If you enjoy playing softball or T-ball, come along to Mingara’s athletics field between 2pm and 4pm on Saturday and consider joining Decoys for the summer competition.

After building up its membership last year, Decoys Softball Club is now sponsored by Erina-based business The Transcription People. Director Annalisa Holmes, who is also a Decoys player, said the club was looking forward to a good turn out of new members on Saturday.

“A lot of our members play T-ball on school teams and become softballers as they get older. We’d love new players of all ages – children and adults – to join the club,” Ms Holmes said.

“Softball is a fun way to spend some time developing new skills and honing existing techniques, and is something entire families can get involved with. It’s a fun sport,” she added.

Formed in 1977, Decoys is currently taking registrations for the summer competition, with men, women and children all welcome to join. Decoys are looking for players of all ages, including under 10s, 12s, 14s, 16s, 19s and opens.

Decoys Softball Club was the Central Coast Softball Association Incorporated (CCSAI) Club Champions for 2004-05 and plays each Saturday between mid October and late March.

Join the Decoys Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Decoys.Softball.Club

Follow Decoys Softball Club on Twitter: @decoyssoftball

Watch the Decoys website develop: www.decoys.softball.net.au

For more information about Decoys please contact team member Annalisa Holmes from Decoys sponsor The Transcription People on 1300 787 092 or annalisa@ttp.com.au

Annalisa Holmes from The Transcription People will speak about the transition from home business to commercial premises and Justin Roberts from Big Click Studios will share simple tips on increasing your business’s ranking on Google.

CCBiz began informally earlier this year when a group of Central Coast small business people who had been communicating via social media decided to meet up in person.

This small group started to grow as other business people were invited to join in. The founding members decided to meet once a month at venues around the Central Coast and formalise their group, calling themselves CCBiz.

CCBiz is run by small businesses with small business issues in mind, CCBiz coordinator and owner of Nicole Hammett Business Support Nicole Hammett explained.

“One of the reasons we met in the first place was because we wanted to be able to talk about our businesses with other business people, but without the pressure if having to network with everyone in the room,” she said.

“We focus on informal meetings where everyone is relaxed and can speak to whoever they want to.

“This comfortable group situation has led many of our members to start doing business with each other, as well as offer support on whatever issues are affecting our businesses at the time. Someone else always has another option or solution to consider,” Nicole said.

Besides the monthly meetings, CCBiz has also launched a website www.ccbiz.com.au, which includes posts by CCBiz members, a Central Coast business directory, resources for small businesses on the Central Coast and information about the group.

The website was set up by CCBiz founding members. Dean Collins and Justin Roberts from Big Click Studios designed the site, Dave Holmes from Dictate Australia is hosting the site and Nicole Hammett from Nicole Hammett Business Support runs the site.

CCBiz has three main goals:
• Provide a support network for Central Coast businesses
• Encourage the Central Coast business community to support one another and help to grow our local economy
• Provide informal and low-cost networking functions

Tickets for the CCBiz launch event are $26. Space is limited so bookings are essential at the CCBiz events page: http://ccbiz.com.au/events/

For more information about CCBiz and upcoming events visit: www.ccbiz.com.au