In the prelude to the Nationals, the team went through Canterbury Wednesday Sport undefeated, the final being a match-up with Avonside Girls High School. KHS won that convincingly and went into the Nationals as Canterbury Champs.

The National Tournament was played at Mizuno Smokefree Ball Park. The week was filled with two games a day. Monday started off with an early meet at Te Kōhiko, then a nervous chatter-filled ride to the ballpark. Our early arrival at the diamonds meant we could have a thorough warm-up, and select a park that was close to the skins (as each girl's softball equipment is equal to, or exceeded their own weight).

Whaea Danna went up to headquarters for the toss and the game ball distribution. The team eagerly awaited instruction as to whether they would be fielding or batting and which dugout they needed to lug their gear to.

The team consisted of Layla Bailey-McDowell, Luanne Salter, Katya Paki, Briana Hoeta, Jorden Giles, Charlotte Wicks, Dearna Atkinson, Holly Reuben, Chloe Schroder, McKenzie Bailey-McDowell, Tui Van Pelt and Makaia Raimona.

ONE TREE HILL COLLEGE

GAME ONE vs One Tree Hill was a shock to the system as many of our girls had never come up against Premier players before and were thrown by the power and pace of the pitcher. In the field, we were unable to reign in the balls that were smashed to the outfield and many of their batters struck the ball cleanly for home runs. We retired the match early, with One Tree Hill winning 17-0. De-brief consisted of encouraging words celebrating the out plays, and the expectations of individual and team milestones for each game.

GAME TWO vs One Tree Hill was played in the afternoon on Tuesday. This day we had been relegated to playing outside on the grass diamonds. Diamond 5 was our home base for the day. The girls were relaxed, they had found themselves a wifi spot and were in high spirits. The game started out well for us as, with a change-up in the fielding roster, One Tree’s power hitters struggled to get around all the bases, coming up short of a home run. One Tree had made a change on the mound, which allowed our girls to get bat to ball, coupled with excellent base running, saw us all tied up at the end of the second to last innings. Unfortunately, we let our standard drop in the last innings and One Tree crossed over the plate five times. We had to regain composure as it was our turn to bat. One Tree made a crucial change and entered their no. 1 pitcher. We succumbed to the pressure only able to get one more across the plate, to end the game with a 13-9 victory to One Tree Hill. Despite the girls' heavy disappointment, the debrief talk was one of positivity. The girls had improved tremendously and the coaching, management and supports were more than impressed.

GAME THREE, the final game vs One Tree Hill, played out very similarly to the first, with the only difference being the scoreline, 15-2. Our girls seemed to struggle with their first game of the day, and play to their potential in the afternoons.

ALFRISTON COLLEGE

GAME ONE vs Alfriston College was a great game after the shock of the first game at Nats. There were so many highlights in this game, catches in the outfield, outs taken in the infield, great batting and base running. There was some confusion at the end of time as Alfriston thought we were even and needed to go into tie-breaker, but alas we lost the game by one. The final score was 10-9 to Alfriston.

GAME TWO vs Alfriston was the earliest start of the whole tourney. The game was scheduled for 9 am, meaning we had to be at the ballpark at 7:45 am. It was a tough day at the office for the girls. Mornings are definitely not our shine time. After such a close game against them the first time, the girls were disappointed with the 17-1 scoreline.

GAME THREE was to be the redeemer. The girls played Alfriston and excelled in both the field and at bat, to conclude the game in a tie-breaker. A tie-breaker means the inning starts with the last batter on base 2. We were unfortunately called out coming home and were unable to score the runner and conceded to Alfriston 8-9 in the tie-breaker.

WELLINGTON EAST GIRLS' COLLEGE

GAME ONE vs Wellington East was a late morning game 11 am on Tuesday. The girls warmed up well and, despite the positional rearrangements, played some great softball. Wellington East have been the girls' division one champions multiple times. We were so pleased we were able to come within five runs of them, with the final scoreline 10-5.

GAME TWO was a nail biter for the first three innings and everything was tied up at 4-all, but as everyone knows the third day of the tourney is always the hardest and the girls' concentration waned, letting errors creep into their play, and then the errors compiled to end the game at 15-4.

GAME THREE on Friday at 10 am started with a minute silence to support the ‘Ko tātou, tātou: We are one’ National Remembrance service. The girls and management of both teams joined together as one around the pitcher’s mound. Wellington East was to play the final at 12 pm, so in true RICE fashion, the Kaiapoi girls asked the umpire if our game could be shortened to give the East girls time to rest and prepare for the final against One Tree Hill. Once again the girls rose to the challenge against the 2019 Secondary Schools' National Champions and only lost by three runs, with the final score 8-5.

Congratulations to Layla Bailey-McDowell, who was selected into the NZ Secondary Schools' Tournament Team. Also, to Whaea Danna, who was also selected into the team as the Tournament Team Manager.

The team would like to thank Lisa Schroder, for being the team scorer and glucose provider; Aunty Michelle, for running base 1 and being the sustenance provider. Also, to ALL those parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers and Kaiapoi Softball Club members that were always on our sideline in support.