Out to make visit to Tairawhiti memorable

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Tairawhiti Softball Association will host the North Island Division 2 Secondary Schools Softball Championships this month.

They will be held at Waikirikiri Park in Gisborne from March 26 to 29.

Association president Walton Walker says that so far 20 team entries have been confirmed — 13 boys’ and seven girls’ teams — from all over the North Island.

“That’s about 240 to 300 players plus a hundred to 120 officials and supporters and many more local spectators,” he said.

“Tairawhiti Softball Association has hosted two similar-sized tournaments since the building of its skin softball diamond in 2016 — the New Zealand Under-15 Boys Tournament comprising 12 teams, in January 2017, and the Central Region Under-13 Boys’ and Girls’ Tournament, comprising 18 teams in February 2017.

“In addition, in September 2016 the Association hosted a training camp for the New Zealand Men’s Black Sox world champion team. They were the first to play on the new skin diamond.

“The experience of hosting those two tournaments and the Black Sox camp showed that we had the capability and capacity to host and run these types of events.

“The tournament will include four local secondary school teams — Gisborne Boys’ High School, Lytton High School girls and Tolaga Bay Area School/Kuranui boys’ and girls’ teams.”

Walker said the two Tolaga teams would be composite sides comprising players from Lytton High School, Nga Uri a Maui, Te Karaka Area School and Gisborne Girls’ High.

“This tournament generally attracts top schools and players — many of whom have been selected for New Zealand age-group teams,” he said.

“Therefore, the standard of play will be very high.”

Walker said the tournament had been made possible through a grant from Eastland Community Trust and help and contributions from schools, community organisations and businesses.

Tairawhiti Softball was looking forward to hosting the tournment and welcoming visiting softball teams to Gisborne and Te Tairawhiti.

“For all visiting teams and most players, this will be the first time they will have played softball on the Coast, and we want to make their visit a memorable one.”