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Kiwis cruising through North America

July 6, 2016

Saskatoon, SK - Kiwis cruising through North America


Members of a touring New Zealand International Softball Academy team perform a Haka dance prior to playing the Saskatoon Selects during a Super 8 International softball Series game at Bob Van Impe Stadium, Tuesday, July 5, 2016. Greg Pender / The StarPhoenix

 

ORIGINAL STORY by Darren Zary, Star Phoenix

It’s a whirlwind tour through parts of North American for these Kiwi softballers.

Their tour — which began June 26 and ends July 12 — includes “12 different international airports in 19 days,” says Craig Waterhouse, team manager for the New Zealand Jr. Selects development squad.

Members of a touring New Zealand International Softball Academy team perform a Haka dance prior to playing the Saskatoon Selects during a Super 8 International softball Series game at Bob Van Impe Stadium, Tuesday, July 5, 2016.

Members of a touring New Zealand International Softball Academy team perform a Haka dance prior to playing the Saskatoon Selects during a Super 8 International softball Series game at Bob Van Impe Stadium, Tuesday, July 5, 2016. Greg Pender / The StarPhoenix

The Kiwis arrived in Saskatoon early Tuesday afternoon before a scheduled doubleheader Tuesday night against the Saskatoon Selects. The night before, they played a game in Irma, Alta. During the July 1 long weekend, they took part in a three-day tournament in Camrose.

The New Zealand squad is also slated to conduct a youth softball clinic Wednesday morning at the Gordie Howe Sports Centre before heading up to Prince Albert for a game against the Prince Albert Astros at Prime Ministers’ Park, site of the 2018 ISF Junior World Series.

On Thursday, the Kiwis are scheduled to play in Delisle against the Saskatoon Selects under-18 squad. They’ll then head to Fleming on Friday for exhibition games and a tournament. They’ll wind up their tour with stops in Moosomin and Earl Grey before flying out of Regina.

Related

New Zealand began its tour in Los Angeles after a brief stopover in Fiji. The Kiwis spent some time at Disneyland in Anaheim, where they caught a Major League Baseball game between the Angels and Houston Astros. They worked in a few days of training and played a couple of exhibition games against the Clydesdales and Goodland in Santa Barbara.

The trip is all part of the New Zealand international softball academy run by Waterhouse and touring head coach Rob Siolo.

“In terms of excitement, there’s no better excitement than wearing a New Zealand jersey and playing, effectively, in an environment that enables you to be the best softballer you can be,” says Siolo. “A lot of these boys come from all over the place, looking to improve themselves and be the best softball player they can be.”

dzary@postmedia.com

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