Back on field after 25 years
Softball Levin women gear up for season
The brand new uniforms have arrived just in time for the first Levin women’s team softball team in 25 years to take the field. The box of uniforms was ordered a few weeks ago for the Levin United women’s club team and there was an anxious wait to see if they would arrive in time for their first game of the season this weekend
The Levin United women’s team is the first Levin-based women’s club to take the diamond since the 1990s and will compete in a Manawatu¯ league this summer.
Once upon a time, in its heyday, there was a Levin softball league that boasted as many as eight women’s club teams competing. It was tough to think that the town couldn’t support at least one team, but it’s just the way things have gone.
But when the word went out a few months ago that a women’s team was forming, a groundswell of support grew to the extent that there was almost the possibility of fielding two teams at one stage.
Some players that were living in Levin but had played recently for Palmerston North teams welcomed the opportunity to play for a local team and had joined the fray.
Levin United Women would be coached this season by Darryl Paul, who moved back to Levin earlier this year after living in Hawkes Bay for more than two decades.
Also recruited to the coaching staff were softball stalwarts Ned Nahona and Peter Williams who brought a wealth of nous and experience.
Paul had noticed the softball scene wasn’t as big as it once was so began putting the feelers out and was rapt with the response.
The team had been training twice a week leading up to the first match this weekend, against Dodgers at Colquhoun Park in Palmerston North on Saturday at 2.30pm. Just seeing people out training had generated interest in softball, with people stopping and wanting to join in.
It looked for a time that Levin might be unable to host home games after the net at the Playford Park diamond was destroyed by a tornado that swept across the park in May last year.
But the situation should soon be rectified. Already repair work had been done on the framing and once it is completely fixed, teams could look to hold more practice sessions and introduce more games to the park, including a potential twilight league to allow everyone who wants to play softball the chance to play.
The club had also planned a festival day on December 2 and was hopeful it would be able to host both men’s, women’s and junior games at the diamond.
Horowhenua Softball Association was also hopeful of reintroducing age-grade competitions at the diamond in the future.
Meanwhile, the United men’s team, who had been travelling and competing in a Palmerston North-based competition in recent seasons, open their season with a game against Matua Ma at Colquhoun Park at 12.30pm.