Photos Joseph JohnsonMid Canterbury Softball will host a secondary schools softball tournament next week for the first time in 30 years.

Eight boys teams and five girls teams from schools all over the South Island will compete on five diamonds at Argyle Park starting Monday in the four-day event.

Tournament director Carl O’Neill said Argyle Park would be transformed for the event with the addition of a portacom to act as headquarters and extra netting erected around the diamonds.

Mid Canterbury Softball has also used the occasion to update some of its equipment, including bases.

The division two event will be supported by New Zealand Softball, who have appointed umpires.

O’Neill, who played softball in his youth, has previously coached Ashburton College teams and said Ashcoll teams had been attending school softball tournaments for the past five years.

The girls are this year being coached by Pat Patea and are a mix of ages from Year 9 to 13. The side includes New Zealand representative Kate Flanagan, who plays her club softball in Christchurch but is a student at the college.

The boys are coached by Ritchie Johnstone and are also a mix of ages, though there was more experience at secondary school tournament level.

O’Neill said games were scheduled to get under way at 9am on Monday. Both AshColl teams will have games at 5pm on the opening day.

He said spectators were welcome at the event to support both local and visiting teams and there would be some good softball talent on display.

The girls will play a round robin and include teams from AshColl, Buller, Southland, Dunstan and Burnside.

The boys will play in two pools of four with crossover play beginning Wednesday. The teams include AshColl, Southland, Timaru, Lincoln, Rolleston, Dunstan and two Christchurch schools.

Both finals will be on Thursday, starting with the girls at 12pm.

By Linda Clarke © The Ashburton Guardian - 15 March 2018