ACT team hopes to star at sports awards

The ACT men's softball team will aim to cap off a superb national league season by winning the team of the year award at the Sportstar dinner on Friday night.

The team has been nominated for three major gongs - the team, coach and male sports star of the year awards.

After dominating the national championships, coach Bob Harrow has lauded the squad as one of the best he's coached.

It caps off an impressive season for all-rounder Andrew Kirkpatrick, who was awarded most valuable player, and the pitching and batting award for his outstanding performances at the tournament earlier this year.

''He [Kirkpatrick] is a real team player. He was on fire throughout the tournament,'' Harrow said.

''He can play anywhere on the field, he is a good batter and has plenty of speed on the bases.''

Harrow said Kirkpatrick's all-round ability was something that was rare within softball.

''A lot of times you find that pitchers can bat but a lot of the teams don't let them,'' Harrow said.

''The aim of the game is to hit the ball, so if I have a pitcher that can hit, I let them play.''

Originally from Canada, Harrow has been the coach of the ACT team for more than 10 years, and said the improvement within Australian softball was remarkable.

''When I started coaching here, Canada was miles ahead, there was no comparison,'' he said. ''We [Canada] brought a pitcher out here and our hitters [from Australia] kept facing off against our pitchers and they just kept developing.

''The first time we brought a pitcher out here, the catcher couldn't catch the ball.''

Harrow will be looking to add to his 2009 coach of the year title. He will be competing against athletics coach Matt Beckenham and rowing coach Emy Ayliffe. Kirkpatrick is up against a strong field in the male sportstar of the year category. He is up against golfer Brendan Jones and cyclist Michael Matthews.

The ACT softball team will have a tough time winning its second team award, facing off against yachting team Matt Owen and Andrew Reed, the Canberra Capitals and the Ice Dragons Dragon Boat Club.