ROBERTS Ellen

General
PLAYING IN JAPAN
In 2021 she was playing in Japan for Minamo Ogaki. "While at first I noticed a big difference in culture, I immersed myself in every way possible - learning the language, trying new foods, and embracing the Japanese way. I loved the new aspects and challenges of life in Japan, and it was just the start of what life in Japan was going to be like. As part of my contract, I actually work for the company - an international transportation company - that sponsors the team. I work in the mornings, and then we practice from 1pm to 7pm, with optional practice after that. It's gruelling, but worth it, I've learned a lot, and I love the opportunity to work." She has also played in Italy, the Netherlands and the United States of America. (Instagram profile, 10 Jul 2021; softball.org.au, 21 Feb 2018; japanball.com, 04 May 2021)

2016 DISAPOINTMENT
She says that not being selected for the 2016 World Championships in Surrey, BC, Canada motivated her to improve her game. "Not being selected in 2016 was a blessing in disguise. It definitely motivated me even more. I've always been motivated to train hard, but after that something ignited inside of me and I just trained my butt off. I needed to have more variety in my pitches, to be able to throw up and down in the zone more so than across the plate, making sure my pitches were more effective. I worked every day for six months straight." (softball.org.au, 21 Feb 2018)