Nixon: I'm staying

It's the news the Giants Softball Club was wanting to hear, Tony Nixon will be available to coach their premier men's side again next season.
Nixon confirmed his decision to stay put in Masterton to the Wairarapa Times-Age yesterday after giving serious consideration to a move across the Tasman.
And already he is looking forward to building on the success achieved by Giants in 200708, success which included victory in the Hutt Valley premier men's league, making the semi-finals of the Inter-City series for the first time and placing in the top 10 at the national inter-club tournament.
Nixon said Giants officials would be meeting within a fortnight to discuss how they could produce even more impressive results next season.
"You have to look forwards, you can't just he happy with what has been achieved in the past," he said. "Yes, we did well last season but we can do better, that's what we have to strive for."
Nixon, who is not one prone to making rash statements, believes Giants are capable of building a side which could have a "decent shot" at actually winning the national inter-club title.
But he concedes that is only likely to happen if they are able to find a suitable replacement for star batter Mark Quinn and at least another couple of well-credentialled recruits, probably from overseas.
Quinn, who is taking up a teaching post in China, came up with the big hit which set Giants on the way to their convincing 5-1 win over Hutt City United in the grand final of the Hutt Valley premier league last season and could always be relied on to produce the goods in tight situations. More than that, he was also a very handy backup for first string pitchers Ritchie Clarke and Justin Karaitiana.
"He (Quinn) was a match winner and you don't get many players with those sort of qualities," Nixon said. "He was top value for us, no doubt about that."
Quinn and Giants catcher Michael Grant were both part of the Hutt Valley national league side last season and while Canadian Grant has returned to his homeland prospects are he will back for another stint in the Giants colours.And there are similar hopes about the availability of Curtis Ames, another Canadian who was such a key player for Giants when he last turned out for them two seasons ago.
Nixon said Giants were keen to introduce an under-18 men's team to Hutt Valley competition play next season which with their current under-15 boys team would mean the need to recruit from overseas would be lessened in the years ahead.
"The ideal for us is to have a premier side which doesn't need imports to be competitive at the highest levels," Nixon said.
Sponsorship is another area where Giants are keen to advance their cause with Nixon saying they would "dearly love" to hear from anyone who was willing to assist them there.
"I honestly think we have the record to show we would be a good investment for any sponsor but we've worked hard in that area with little reward," he said.
It was not only the success achieved by Giants last season which led to Nixon being named as Sports Administrator of the Year and supreme award winner at the 2007-08 Wairarapa sports awards last week but also his coaching of the Hutt Valley side which won the national NPC men's championship.
Nixon has yet to decide whether he will be available to fill that role again next season but he said there was a "pretty good chance" he would reply in the positive if he was asked to do so. "It's another challenge, isn't it?" he said. "And I guess that's what coaching is all about."