Cape Town - Local softball clubs say they are looking forward to an improved season after threats to the sport as the Cape Town Softball Association (CTSA) was placed under administration.
This followed the discovery by the Western Cape Softball Association (WCSA), that the CTSA was badly run, not adhering to its constitution, and ignoring its oversight and orders.
CTSA was placed under administration in November last year, which meant it could no longer be led by an executive, and the WCSA had full control over the decision-making.
During that period, a WCSA administrator said CTSA had been given a roadmap that would take it out of administration.
Now, months later, the sport is more prominent than ever, following the election of a new executive committee earlier this year.
Carolyn Inglis, the CTSA chairperson, said all the matters have been resolved.
“We were taken out of administration in March, we had an elective AGM in April and new executive officials were elected into positions.
“We are a full executive committee,” she said.
Inglis said they had now moved on after there was a real fear for the future of softball in the city.
The association has more than 50 senior men’s and women’s teams and several junior teams.
“We were very fearful because it put us in a negative light; it didn’t make the sporting code attractive to anybody,” Inglis explained.
“From a governance point of view, we are going to look at the athlete, and it’s going to be athlete-centred more than anything else.”
Catherine Erasmus, head of the Glenthorn A’s Softball Club in Athlone, said they were excited for the new season, particularly with the new executive members in place.
“We have our doubts, and we feel softball is going to the dogs, but we feel this year we are starting afresh with our new people, and they are ready to go,” she said.
The upcoming season will see more games for the senior men and women, as well as a focus on youngsters and schools, CTSA said.
There will also be more tournaments, more player time, and weekly night games for men's softball matches that will kick off soon.
Inglis added: “There is more positivity within the organisation, we had numerous workshops since the executive committee and meetings where we planned the way forward.”
The season is expected to start on the first or second weekend in October.
Emile Teegler, softball manager of the Silvertree Titans, described the sport as being on the rise, saying there are individuals working to further grow the sport.
“I do believe softball is starting to look brighter now than it was a few years ago.
“There are people working behind the scenes to get softball back, to get the excitement in getting the people back in so that we can once again grow the sport,” Teegler said.
Cape Argus