Women’s softball team to travel to Japan
The New Zealand Softball Association has accepted an invitation for its national women’s team to take part in a major international tournament in Japan in November. The invitation event will be a five-sided contest between Japan. United States, Canada, Philippines and New Zealand, all of them rated among the world’s leading nations in the sport. Only the absence of Taiwan, which might have been left out to prevent political complications, precludes the series from being regarded as an unofficial world championship. New Zealand originally declined the invitation because of a prior commitment to play in another tournament in Australia in April.
But the Japanese organisers replied by making New Zealand an offer it could not resist — all expenses are to be met by the Japanese.
The format of the tournament includes a round-robin preliminary series and then a grand final system. It is envisaged that a squad of 13 or 15 players will be sent to Japan, accompanied by three officials. The national coach, Mr Ed Dolejs, has begun to make inquiries about , availability among prominent players.
Because the tournament has been scheduled for so early in the New Zealand season it is unlikely that trials will be held, and this country has other disadvantages to overcome. Marilyn Marshall, the New Zealand captain, and two other national representa-
tives, Debbie Leonidas and Cathy Hall (all from Wellington), have been chosen for the New Zealand, women’s soccer tour to Australia in October.
In addition, the pitching ranks have been considerably thinned by the probable non-availability of Elly Mockford (Otago) and Carol Meihana (Wellington) for personal reasons, while Cheryl Kemp’s (Auckland) employment requires her to travel overseas extensively. At least two Canterbury players, Robyn Storer—who recently returned from Auckland — and Penney King, must be regarded as strong candidates if their early-season form matches that which earned them positions in the 1979 national tournament’team.
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Press, 18 August 1979, Page 52
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318Women’s softball team to travel to Japan Press, 18 August 1979, Page 52
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