Mustangs join Braves to represent Whanganui
Looking to the future are the new Mustangs team, which includes Jake Hollis, left, Ben Hollis (both former WHS students) and Aaron Maney.
PHOTO / Stuart Munro
The game of softball in Whanganui could have a big lift with two established teams now playing across both tiers of the senior men's grades in the Manawatu Softball Association, starting today in Palmerston North.
After the success of the inaugural 2017-18 season for the Ezi Finance Whanganui Braves, who finished runnersup in the Manawatu Reserve Grade Men's competition, the Braves have moved up to Premier Men for this summer.
Meanwhile, a new entity with historical ties to a classic sports club from the 1970's has grown out of Castlecliff and will enter the Reserve Grade this season.
The Mustangs Sports Club Wanganui currently has a roster of 15 players, sponsored by the Castlecliff Club which also serves as home base.
They are the descendants of the Wanganui City Mustangs Rugby League Club, which was formed in 1978 by Clive Middleton, Jack O'Donnell, Joe Signal and Te Rangaituatea (Rangi) Goff.
Spokesman Ron Hollis said the Manawatu travelling squad emerged out of a local slow pitch team which they wanted to expand, and when the numbers grew they have now built a fully-fledged club.
They now have two slow pitch teams beneath the fast pitch travelling squad, as well as a mixed indoor netball team.
The Reserve Grade has 12 teams starting the season.
While the association has only put out a draw for the first five weekends, it is understood teams will play each other once in a round-robin, before splitting into separate Top 6 and Bottom 6 competitions after the New Year.
This will be followed by semifinals and finals, creating around an 18-game season for the eventual finalists, and Hollis said "pencil us in" for all of it.
"Our aim is to make that Top 6 and work it from there.
"Half [the team] are experienced and half are beginners."
Senior squad members Aaron Maney and Ben Hollis said they are still negotiating with the Manawatu Association to be able to play some games in Whanganui on the Gonville diamond.
Feedback they have gotten from some the other Manawatu clubs in their grade is they wouldn't mind the odd day out to travel for an away match, although they have no promises from the governing body as they have to convince them the local-based umpires are up to the required standard.
Maney said they would want to play 'home' games in the early afternoon, straight after the children's grades have finished at 1pm, so they will stay and watch to see there is a pathway to the adult game.
"When I was down there as a kid, it was all day [for games]," said Hollis.
"We lived and breathed it," added Maney.
The squad is still open for any interested players, having spent six weeks training for today's opening game, while cultivating depth in key areas like pitching.
As well as the Castlecliff Club, SJP Builders Ltd has come on board as sponsors.
The Mustangs first game in Palmerston North is against the Raiders Rebels at 4.30pm.
Meanwhile, it is a bumpy landing for the Braves in the Premier Men's grade as they have had to default their first game of the season in Palmerston North to the Huia Braves today.
"We've got guys overseas or injured, so we weren't able to front up with a team," said player/coach Shane Foster.
However, having retained the core group of veterans from last season, Foster is confident they will be up and running next weekend to play in the six team competition.
Like the Reserve grade, Foster has not received a full season draw, but understands they will play a double round robin competition up until Christmas.
Newcomers this year include assistant coach and player Peter Flood, second baseman Glenn Casey, who played in Whanganui years ago and returns from Tauranga, and Ricky Boniface, better known as a veteran of the Pirates rugby club.
However, the ace in the deck will be pitcher Brad Worsley, coming back home after getting national attention playing for Hutt Valley.
"Brad Worsley is the key to it all. He's the reason we're going up to Prems," said Foster.
By Jared Smith
Whanganui Chronicle 6/10/18