Monday 27 May 2013
Saturday 25 May 2013
Tuesday 14 May 2013
Monday 29 April 2013
Congrats to our team mate Mikayla for making the 2013 Southern Cross All-Stars team!
2013 All Star Team
Amelia Cudicio – Westcity Webbies
Sandra Holden – Queensland Heat
Jade Wall – Queensland Heat
Jess Muller – Westcity Webbies
Bren DeBlas – Westcity Webbies
Tara Speakman – Queensland Heat
Danielle Oppermann – Queensland Maroon
Kalala Gabriel – Brisbane Giants Women
Carmelle Sorensen – Queensland Heat
Mikayla Werahiko – Canterbury Red Hawks
Tyleisha Dunn – Mariners Women
Taylah Tsitsikronis – Westcity Webbies
Thursday 11 April 2013
Head Coach's Blog: Venita Hokai
"BRING IT TO BRAMPTON"
Is the slogan we have used this time around for the NZ Under 19
Girls campaign leading up to the World Championships to be held July
1-7th in Brampton, Toronto, Canada. Although only 80 days or so away,
it only feels like yesterday that we were on the field in Capetown,
South Africa. The 2 year turnaround comes extremely quickly especially
for the players! I have a pretty fair idea what we will face in
Toronto, and our buildup tour will be crucial! The Americans are the
defending champions and no doubt be tough, but I cannot tell you how
much I admire watching the Japanese. They are so disiciplined in every
move they make on and off the field, slick and just exciting to watch!
Regardless this is a World Championship, and as a coach "I take nothing
for granted", it is either sink or swim!
This year we have a new management team with Jennifer Ferret
(Battery Coach), Leigh Grinlinton from Hutt Valley (Scorer/Statistician)
and Anthea Stringer (Team Medic) from Marlborough, joining myself,
Kevin Gettins and Aroha Metcalf. We will also be using the services of
Russell Cooper who is a renowned Pitching coach throughout the USA. The
respect I have for all of these people is enormous given we are in a
self funded environment. The expertise amongst each of the staff will
be crucial to the outcome of the campaign! In the 35 years I have been
involved in the game I have always thought volunteers work so hard for
the "love" of the game, and we don't thank them enough-so if I forget "I
thank you all" for the sacrifices you have made for this campaign!
The Junior team itself is an exciting group of young ladies, we
have returning players Danica Ferriso, Taylor Paige Stewart, Beth
Stavert, Kuraroa Ratu James, Kingsley Avery playing their second Junior
World Championships. The buildup tour will include playing games in
Hawaii, then onto Los Angeles where we will take on some very good Under
18 teams. We will then head to Brampton and arrive 2 days before the
championships start, with a double header scrimmage game against Japan!
Other than this, we are now heading into our trainings in each of the Regions and look forward to arriving to Toronto!
Signing out
Vee
Tuesday 9 April 2013
Assistant Coach: Kevin Gettins
The rest period is over and our girls are back into full training for the Junior World Series in July. It was very pleasing to see a number of our JWS girls perform strongly at the recent Inter-clubs in the Hutt Valley. After experiencing the last Junior Girls World Series in South Africa and having a first hand experience of the standard of play we encountered we are under no illusions about the task in front of us. We have some hard work ahead of us to ensure we are in the best condition possible to compete at this level.The reality is we are playing the top players in the World at our age and we need to prepare ourselves mentally and physically to compete.We believe we are strong right across the park and are very excited about the challenges ahead. I am sure after our first warm up games in Hawaii we will understand how strong the level of softball is in the USA.
This will be a life experience for all of us and one I am sure we will all remember for a long time!
Captain's Blog: Taylor-Paige
I think a group of girls truly become a team when they battle, train, struggle, and endure mental, as well as physical, obstacles together. A team is built through their preparation and how willing each teammate is to go through a wall for each other. While our team is dispersed throughout the world, I don't doubt we will be able to come together. As long as we each have the same goals and commit to going the distance to see them through, New Zealand could definitely expect to see another top finish. Having such an incredible model from our Men's Black Sox Champion finish in the most recent World Series, it should bring another inspiration for us to want to succeed. I'm proud to be a kiwi, and even prouder to have the opportunity to represent the beautiful country.
What it means to wear the silver fern on my jersey still chokes me up and this will be my third tour. It is a complete honor to be named captain of the 2013 team especially having huge footsteps to fill behind Rita Hokianga. The New Zealand supporters we have around the world, the family we play for, the country we represent, and the love we all have for the game makes all the days of training worth it. I'm a California girl who plays in Wisconsin, but my heart is always in New Zealand. This team and playing for NZ means everything to me, and I am truly humbled to be apart of the journey again this year.
Playing college ball now, I have been training harder than ever before and I know I am speaking for all of the other US based girls as well. It is extremely hard to not be able to go to New Zealand and train with our team, but our heads are all in the same place. I know the girls are well coached and we have many returners to bring some of the younger girls along. Additionally, having new girls brings new skills and a whole new personality to our team. I know how hard the NZ and Aussie girls have been beginning to train and, again, I wish I could be more present there.
I look forward to the day we all come together between the white lines, stand side by side, perform our haka, and show the world again that New Zealand has come to play. To all my old and new whanau on the team, wear the silver fern with nothing but appreciation and gratitude for being able to play the game and travel the world doing it.
Much love,
Taylor-Paige (TP)
What it means to wear the silver fern on my jersey still chokes me up and this will be my third tour. It is a complete honor to be named captain of the 2013 team especially having huge footsteps to fill behind Rita Hokianga. The New Zealand supporters we have around the world, the family we play for, the country we represent, and the love we all have for the game makes all the days of training worth it. I'm a California girl who plays in Wisconsin, but my heart is always in New Zealand. This team and playing for NZ means everything to me, and I am truly humbled to be apart of the journey again this year.
Playing college ball now, I have been training harder than ever before and I know I am speaking for all of the other US based girls as well. It is extremely hard to not be able to go to New Zealand and train with our team, but our heads are all in the same place. I know the girls are well coached and we have many returners to bring some of the younger girls along. Additionally, having new girls brings new skills and a whole new personality to our team. I know how hard the NZ and Aussie girls have been beginning to train and, again, I wish I could be more present there.
I look forward to the day we all come together between the white lines, stand side by side, perform our haka, and show the world again that New Zealand has come to play. To all my old and new whanau on the team, wear the silver fern with nothing but appreciation and gratitude for being able to play the game and travel the world doing it.
Much love,
Taylor-Paige (TP)
Thursday 4 April 2013
BUILD UP
Build up starts this week with the Battery getting together down in Wellington. Russell Cooper is over from America helping out the pitchers! Exciting stuff!
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