Coaching worry for softballers

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 68

Coaching worry for softballers

Canterbury softball will be in desperate straits if no candidates come forward soon to coach the men’s and women’s representative sides this season.

As yet the Canterbury Softball Association has not received a single nomination for either coaching position and time is getting short.

This season the Winfield men’s national championships will be contested at Invercargill from December 28 to January 2 with the women’s tournament at Rotorua from January 3 to 8. But there is now the possibility, however remote, that there will not be Canterbury teams at those tournaments. The association’s secretary, Janine Lynn, said that if there were no applications in the hands

of the C.S.A. by the end of this month.” They won’t be going anywhere.” Because of other commitments Dale Eagar can no longer coach the Canterbury men’s side and as a new national selector Cheryl Kemp is not eligible to guide the women. Kemp has been calling the shots for the last six seasons while Eagar has been Canterbury men’s coach for three of the last four seasons. On the positive side Mike Nalepa was this week appointed Canterbury colts coach with Natalie Hazelwood as mentor of the equivalent women’s side.

But the Canterbury under 16 girls’ team also lacks both coach and manager and those players will not be travelling unless the situation is remedied.