Giants in need of helpers

Players, officials, coaches, managers - you name it and the Masterton-based Giants Softball Club are battling a numbers problem heading into the 2011 season.

So pressing is the shortage of players that Giants may not be able to field a men's side capable of fulfilling their usual commitments in the Hutt Valley premier grade and the Inter-City series, which features the top club sides in Hutt Valley and Wellington.

The number of players missing from last season's Giants squad runs into double figures and includes the two first string pitchers, Ritchie Clarke and Justin "Chunky" Karaitiana, noted base runner Terry Waitere and talented all-rounder Ryan Shannahan.

Clarke, a Hutt Valley representative at national league level in 2010, is now living in Canada and is understood to have organised for five players from that country to play for Giants this year.

On the face of it, that would be a big assist numbers-wise but whether they are all capable of playing at premier one level is yet to be assessed. Even if they are, the home-grown talent available might still not be enough to make up a full squad.

Administratively, Giants are fortunate to have club stalwart Alan Clarke step in to the position of president, while Karen Duffy is treasurer and Kim Hourigan, Lyn McDermott and Lisa Bull are on the committee. But the annual meeting ended without the club filling the post of secretary and needing another "five or six" committee members as well.

On the coaching front, Giants have so far made just one appointment for the upcoming season, Mark Fricker taking their under-18 boys' team. That leaves the premier one men, premier two women and the under-13 and under-15 teams without a coach. And managers are still required for all sides.

Giants have an open day planned for their South Park headquarters on September 18, with Hourigan saying they were "very keen" to hear from people willing to help out in any sphere.

"We would urge anybody who can lend a hand to let us know ... there are some big decisions to make and we don't want to be leaving everything to the last minute," she said.