THE IMPORTANCE OF CELEBRATING SUCCESS

During the off season, Softball New Zealand will be promoting some of the positive initiatives and programmes that have been rolled out around the country. Driven by the hard work of our associations (and their volunteers), we will be highlighting some of the incredible work that has seen softball adapt and grow within the regions!

When we speak of success, we are not referring only to results, wins and championships. We are celebrating the process and development, the motivations and positive outcomes in our sport. To kick things off, we will shine a spotlight on recent ‘Association of the Year’ co-recipient, Canterbury Softball Association. and some of the initiatives which contributed to their success this season.

Canterbury Softball’s general manager would like to take a moment to acknowledge the amazing volunteers in their community; the dedicated athletes, coaches, managers, officials and funding supporters, who have made the following programmes possible

Children are the future, and the Canterbury Softball Association has used all tools at its disposal to expose as many Rangitahi and Tamariki to the sport of softball. Using a modified game of Baseball5, the association was able to teach High School students about the skills and strategies of our sport in fast-paced sessions that kept them engaged. Through the Kiwi Sox Softball programme in schools, they continued to provide coaching and education to teachers and students. The five-week progression programme, based on having fun and learning interactive games, was delivered to over 9,000 students in Term 4 alone! Their aim was to ‘leave the Tamariki with a love for our sport, whether they choose to play or not’. #buildingapositivecommunity

When it came to spreading the reach of softball within the region, Canterbury Softball utilised their new turf facilities to offer programmes that adapted softball to suit all ages and playing capabilities. This established a relationship with Special Olympics by providing a four (4) week skills and games programme targeted at youth with disabilities, where they had a change to come together and be active. The programme grew each week, initially starting with 80 tamariki, and ending with 186 young participants! To cater for the adult demographic, Canterbury has been working in conjunction with Helen Anderson Trust, who provide support service for adults with intellectual disabilities. Running over the second half of the season, 10 teams from around the Ōtautahi region would gather for games of Tee Ball. The event on Thursday nights has become a favourite for the Canterbury Softball staff for many years due to the happy faces, high fives, and great interactions with players. To top off their quest to make softball accessible and enjoyable for all, the association also hosts ParaFed Canterbury annually, with coaches having fun alongside excited athletes.

Pictured: Young participants from ParaFed

A community focus has always been at the forefront for CSA, with many community programmes like ‘Have a Go’ days, ‘Tamariki Play at Park’ and festivals in place. Pee Wee Sox and Mums was established as an opportunity for parents to come and connect with others, get some exercise and learn some softball skills while their preschool children are active with qualified carers. Ensuring no one was without, they partnered with Christchurch City Mission again with ‘Can for a coach’ – a numbers of skills clinics run over the winter period which were free to attend, but those in a position to do so were encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item that would be donated to the Christchurch City Mission. These charitable sessions were spurred on by the high demand that was placed on families, and the mission, over the winter months and helped the softball whānau as well as the community. This season also saw the foundations set for a Marae league that will grow into next season (watch this space!)

If you look at their results on the diamonds, there was no doubt that Canterbury was a force to be reckoned with in the 2023/2024 season. It is no surprise when they have a focus on performance development with Tātai Whetū – Waitaha – which supports young athlete growth, preparing them for success as they progress into pre-High Performance sport. It has begun bridging the gap, with a holistic outlook on athlete wellbeing. CSA supported as their athlete’s independent facilitator, and also offered performance Pathways with High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ)

Canterbury Softball Association is a community, and we thank them for everything they have been doing to provide the Ōtautahi with positive softball experiences! Tō tatou iwi, Tō tātau whānau.

Article added: Wednesday 8th May 2024

Pictured: Five (5) athletes from the Helen Anderson Trust, adaptive Tee-Ball competition.