Benefits seen in travel

Otago softballers (from left) Will Bathgate (14), Maeve Witchell (14), Callum Rowley (14), Heaven...
Otago softballers (from left) Will Bathgate (14), Maeve Witchell (14), Callum Rowley (14), Heaven Samson-Loffley (16), Damian Samson (15) and Olivia Guildford (13) take a break at Ellis Park last week after returning from Australia. Photo: Gregor Richardson.
Seven of Otago’s best young softballers will begin this season with newly-gained international experience.

The group travelled to Australia with the New Zealand Softball Academy, where they played in a tournament and had access to some high-quality coaching.

There they played alongside many of New Zealand’s top youngsters and against many of Australia’s best.

Will Bathgate and Damian Samson went on the under-15 boys tour earlier this month, while Olivia Guildford, Maeve Witchell, Heaven Samson-Loffley and Maisie Bond were part of the under-15 girls squad. Earlier in the year, Callum Rowley travelled with the under-14 squad.

In terms of growing the level of the game locally, it was likely to have an impact in more ways than one.

"Obviously for their own experience and skill base, to get exposure to that quality coaching and to play in an international tournament is a big opportunity," Otago Softball development manager Doug Hill said.

"At the same time it shows the other young players in the province that even coming from Otago, you can still get chosen for a national team and get exposure, go overseas and mix it with the best players from Wellington and Christchurch and Auckland."

The players were selected after attending tournaments the national selectors attended. They would slot back into their school and club teams and look to transfer over their newly-obtained experience. It was all part of a push that was seeing the sport regrow in the junior grades. There were eight teams in the secondary schools grade, up from six last year, and the junior club grade had increased from two teams to six.

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