Softball coaches reappointed

Carl Franklin and Jason Kumeroa have been reappointed as Canterbury coaches for the new National Fastpitch Championship tournament to be held in Christchurch in late December.

Franklin will again coach the Canterbury Red Sox men's team after guiding it to third place in his first national league campaign last season. Kumeroa will have a second season at the helm of the young Canterbury Red Hawks women's squad.

Their appointments were confirmed yesterday by Canterbury Softball chief executive Cheryl Kemp. She said Kumeroa would return in mid-October from a professional coaching assignment in Italy. "He will continue his high-performance work with Canterbury coaches and representative teams, as well as coaching the Red Hawks."

Canterbury will host the new National Fastpitch Championship (NFC) tournament from December 27 to 30 at Mainland Foundation Ballpark.

The NFC replaces the former three-round National Softball League format that has been deemed unsustainable by Softball New Zealand (SNZ).

Men's and women's provincial teams will play at the same venue.

SNZ events and association relationship manager Fiona Picken yesterday confirmed seven men's teams and five women's teams would contest the first NFC tournament.

Auckland, North Harbour, Central Vikings, Wellington, Hutt Valley, Canterbury and Southern Pride have entered the men's series. Auckland, Hutt Valley, Wellington, Canterbury and Southern Pride are confirmed for the women's event.

Central Vikings encompass the mid-North Island associations, including Manawatu, Wanganui, Taranaki and Hawke's Bay. Southern Pride covers the South Island, excluding Canterbury.

Picken said it was good to have North Harbour and Central Vikings back in the men's fold after both withdrew from the later editions of the national league.

She said SNZ had decided to hold the men's and women's tournaments together to "create more atmosphere".

Franklin and Kumeroa will also coach the Canterbury teams at the South Island tournaments in December and in the Southern Cross Challenge in Brisbane next April.

- © Fairfax NZ News