Kaiapoi search for men’s coach

The countdown is on for the opening of the softball season.

For the Kaiapoi Softball Club, time is running out for their Premier men’s reserve side.

The club has the numbers for a team, just no one at the helm.

Club development officer Les Quinn said they hoped to enter 20 teams into Canterbury Softball Leagues this summer, including a Premier Reserve Men’s.

‘‘We have some very talented young men, not quite enough to make a team, and unfortunately no coaching staff.’’

‘‘If we can’t get a few more to sign up, and someone credible to take the team in the next week or so, it looks like we will have to farm the players out to other clubs.’’

After the successful entry of a premier women’s team last year, Quinn said the club is dedicated to having a premier men’s team in the next three years and falling short this year could be a big set back.

The club has been riding high on the news that they are being included in the recreational zone of the Kaiapoi Regeneration Zone, potentially giving the club a place to call home and two skin diamonds.

This summer they have been granted the use of Kaiapoi Domain, which has now been fully returned to the council after five years of being a temporary village as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes.

It means they have a dedicated space of their own while they continue to share Kaiapoi Park until their own home base is built.

The season starts for the senior grades on October 7, with the juniors the following Saturday.

Registration is already open and the club is holding a sign up day at the Kaiapoi Rugby Club on September 15 from 6pm.