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White Sox name women's world softball world championships squad

February 23, 2016

Wellington, NZ - White Sox name women's world softball world championships squad


 

ORIGINAL STORY by Tony Smith

See Press Release with photos

The New Zealand White Sox women's softball team's new captain Ellie Cooper, 22.

White Sox softball coach Kevin Gettins says the captaincy change in the women's world championships squad was made with an eye to the future.

Outfielder Ellie Cooper, 22, has been named to lead the White Sox at the world tournament near Vancouver in July ahead of former captains Lara Andrews and Katrina Nukunuku, who will be attending their fourth world championships.

Hutt Valley shortstop Hailey Breakwell and Auckland's Stefanie Smith in action during the National Fastpitch Championships women's softball final. They are among four new players in the White Sox world championships squad.

 

Cooper, who plays at Florida State University where Black Sox great Travis Wilson coaches, was in the White Sox's 2014 world series team after graduating from the Junior White Sox programme.

Gettins said Andrews, the 2014 world championship skipper, and Nukunuku, a first-time captain at the Down Under tournament in Sydney this month, would remain important contributors on and off the diamond, but he felt Cooper was ready for the responsibility.

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"Ellie is 22, it's a snapshot of the future coming through. It's a pretty important next four years for the women's game and Ellie has done very well as a leader at Florida State. She brings a lot of intensity, drive and high standards." 

United States born Cooper has a proud Kiwi softball pedigree. Her father, Russell Cooper, was a former pitcher in Wellington and the U.S.., and her grandmother, Isobel Cooper, was a longserving New Zealand Softball junior advisory board member.

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Gettins said it was "a tough team to pick, which reinforces the fact our depth is getting stronger".

Thirteen of the squad have previous world championships experience. Six are on current American college scholarships with Andrews playing in the United States Pro League.

A further five players are college softball graduates.

"We think it's a pretty balanced team which gives us a number of options in every area, defence, hitting and running, and we think we've got the best four pitchers available to us," Gettins said.

University of Wisconsin pitcher Taylor-Paige Stewart, 22, will lead the staff, along with 2014 returnees Jennifer Feret and Courtney Gettins with left-hander Rita Hokianga providing balance.

Gettins is "expecting big things of Taylor-Paige with her background in college softball".

"She missed the last world championships with injury and is very keen to be back in the fold. She's a senior at Wisconsin now and has put up some good numbers."

Courtney Gettins, 19, has also made an early mark in America. The Hawke's Bay native was named pitcher of the week in the National Junior College Athletic Association division one competition. 

Catching trio praised

The White Sox have selected three catchers, 2014 incumbents Melanie Gettins and Kyla Bromhead, and naturalised American Stefanie Smith, who can also play other positions.

"Mel's a very analytical catcher, and Stef also calls a good game. Kayla's hitting is also an asset for us," coach Gettins said.

He said Smith's citizenship applications  was "being processed. We are confident, given the feedback we've had, that her application will be approved in time for the tournament, but we've got a cut-off date just in case it doesn't happen and we have to make a change."

While the White Sox do not have an experienced, specialist first baseman, Gettins is confident several players can cover the role, including Feret "when she's not pitching".

New recruits

Four players will be making their  senior world championships debut - Hokianga, Smith, infielders Hailey Breakwell and Kuraroa Ratu-James and teenage utility Mereana Makea, whose father, Fabian Makea, and uncles Thomas and Campbell Makea, have represented the Black Sox.

Gettins said shortstop Breakwell, an American with a New Zealand Olympian equestrian rider father, had been "a great find for us".

Makea, 17, broke her arm playing for Wellington at last weekend's National Fastpitch Championships, but Gettins expects her and Hutt Valley outfielder Charlotte Pointon, who fractured a finger, to be fit in time for the world championships.

The White Sox had a win and three close defeats against Australian national teams at the Down Under series in Sydney last month and Gettins said they had learnt a lot. He is looking for better "hitting under pressure".

Nukunuku, 27, Melanie Gettins, 26, and  Andrews, 26, will be playing at their fourth world championships - an honour shared with four of the biggest names in New Zealand women's softball - Marilyn Marshall, Gina Weber, Fiona Timu and Melisa Upu.

Only two New Zealand women, International Softball Federation Hall of Fame members Rhonda Hira and Lesley Monk, have played in five.

The world championships were staged every four years until 2012. They are now held every two years.

AT A GLANCE

The New Zealand White Sox squad for the world women's softball championships in Surrey, British Columbia from July 15 to 24  is:

Pitchers: Jennifer Feret (Auckland), Courtney Gettins (Florida South Western College), Rita Hokianga (Hutt Valley), Taylor-Paige Stewart (University of Wisconsin).

Catchers: Melanie Gettins (Hutt Valley), Stefanie Smith (Auckland), Kyla Bromhead (Auckland).

Infielders: Katrina Nukunuku (Auckland), Danica Ferriso (Midland College, Texas), Hailey Breakwell (Hutt Valley), Mikayla Werahiko (Florida South Western), Kuraroa Ratu-James (Hutt Valley), Mereana Makea (Wellington).

Outfielders: Ellie Cooper (Florida State University, captain), Charlotte Pointon (Hutt Valley), Lara Andrews (Pennsylvania Rebellion), Kingsley Avery (Ave Maria University, Florida).

Non-travelling reserves: Keri Simeon (Wellington), Tyneesha Houkamau (Colorado Mesa University), Gillian Wills (Auckland).

Head coach: Kevin Gettins. Assistant-coach: Tony Simpson. Manager: Aroha Metcalf.

 - Stuff

 

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