The New Zealand Youth Boys Selection Team will open play at the 23rd Annual Best of the West Tournament in Santa Barbara, California, at 7:00 PM PST against the host Clydesdale team.
Editor’s note:
Longtime California pitcher Mark Bennett (son of Best of the West Tournament Director Clyde Bennett) will be pitching against the New Zealand boys tonight. Santa Barbara is showing them some great hospitality while they are in town: They are being fed by a local deli owner who is from New Zealand. The picnic dinner is at 5:30pm and the exhibition game tonight is at 7:00. The young men will then go home with host families to stay Friday and Saturday night.
Mark says: “Tonight its age and experience vs youth and speed!.”
Head coach Rob Siolo‘s charges will be on tour in North America for the next two weeks.
On Wednesday, June 10, 2015, the New Zealand boys will play an exhibition doubleheader in Long Beach, California, fromk 7pm to 10pm at El Dorado Park, against Jesse Mullen’s Long Beach Wolfpack team.
The boys arrived into Los Angeles International airport on Wednesday as part of a two week tour, which features games in Vancouver BC next week, hosted by the Fleetwood Fastpitch Association, Surrey, Vancouver:
U18 Softball Tournament
12th, 13th 14th June 2015
Fleetwood Park, located at 15890 80 Ave, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
The tour:
The New Zealand squad departed New Zealand on Wednesday 3rd June, landing in Los Angeles for 8 days including training, the Best of the West Softball Tournament in Santa Barbara, Disneyland, and a Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Game.
Training in Anaheim at Ponderosa Park
Departing for Canada on the Thursday 11th June 2015ISA New Zealand Boys Youth Team
International Softball AcademyDepart New Zealand Wednesday 3rd June returning Wednesday 17th June 2015
More information about the program:
Click here to view PDF of ISA New Zealand Boys Youth Team Tour to Los Angeles and Canada June 2015
1. Management
Management and coaching staff
Head Coach: Rob Siolo – Rob coached the Samoan National Team at the World Series in 2013 and in the qualifying series last year. He has coached numerous Wellington and Hutt Valley provincial teams, and is currently Head Coach of Johnsonville men’s team in the Wellington competition.
Assistant Coach: Fred Redhead – long standing coach from Alberta, Fred was Assistant Coach of the Canadian U19 team at the last Junior World Series. He also coached the ISA New Zealand U21 team that attended the U21 International Tournament in Saskatoon in 2013, finishing second. Fred will join us in Vancouver
Assistant Coach/Trainer: Te Rangi Chadwick is player coach of the Vikings team that plays in the Wellington Intercity Competition and also of the Fastpitch Club side in the Hawkes Bay competition. A former New Zealand Junior Black Sox team member, Te Rangi is on his way to play the offseason in Ontario, and will join us for the LA and Santa Barbara leg
Scorer/Manager Diane Waterhouse – Diane has being the manager, scorer and chaperone of many ISA teams. Parents’ appreciate the significant increase in communication when Diane is on tours. The updating of photos and results on facebook is continual. She has started using Game changer to score games and updates the game action online also. A comment from the recent tour was. “Thanks for all the updates it was as close as we could get to being their”
Manager: Craig Waterhouse – Having managed and coached numerous ISA teams in both Canada and Australia, Craig is well skilled to ensure the boys are supervised and controlled. Craig is in charge, with Diane of the tour and all matters off the diamond and outside of training. A former Softball NZ Board member and Softballer of the Year, he is a well experienced softball administrator
2. Overview
The squad will arrive in Los Angeles for 8 days of training including visits to Disneyland, Los Angeles Angels Baseball game, a Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball game and other activity. These costs are all included in the tour price.
Fleetwood Fastpitch Association, Surrey, Vancouver will be hosting their annual U18 Boys Softball Tournament on the 12th, 13th 14th June 2015, Fleetwood Park, located at 15890 80 Ave, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. In the USA we will be staying in accommodation that is a 10 minutes walk to Disneyland. In Vancouver we will be staying with Canadian families.
Aim of the program:
• The promotion of the sport of Softball and the development of softball Players.
• To promote the development of Youth Softball Players
• To promote a friendly exchange and understanding among softball players from different countries and regions as a cultural experience.
Our objectives in working to achieve these aims are:
• To ensure every team member is a better softball player, as a result of their experience throughout the tour
• To play as a team
• To respect each other, the game of softball, and the ‘New Zealand’ jersey
• To enjoy the experience
• To be the best offensive and defensive team in all games played
• Win all games played
The International Softball Academy (ISA) has sought out the most respected and accomplished group of instructors and coaches in the New Zealand to lead the teams. The ISA organizers are themselves experienced coaches and senior softball administrators being current or former Softball New Zealand board members, they share the passion for the sport of softball, and are using their knowledge, experience and international contacts to add to the experiences of the players. They never lose sight of the fact, however, that great softball players are created one at a time. Who says getting better can’t be fun too? At the International Softball Academy tours, you meet other young athletes who share your love of softball. On and off the field, you’ll take home experiences you will remember forever. You’ll get better! Totally immerse you in the sport, giving you the kind of focused, intensive training essential for improvement – no matter what your ability level. Your performance as an overall player will improve, along with your self-confidence!