Development officer nurturing local talent

WATCH AND LEARN: Tairawhiti Softball development officer Leesa Kingi is loving her new role. Picture by Liam Clayton

NEW Tairawhiti Softball development officer Leesa Kingi says her role is challenging but she loves it.

“It’s a challenge in that it’s completely different from my last job, as a leading hand at Juken,” said Kingi, who has been involved in the sport as a player, umpire, coach and scorer for 28 years.

“As well as going into the schools to promote the game, I don’t have any weekends any more.

“I’m at the ground from 7am till 7pm and then I get all the scorecards. But I love it.”

Kingi and her husband, Tom junior, coach the Tairawhiti under-17 boys’ team, who are competing in the national tournament in Christchurch in January. Leesa and Roimata Mangu are in charge of the u13 girls, who host a regional tournament in Gisborne in March.

“The nationals in Christchurch is a big one. That’s when New Zealand Junior Black Sox (boys) and Junior White Sox (girls) selectors will be looking for players for their teams.

“We’re holding trials for the u19, u17 and u15 boys and u15 girls at Barry Park on Sunday. All games start at 12 noon.

“Taking teams to outside tournaments is not only good for putting our kids in the shop window for higher honours, it also helps them grow as individuals.

“It’s costly, especially taking a team to the Christchurch ($15,000), but the main aim of Tairawhiti Softball Association is to develop future Black Sox and White Sox players.”

Kingi was born in Whanganui but travelled around the country.

“Dad was in the army, so I played all over the country, making some representative teams along the way.”

A Strikers and Scorpions catcher while in Gisborne, Kingi said the key to the development of players and softball in Tairawhiti was “teaching others to teach others”.

“We have heaps of volunteers who turn up every week to support their children. If we can tap into them and keep competing at outside tournaments, the sport will continue to grow.”

Kingi’s son Xayvier, Shaquaid Hihi, Te Korewha Reihana and Reno Sidney have made national age-group teams in the past and Leesa Kingi says there’s no reason Tairawhiti can’t have more taking the first steps towards national senior teams.

She says Gisborne Boys’ High School (1) are showing the benefits of playing at secondary school tournaments.

“The senior teams need to keep an eye on them, and their second team are improving every week, as well.

“After three weeks, Spartans are leading the men’s competition but Boys’ High are not far away.

“Biguns are top of the women’s table but they face a strong challenge from Rovers tomorrow.”

Rep coaches —

U19 boys: Eru Osborne/Rawiri Toia (Composite team with Waikato).

U17 boys: Tom/Leesa Kingi.

U17 girls: Tom Kingi snr/Tania Owen.

U15 boys: Cyrus Richter/Corey Reihana.

U15 girls: Leigh Pere-Campbell.

U13 boys: Ray Noble/Walton Walker.

U13 girls: Leesa Kingi/Roimata Mangu.