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Despite being one of New Zealand’s biggest softball clubs, fun is still at the heart of Waiuku
Softball Club.
Softball Club.
Rebecca Van Dijken, the founder and president of the club, also coaches, manages, and
umpires to help the team.
umpires to help the team.
Van Dijken has played softball ever since she was young and joined a softball club after
moving to Auckland.
moving to Auckland.
“I most recently played for Pukekohe, and when that club decided to break away from the
Counties Association and form a new association, I decided at that point that I wanted to put my own softball team into the competition.
“I asked a whole bunch of friends, I said I’ll teach you how to play softball if you want to
join my team, and they did. So, it all started with one team of women and that was five years ago. It has grown from one team to 28 teams in those five years.”
While 98 per cent of its 370 members live in the Waiuku area, some members come from asfar as Papakura and Te Kauwhata.
“People who choose to play for our club can live anywhere within the proximity; they don’t
have to register with a local club,” said Van Dijken.
have to register with a local club,” said Van Dijken.
Each Saturday, the club competes in the Franklin competition, where games are played across three locations: Waiuku, Pokeno, or Pukekohe. There are 16 women’s teams and 14 men’s teams.
“Everybody plays all of the teams once, and then we shake up the top and bottom of the table, and the top teams play each other for a place in the finals. The kids’ competition is under 13s and under 11s in that as well,” said Van Dijken.
Championship games are held in March, and everyone who plays competes to go into the
championships. Last year, their women’s team won their division, and Van Dijken hopes to
repeat that success next year.
