Jefferies Cup a White Sox trial

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 11/23/06 2:58:00 AM 
From:  Vance <vanf(at)ihug.co.nz> 

 
Subject:  Jefferies Cup a White Sox trial  
   

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Jefferies Cup a White Sox trial
Thursday November 23rd 2006

Perform out on the diamond under pressure and book yourself a
place inthe team for the Olympic Qualifier in February. 

That will be the message relayed to all those players selected
in the NewZealand Community Trust White Sox trial squad that
will compete in theJefferies Cup Men’s tournament in Canterbury
early next month. 

NZCT White Sox coach Dean Rice has named 19 players for the two
daytournament which he says will be a trial as part of the process
forathletes to push their case for selection in the team to travel
toChinese Taipei early next year to contest the Olympic qualifier.

At the tournament the trial NZCT White Sox team will be taking
on premierprovincial teams from around the South Island. Rice
says competingagainst men’s teams will be a true test for his
players.

“With the Jefferies Cup we are putting the players in an environmentwhere
they are facing a better standard of softball from what theyusually
face week to week. The competition in women’s softball in NewZealand
is not all that strong week to week and that can give a falseimpression
of how good a player really is,” said Rice.  

“This is an opportunity for the players to say pick me if they
can stepup and deliver. We want to see who can stand up to the
pressure riseabove it and perform.”

Included in the squad of 19 for the tournament are just two players
whohaven’t had a taste of international softball in the past.
New to theNZCT White Sox set up are Aucklander Amelia Rika and
infielder Lisa Hauof North Harbour. 

Hau is the younger sister of former NZCT White Sox pitcher Jessica
and isplaying her first full season of softball in New Zealand
having playedrepresentative softball in Australia in recent times.


Rice says Hau is an up and coming player with good skills that
theselectors are interested in trialing. 
Also included in the squad is pitcher Ali Arnold who has represented
theNZCT White Sox for the last four years but has played little
softball inNew Zealand due to her college commitments in America.


Arnold has committed to playing the 2006/07 in New Zealand and
willrepresent Canterbury in the forthcoming NZCT National League.


Rice says having Arnold back in the country playing softball
is a bigboost for the NZCT White Sox and their attempts to qualify
for theOlympics. 

“It is good to have Ali back but we can’t rely on her to win
games forus. She is just another piece of the puzzle for us,
an important piecebut we also need our other pitchers and our
hitters to step up to theplate as well,” said Rice. 

The NZCT White Sox trial squad will go into camp in Christchurch
onFriday December 8th before competing in the Jefferies Cup over
thefollowing two days.
  
NZCT White Sox trial squad:
Pitchers - Michelle Kingi (Auckland), Michal Tangaroa (Hawkes
Bay), AliArnold (Canterbury).
Catchers - Jackie Smith (North Harbour), Carmelle Sorenson(Canterbury).
Infield - Fiona Timu (Auckland), Tianna Araeiiti (Southland),
Lisa Hau(North Harbour), Casey Roper (Auckland), Lisa Kersten
(Canterbury),Shirley Povey (Hutt Valley), Kiri Shaw (Hutt Valley).
Outfield - Melanie Hulme (Canterbury), Nardia Mauriohooho (Hutt
Valley),Ngamoko Hiku (North Harbour), Brooke Lockhart (Canterbury),
Amelia Rika(Auckland), Brooke Cutting (Wellington). 
Utility - Sheree Cartwright (Hutt Valley).


By SNZ Media Liaison: Kelly Mitchell
* mailto:kelly.mitchell at xtra.co.nz 

http://www.softball.org.nz/
*mailto:snz at softball.org.nz 


Cheers Vance 
Softball New Zealand web master.
* mailto:vanf(at)ihug.co.nz 

 

 Al's Fastball News
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   fastball at pmihrm.com
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