Two Indigenous boys have been selected for the Queensland Under 14 boys softball team and will soon represent the state at the National Championships in the Australian Capital Territory.
Waanyi/Kalkadoon man JZ Hill and his cousin Lucas McConnell, both 13 years old, will play alongside each other for the first time at this level.
"I'm such a proud mum and aunty watching them both excel over the years," Kylie Hill, mother of JZ and aunty of Lucas, said.
Their families are now fundraising to cover the costs associated with the trip, including car hire and fuel for the return journey from Brisbane to Canberra, a cabin to house both families for eight days and food expenses throughout the tournament.
Ms Hill is coordinating the fundraiser through a raffle where supporters can reach out on Facebook to select ticket numbers.
One prize of $500 will be drawn once all numbers are sold at $20 per ticket and donations can be made via PayID 0402506146.
JZ has represented Queensland since he was 11 years old and has become a dual-sport athlete excelling in both softball and baseball.
In softball, he has hit 41 automatic home runs and bowls at speeds exceeding 105 kilometres per hour, playing for the Logan City Softball Association across multiple clubs including Redlands Mariners, Ipswich Raiders and Black Cats and the Murri Taipans.
He holds a Level 1 Australian accredited softball umpire qualification and represented Redlands at two consecutive State Championships where the team won Queensland titles both years.
JZ also made the Queensland U12 Met West Schoolboys team while at Hymba Yumba school, hitting six automatic home runs at the National Championship, and has taken up baseball with the Western Bulldogs at Oxley, where he hit his first automatic home run last year.
Beyond sport, JZ dances for Nunukul Yuggera Dancers and plays didgeridoo, a skill his older brother Jak taught him at age six and was awarded the Cultural Award at Hymba Yumba last year in recognition of his leadership within the community.
"It's deadly to see cousins play alongside each other, and this will be their first year together," Ms Hill said.
Lucas made the Ipswich Under 14 representative team in 2024 and the Met West Under 12 squad, initially missing out on the Queensland team selection before being picked up by the ACT Under 14s for their regional nationals.
In 2025, he made the Queensland Under 14 team and earned selection for the 2026 Nationals while also representing Ipswich at Under 14 and Under 16 level.
"I absolutely look forward to what the future holds for them in softball and baseball," Ms Hill added.
