12 November 2008

Pact and Idea Services clients are having a fantastic time playing in a new softball league in Dunedin, with the support of staff from both organisations, Otago Softball and Sport Otago.

Otago Softball’s Jill Johnson says the idea for the softball league first came from seeing a similar competition being run in Christchurch, where around 10 teams compete in the Helen Anderson Trust competition. At about the same time this kicked off Kath, (Otago Softball’s regional coaching coordinator) was asked to assist at a sports day held at the Edgar Centre which she really enjoyed.

“The ball had started rolling,” says Jill. “I made contact with the Sport Otago Disabilities rep Bridget Meyer, who put me in contact with Johanna and Natalie and the rest’s history, as they say.”

Pact and Idea staff met with Sport Otago and the Otago Softball Association to discuss the possibility of the people we support playing softball in Otago, because this was something they have been interested in for some time. 

Kath and Jill generously offered their expertise over many weeks, giving the clients practice every Wednesday at the Edgar Centre. Finally, the time came for the guys to get out onto the diamond and put into practice what they had learned from these two very experienced ladies. Each Saturday at 1pm you will find the Red Ferns at Ellis Park. At the time of writing, after three games, the Red Ferns have had one loss, one win and a draw but most of all they are enjoying being out there and ever so competitive . 

Jill is keen to now to “spread the net” and get other teams involved. This part of the season the two teams play each other weekly as they build up their skills but in the future it is hoped that they will be playing in the social grade against other teams.

Pact healthy lifestyles coordinator Johanna Grotenhuis had applied for, and was successful in receiving, a grant from the Bendigo Foundation to purchase safety helmets and face-masks, along with some gloves. Some of the men had purchased their own gloves, but bats and uniforms are now required.

If you are out and about on a Saturday please come and support this team—you will be most welcome and may even get dragged into a team to make up numbers, so come prepared. If there any ex players who may have some gear they no longer require, especially bats and gear bags, the Red Ferns would appreciate these.