Softball scores a home run

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick prepares to hit a softball pitched by Rotorua MP Todd McClay on Saturday. Photo / Stephen Parker

Most people will hope the future of softball in the area is nothing like Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick's first swing of a bat on Saturday.

Chadwick was on hand to help open the new softball diamonds at Puketawhero Park at the weekend - during a Have a Go Day organised by Central Bay Softball.

The event marked the return of the sport to Rotorua.

Chadwick was handed a bat and happily obliged to try and send the first softball through the air, off a T-ball stand.

She missed the ball completely on her first attempt before connecting nicely with her second attempt.

Chadwick had earlier congratulated Central Bay Softball on bringing the game back to Rotorua.

"I think it is great. It is another code down here at Puketawhero Park.

"It gives children another opportunity to play sport - it is not always the [mainstream] sports that they like. And having the CEO of New Zealand Softball come down shows that they are really trying to grow the code."

Rotorua MP Todd McClay and Softball New Zealand chief executive Tony Giles were also on hand to support the launch on Saturday.

About 100 people attended the Have a Go Day, most of which were children just getting started in the sport.

Following the event, Central Bay Softball plan to start their competitions in two weeks time at Puketawhero Park, on Saturday November 15.

Those competitions include a T-ball (children aged 3 to 9), junior (children aged 10 to 16) and senior competition.

It has been about eight years since an organised softball competition was last held in Rotorua.

Softball New Zealand chief executive Giles said it was a great step for Rotorua.

"We are delighted to be apart of this. It has been eight long years, so to see the sport coming back here is very exciting."

He said he could see Black Sox and White Sox coming out of Rotorua in the future.

Giles said it was an exciting time to be involved with softball, especially as they would find out next month whether the sport had won a bid to be included in the 2020 Olympics.