Festive season no-go zone for Black Sox

Player apathy is threatening the national men's softball competition as Black Sox representatives vote with their feet.

Hutt Valley internationals Jeremy and Regan Manley, Rhys Casley and Tyson Byrne have said they are not prepared to play in the premier domestic competition, the National Fastpitch championships from December 27-30.

Softball NZ is so concerned it has scheduled a meeting with provincial associations on Saturday to discuss teething problems with the revamped format.

This season the national body reverted to a four-day tournament as was used six years ago, replacing the former national league played over three weekends.

Hutt Valley Softball chairman Garry Davidson said the choice of the Christmas holiday period had proved unpopular.

Hutt Valley were national champions in 2007-08 and were fifth last season, but now faced sending a second-string team.

"I just don't think Christmas and New Year is the right time," Davidson said. "In the old days that was great because everyone shut down for the holiday period.

"But I became aware there were very few players that were going to be available either through work, or holiday time, or wives saying this is family time."

Softball NZ business development manager Glen Roff said the change was made to reduce costs and to eliminate interference with local club competitions.

"One of the main reasons is we see ourselves as a family sport," Roff said.

"Having it around Christmas offers the opportunity for families to go to the tournament. That was always something that was considered a key component in the past."

Roff said there were few alternatives because the calendar was congested between January and April with the more popular national interclub championships.

He admitted the Black Sox players were probably tired after last year's world championships. They would not be pressured to play at the nationals by Softball NZ, even though most are carded athletes, whose training is funded by Sparc through the Academy of Sport.

"They've just come off a five-year campaign and they just want to take a wee bit of a break," Roff said.

Wellington have also struggled to field a men's team and their officials will meet today with Softball NZ. Roff said Softball NZ was working on a solution.

- © Fairfax NZ News