Softball lovers can experience some of the best softball players in New Zealand face-off in addition to a number one-ranked international team and reigning world champions, the Argentina men’s national team, this weekend.
The premier men’s and women’s tournaments run from November 11-13 at Meadowlands Reserve.
Argentina will be joining the Brad Croawell Tournament in preparation for the WBSC 2022 Men’s Softball World Cup starting in Auckland on November 26.
The Bev Smith Premier Women’s Tournament and The Brad Croawell Premier Men’s Tournament are sure to be a treat this year with the Argentina men’s national team in the Brad Croawell tournament and the New Zealand Junior White Sox in the Bev Smith Tournament.
The tournaments are named after two Howick Softball club members.
Smith died from breast cancer in 2008 aged 47 and Croawell died in 2018 aged 24 due to a neuromuscular condition called Friedreich’s ataxia.
These tournaments are a pinnacle event in the softball calendar each year where they spread awareness and raise funds for both Breast Cancer Research and FARA NZ [Freidreich Ataxia Research Association New Zealand].
“This is an amazing opportunity for our New Zealand male and female players to see and face some of the best international players in the world,” says Howick Softball Club’s Stefanie Smith.
There will be New Zealand Black Sox and White Sox players participating in the local club teams which will provide some great competition for the junior White Sox Women’s Team and Argentina’s men’s team.
The must-see game of the tournament includes the Argentina vs Accent Insurance Howick at 5pm on Saturday, November 12.
Both the men’s and women’s finals will be at 1.15pm on Sunday, November 13.
To view the draw for the tournaments, head to the Howick Softball website www.howicksoftball.co.nz.
