The softball season gets under way in Dunedin today.
The newly-appointed operations manager Grace Carver has even been roped into playing for a team.
That will be a steep leaning curve.
The 21-year-old is more familiar with a netball court than a softball diamond.
"I’m incredibly new to this."
Carver started in the role in mid-August and was still "finishing up [her] degree in science and management".
But while softball was still a little baffling and the rules far from second nature, she had a "huge background in sport in general".
She played netball and rowed. But an ACL injury stopped her from doing the majority of the sports she loved, she said.
Carver hails from Tauranga, but moved south to study.
Otago Softball shifted from its base at Ellis Park to Hancock Park in 2020.
The sport was huge back in the 1980s, but slowly withered away.
The premier grade got down to just two teams and was eventually axed.
This season there are 12 senior teams competing in two divisions, and seven junior teams will also compete during today’s opening day.
Carver still had plenty to do yesterday when the Otago Daily Times popped in for a chat.
The junior grades start from 10am, with the seniors getting under way at noon. There are around 180 senior players and 100 or so juniors.
Carver was still struggling with some of the softball jargon, but that would come in time, she said.
In the meantime, she had tremendous support from chairwomen Karla Browning and facilities manager Jodi Loffley.
Browning said the departure of former operations manager Stacey Wardell — who moved into a role with the Otago Rugby Football Association — had been a big challenge for Otago Softball.
"Stacey’s role had got so big, so when she left the board had to look at the whole structure," Browning said.
The role was split into two. Loffley is in charge of the facilities, while Carver’s responsibility is to organise the competition.
"I want to develop the Governance side of things," Carver said.
"It functions as it is. It all works, but there are ways we could improve it.
"When Stacey left they had to scramble. When I leave I want to say this is how it should be done and I want to create a system for the next person."
