Not only is a national title on the line, a trip to Canada could be a prize for the very best in action.
That will be sure to add some spice to the under-17 girls championships, which began in Dunedin yesterday and run until Sunday.
The coaches for both the New Zealand under-17 and under-19 girls teams will be present at the tournament.
Both teams will be chosen to travel to the Canada Cup on July 16-22, when they will play against the world’s top national teams.
However, the focus is firmly on the action in Dunedin for now.
Hosting the tournament for the first time, Otago got off to a competitive start.
It had a strong showing against Auckland B in its opening match, although was beaten 6-3.
In its second game, it had a more hefty 10-0 loss to a strong North Harbour side.
Pitcher-catcher duo Kaitlyn Hastie and Maeve Witchell both had strong outings, as did Zillah Conder, who showed great versatility at shortstop.
Olivia Guilford batted well, advancing runners and running well herself, while pick-up player Rebecca James also impressed.
Auckland, Wellington and Counties-Manukau all made impressive starts, alongside North Harbour.
Rain resulted in the day’s late games being postponed, with a rescheduled draw being put together for today.
