Collins was impressed with the talent on display, with a couple of powerful young arms hitting 51mph on the radar gun raising more than the odd eyebrow among scouts and parents alike. "There's some good talent ... We've got a kid here who has played 120 games a year - he just came over from America.
"These young kids can really play - a lot of them are from Te Puna. They swing the bat every day."
Collins' plans to grow the game include primary schools building diamonds and switching from a softball to a baseball when playing T Ball.
Players also had their speed to first base and over the 40m dash timed, and were put through hitting drills to gauge hand-eye co-ordination.
With a number of high-profile softballers having defected to the great American pastime due to the opportunities it presents, the scene is set for baseball to continue its recent surge in popularity.
Training sessions will be held at the Carlton Street Reserve each Tuesday from 4pm.
