said. "It's sort of helped me just maybe relax a bit more and maybe stop caring a little bit much and just, having fun, I think, is a big thing."

Johnson described making the national team as "definitely up there" among her sporting achievements. Australia has been placed in a challenging pool for the group stage of the World Cup, facing several formidable opponents.

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definitely up there