Softball: Leading softball club set for baseball move

Andrew Marck in action during the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in 2016. Photo / Getty Images

One of the country's biggest softball clubs has taken the brave step in offering baseball next season, in a move that could pave the way forward for a combined approach.

The two sports haven't exactly got along in recent times. Softball has a long and rich history in New Zealand while baseball is a truly global sport and has made significant strides locally in the past decade.

There have been battles for elite players and an ongoing war of words from people on both sides of the fence. The respective governing bodies have talked about working together but nothing has yet progressed to action.

But that could change after the Waitakere Bears decided to add baseball to its program this year and allow members the choice of playing either code.

"It has really come up in discussions for the past four or five months as something viable for the club to do," committee member and the club's baseball club captain Brian Welts told the Herald. "We have been working through those scenarios and how it could be offered to the members as well as the core softball program.

"It is about the members – the boys and girls and men and women – that make up the club and providing them with greater and equal opportunities and pathways into the professional ranks in both baseball and softball, Olympic opportunities and by offering baseball we make sure all of those pathways are open to the members.

"This is purely about giving the kids choice and opportunities."

Welts admitted that there was naturally some debate within the club whether this was a good idea. The Bears are arguably the biggest and most successful softball club in the country and are renowned as progressive thinkers.

He paid tribute to club president Brian Hooper and his late wife Vaine for picking up the idea and running with it.

"Like anything within the club there is debate about what steps are to be taken but as far as dissenting committee members that were opposed to it – I can't say there was any opposition to it other than to ensure it was in the best interests of the club," he added.

A notification of the concept was posted on the club's Facebook page earlier in the week.

"Reaction has been pretty positive – lots of shares and likes. It has been warmly received," Welts said.

"We spoke to ASA (Auckland Softball) to state our intentions. We felt there was a duty of care to notify them and check the constitution to ensure there was nothing that was going to inhibit the plans to offer both codes at the Waitakere Bears.

"There was no opposition or reason to not push ahead with it."

Welts said he hopes other softball clubs around the country go down the same path.

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