TALENT DEVELOMENT PATHWAY

Softball New Zealand’s Talent Development Pathway outlines how we will identify, develop and support talented athletes from junior softball through to the Black Sox and White Sox.

The plan provides a clearer, connected pathway across age groups, with a focus on long-term athlete development, consistent coaching, responsible investment and ensuring every activity contributes to preparing players for future international success. It also outlines our approach to talent identification, national team programmes, coaching development, overseas opportunities and athlete costs.

At its heart, the plan is about developing world-class softballers while creating a pathway that is sustainable, transparent and focused on the needs of athletes and their families.

National Squad Selection & Levy Policy

Softball New Zealand’s National Squad Selection & Levy Policy provides a clearer and more consistent approach to national team selection, planning and player levies.

The policy is designed to give athletes and their whānau greater certainty around squad involvement, upcoming commitments and costs, while also supporting better financial planning for national team programmes.

Key changes include earlier identification of wider squads, Letters of Intent for selected athletes, advance programme deposits, staged levy payments ahead of events, and clearer processes for managing event underspends and overspends.

Softball New Zealand remains committed to working closely with our players and their families to ensure national team selection processes are fair, transparent and clearly communicated.

National Team Fundraising Toolbox

Representing New Zealand is a huge honour, but it can also come with significant costs. Softball New Zealand’s National Teams Funding Toolbox has been developed to give players, whānau and team management practical ideas to help reduce those costs.

The toolbox focuses on five key areas - Earn, Partner, Sell, Fund and Ask - with practical fundraising ideas, sponsorship approaches, local funding options and simple guidance to help national-team campaigns build sustainable funding plans

National Tournament Plan

Softball New Zealand has developed a Draft National Tournament Strategy for 2027/28 and beyond, outlining a proposed tournament pathway from junior participation through to senior competition.

The strategy is designed to create a clearer connection between participation, national tournaments and our Talent Development Pathway, while also considering the long-term sustainability and affordability of our events.

Key areas include hub-based opportunities at younger age groups, national representative tournaments from Under 16, the future structure of Under 23 and senior competition, and updated approaches to tournament awards, pick-ups and dispensations.

This is a consultation document, and we welcome feedback from Associations, national team programmes and the wider softball community as we work towards the 2027/28 season.