Softball revival underway

Softball is making a comeback in Cambridge with a group of young players leading the code’s revival.

Just three of the 16 players in the new Cambridge High School softball team had picked up a glove, bat or ball prior to the summer season getting underway at the weekend.

The in-experience didn’t matter though as the team notched up its first win, 6-4, against Fraser College juniors in Hamilton on Saturday.

The team’s manager, Sunny West, said she was ‘‘extremely proud’’ of the team’s first-up win.

‘‘Most of them had basic skills, they could throw well, hold the bat and hit the ball well.

‘‘We’ve been training since last term and the skills they’ve picked up at training really helped with that first win.’’

West’s husband, Wayne, coaches the team and their son, Tyrone, is one of three who have played the sport previously.

‘‘When we moved here three years ago we spent a while looking for clubs and found Hamilton was our closest point. This year my son asked if we could start our own college grade team to encourage the sport to reignite so we did.’’

West hopes to attract more players to perhaps start a second team.

‘‘Sixteen is probably too many for one team but if we get about a half a dozen more, we can have two teams.

‘‘We are incredibly proud of the boys efforts to date. They are committed and willing to learn.

‘‘We are hoping this is just the beginning and encourage any former softballers to come down to the Tom Voyle Park on a Thursday to join us for training, from 3.30pm to 5.30pm.’’