HE SWINGS, HE HITS: TK Reihana about to put bat to ball in front of catcher Xayvier Kingi. Pictures by Liam Clayton
The selection of three local players for national softball squads reflects the progress of youth development programmes, says Tairawhiti Softball Association president Walton Walker.
“Players have progressed from local school competition to national age-group tournaments, selection for ISA (International Softball Academy) development teams and now to Softball NZ teams,” Walker said.
“It has always been the goal of the association to have one of our own selected for a New Zealand team. Now we have the chance for three players — Xayvier Kingi (17), Te Korewha Reihana (15) and Jesse Hohepa-O’Keefe — to make the Junior Black Sox, Emerging Sox and Developing Sox teams respectively.
“It further strengthens our conviction that we are doing things right and our development programmes are starting to bear fruit. Xayvier, TK (Reihana) and Jesse are exceptional players and deserve their selection.”
Kingi determined to be hardest workerKingi, a catcher, has represented ISA teams at under-14, u15 and u18 levels, and his goal is to play for the Black Sox.
The former Gisborne Boys’ High School student said that while he might not be the best player in the squad he would be “the hardest worker” when he attended training camps, starting in Wellington in June. It is the first of a series of camps and games — including one in Japan in August — over the next 11 months as the Junior Black Sox u19s build for the world cup.
“I just want to show the coaches that I deserve to be in the team . . . you work hard and play hard to get the results you want. If I sit on the bench then I will be the best bench-warmer in the team.”
Kingi started playing softball when he was nine, firstly for Uawa then Te Wharau, Ilminster Intermediate and Gisborne Boys’ High. Now he plays for his family team, TWK Rams, and for Fast Pitch in Hastings.
“I’ve been taught by a lot of awesome coaches — Jane Edwards, Rio Edwards, my mum Leesa and my dad Tom Kingi junior.”
The best things about softballKingi is also a junior umpire.
“I went to Hawke’s Bay last year with Ray Noble’s team to umpire with my cousin Cassidy O’Keefe and sister Jazmyne Kingi. I also help Mum run catching and pitching clinics for juniors wanting to learn. That’s one of the best things about umpiring . . . giving back to others something I was taught.
“But the greatest joy I get out of softball is that all my family love this game as well. I’m lucky because I have played in a team with my dad, my papa Tom Kingi senior, my uncles and my cousins, and I’ve had Mum and Nan (Annette) on the sidelines scoring the games.
“My biggest supporter is my koro Richard Kingi. Every tournament or softball trip, he’s there supporting me. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the North or South Island, he’s there. He even followed me to Aussie.”
The Kingi whanau are not Xayvier’s only supporters. Former Black Sox and Hawke’s Bay softball legend Chubb Tangaroa is one of the ISA selectors. He was so impressed with Xayvier that he invited him to play for the Hawke’s Bay Fast Pitch team.
“He asked me what I wanted from softball and when I told him it was to play for the Black Sox, he said he would do all he could to make that come true,” Kingi said.
Reihana in Emerging Sox squadReihana also has a goal to make the Black Sox and he has taken a step in the right direction with his selection for the Emerging Sox under-17 squad. Like Kingi, Reihana has come through the ISA age-group teams. When asked if making the top team was a realistic goal, he said, without a hint of boasting, “Yes, if I work hard enough”.
“We’ve got a training camp in April and that’s a chance for me to show the selectors I’m good enough. But there’ll be a lot of other players wanting to do the same.”
Reihana — or TK as he is known — is a batter/short stop fielder. Leesa Kingi, a former regional development officer for Tairawhiti Softball, says Reihana has “great hand-to-eye co-ordination” — a huge plus for batting — and has phenomenal fitness.
“He’s a strong batter but there’s more to batting than just strength . . . TK’s got good technique and timing,” she said.
Fewer facilities but talented softballers“Getting the boys into these teams is huge for the district. We’re one of the smaller associations and don’t have the facilities that the bigger associations have, but we have some very talented softballers coming through the grades.”
Although still at school, Reihana plays for the Spartans senior men’s team, who were the first-round winners in this season’s Tairawhiti club competition.
“I’ve played with my late papa (Reid), Dad (Cory), Dad’s younger brother Brandie and my cousin Chleo,” he said. “It’s our family club. I’ve learned so much from playing with Dad and Papa.”
Hohepa-O'Keefe a pitcher who can batHohepa-O’Keefe (in the Developing Sox u15s squad) is “a pitcher who can bat”, says Tairawhiti u15s coach Ray Noble.
“A lot of pitchers are just pitchers but Jesse is one of that rare breed, a pitcher who can bat. He’s got accuracy, speed and endurance. At the recent u15 tournament here, he pitched the second-most innings and really impressed the selectors. He’s also got a great temperament for one so young.”
At the end of the tournament the selectors picked 12 players for the tournament team and then another 12 for “the rest” team.
“Jesse made ‘the rest’ team.”