It’s been a brilliant season for our softballers, with several achivements, including Charlotte Graham (Year 11) being named in the 2021 New Zealand Junior White Sox softball squad.
This has been a goal for Charlotte ever since she started playing softball – and it’s amazing to have achieved it at only 15-years-of-age.
Charlotte plays softball for the Roosters Softball Club in the North Harbour Association and has represented North Harbour in many tournaments around New Zealand. She has always been an active and dedicated player with the Westlake Girls Softball teams since starting in Year 9. Charlotte is the pitcher for her team(s) and also enjoys playing first base and third.
Charlotte is pictured top in action, below centre, and right (number 12) standing next to her coach.
At left, Charlotte (centre) is pictured with fellow Westlake softballers Cheyleigh Natana-Wihongi (left) and Jayah Lee (right).
Jayah had some great softball achievements this past season. Some of these include NZ Development Sox 2020, NZ Development Sox 2021, Auckland U15 representative 2020, Blue Sox representative U18 2020, and Top U15 batter in NZ 2020. Jayah played for the Waitakere bears womans prems team who took out 1st place in their series.
Cheyleigh’s achievements include: Auckland U18 Rep Team, Northern Regional Winners, Northern Regional Tournament Team, Northern Regional Top Pitcher, New Zealand Junior White Sox, Graeme Gollan U18 Championship Winners, Gollan Tournament Team. Gollan Tournament Top Pitcher, NZ Secondary Tournament Team, NZ Secondary Div 1 – 3rd Place, Auckland U18 Girls Winners – Auckland United Auckland U18’s Easter Classic Team Easter Classic U18 Girls – Runners Up.
For a school where we only have a small player pool for softball, our success rate is high. Charlie along with fellow Westlake girls past/current players Pania Reihana-Halford, Maddison Gerbes, Cheyleigh Natana-Wihongi and Jayah Lee, have all been apart of current/played Junior White Sox or Junior Development Sox team. We also have a number regional representatives to add.
A big mihi to Jason Gerbes and Trina Baggett who both came on board and brought softball to our school. This has been carried on by Popz Mariner, Heidi and Jason Murray.