BALLER OF THE MONTH - NOVEMBER

 JOSHUA NIU

Josh plays outfield for Waitakere Bears premier men as well as the Samoan men's team. We asked him a few questions and got some pretty great answers back too...

1. How long have you been playing ball for?

2. What made you start playing?

Softball is in my blood. Stemming from my grandfather who was introduced to the game when he came to New Zealand from Niue, my parents wanted me and my brothers to always be involved in sport, so softball was our summer life from their love for the game, my brothers and I were hooked, so it was the start of the " Niu Era " in softball.

3. If you weren't playing softball, what would you be doing?

I would be taking part in another sport, sport gives you a great opportunity to challenge yourself and others, meet new people, go to new places and to be part of a culture regardless of what sport. These qualities are what makes playing sport fun.

4. What's some advice you would give younger players?

Just be yourself and always challenge yourself to be better then you were yesterday. Have fun and never lose sight of why you started playing this game.

5. What's your favourite type of food?

I love food so this is probably the hardest question, it has to be nana's chop suey, mum's roast lamb and my own special three hour pasta.

6. What's your favourite type of music?

Anything you can put your head down and just dance too, I'm not fussy when I'm on the D-floor, beware of the spirit bomb. Lol.

7. Who is your favourite sports team?

Would have to be the 2003-2004 Auckland Metro premier men's team. Hilarious bunch of guys but when it came down to playing ball these guys did it best. Awesome to be a part of.

8. What is your most memorable softball moment?

There has been a number of memorable moments but Hitting a homerun against Venezuela at World Series was pretty spectacular, a moment I'll always remember.

9. Who is your favourite roomie/s, and why?

Alfons Oveinikovas and Stanley Muller, these guys were my first roomies away on a U17s national tournament, just the jokes and talks we had throughout the week was one of the best times I've had.

10. What have you been doing over the off-season?

Over the off season I spent my time playing a softball season in Czech Republic. It was a new experience for me playing in a whole new competition and it was a great time on and off the field.

11. What could we improve about softball in New Zealand?

Development throughout our youth is always key when talking about improvements. But for me, personally I think there are two things we really need to improve on, umpire numbers and quality and also coaching. Both very hard positions to fill as it is a voluntary role. But as with anything if there is money involved a lot more people would take on the role.

12. What's your favourite number to play in, and why?

#4 When I first started playing my number was 4, when I had to change teams to an older grade they only had 1 shirt, coincidentally it was number 4, when I entered the school softball team, the shirt that was picked by random was 4, so it's always had it's way of finding me but also coincidentally me and my 3 brothers make 4 so it means even something more special.

13. What do you like about playing for Bears?

Bears to me aren't teammates, we are a family. It's one of, if not the closest team I've been a part of in my career. Being a senior member of our Bears team gives me a responsibility of leading by example which pushes me and gives me the drive I need to become a better player myself and who better to do that with, then the brothers you stand with on the diamond.

14. If you had to pick one player to carpool with to every game, who would it be and why?

I have 2, Luke Peters because he can get me there the fastest and on time, and Gordy Hooper, because he's got mean sounds in his car.

15. What is your favourite quote?

Your playing shirt means more than a club and a number, it represents a story of commitment, it represents a legacy, it represents history. Respect it and one day someone will wear your name and number with pride.

Skvělý závěr sezony. Předcházel mu požár poslední buňky vedle baseballového lf, který hasiči pacifikovali přes násep jižní spojky. Doufejme, že nic cenného nebylo zničeno. Oslava kvalitního pražského softballu tak po dramatické předehře mohla začít. Celkem pohodlně jsme se jali vedení 5-2. Přispěly zejména tři body v pětce po odpalu PeBeho do vnějšku. Ten se hnal na dvojku, když zjistil, že jeho spoluhráči na metách tak akční nejsou. Zahájil tedy agresivní run-down, kdy pěti bleskurychlými otočkami mezi 1-2 oba běžce z met dostal a sám byl safe na dva. Fulleros s novou tváří Benym srovnali v dohrávce sedmičky po Benyho ostrém odpalu do cf. Prodlužovalo se. Poslední borec lineupu Víno na dva auty tvrdě dabloval do rf a stáhl dva lead off body. Následovali 4 hity včetně homerunu Káji. Doběhli jsme celkem pro 7 bodů a bylo rozhodnuto. Poslední aut pak symbolicky zahrál nejmladší player Johny Hai. První regulérní hit za muže v mistráku zaznamenal stejně starý (vlastně mladý) Adam Kyp. Zářil Strejda! 3/4!

Nejlepším pálkařem sezony je Petr Bednář s AVG .434. Nejlepším homerunářem Kája Rozehnal se třemi long bally. Hráči Smyl sr., Preininger, Tomášek a Kyp mají ve statistikách jedno technické AB navíc, protože nedosáhli na 3 AB za sezónu.

V nejlepší regionální soutěži v ČR, Pražském přeboru, tak letos obsazujeme 4. místo.