Stacey Porter: From "cheeky little bugger" to softballing legend

After 19 years at the top, three Olympics, six world championships and a record 446 games, Stacey Porter has taken to the diamond for Australia for the final time.

The Tamworth export announced that that was "it" for her following the Aussie Spirits' 4-1 loss to Mexico on Monday night, which ended their Tokyo medal hopes.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with Aussie Spirit, I'm sad not to get the result and sad I won't lace up with them again," an emotional Porter told media in the post-match press conference.

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The was a somewhat apt place for it to end. Japan was were where it all started, with Porter donning the cleats for Australia for the first time on their 2002 tour to the country.

Over the ensuing years, the now 39 year-old has become one of the most respected figures in the game and achieved a litany of accolades both on and off the diamond. Far too many to list, the cliff notes include two Olympic medals - silver in Athens in 2004 and bronze four years later, Australian Softballer of the Year honours in 2005, being named Female Sportsperson of the Year at the Deadly Awards in 2005 and the NAIDOC Sportsperson of the Year in 2008 and captaining her country for the better of more than a decade.

In 2019 she also became the most-capped international softballer.

Former coach Richard Webb has proudly watched Porter's transformation from "cheeky little bugger" into one of the world's best.

"She's going to be a big loss not only for softball in Australia but softball around the world," he said.

He added she will leave behind a "huge legacy".

"One of the biggest things that I think Stacey leaves behind is she has shown young kids beginning in the sport you can be a country kid in the sport and still makes it to the top," he said.

"She's such a role model for country kids, all kids for that matter, and her culture."

He first started coaching Porter when she was nine.

"That talent she had was pretty much there from the start," he said.

"You knew she was going to go up the tree a fair way."

Along with the talent, she was "prepared to put in the work to get her there".

"One of things I always admired with Stace; she was a kid that was quite happy to take on board information and she was dedicated enough and had a work ethic high enough that any technical deficiencies she'd work her butt off to correct it," Webb said.

He never admittedly envisaged though that she would enjoy the longevity and distinguished career she has.

He said seeing her bow out like she did was "a bit painful".

"That's not the way Stacey should have finished," he said.

"In my opinion she should have finished with a gold medal - that's what she's worth."

He added jokingly he might be a bit bias though.

But his sentiments were echoed in tributes under the post on Softball Australia's Facebook page announcing the news.

"Inspiration", "legend", "true champion" were common words used. Such is the esteem she is held in that one person even suggested they retire her #16.

Porter isn't completely packing away the bat.

After a short trip back to Australia she is hoping to return to Japan and play with her Japanese club.

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