Softball coming to a stand still in Hagen
By ALPHONSE ANDREW
THERE is growing fear that softball may die out in rugby league mad Highlands region because of unavailability of land for use as playing fields in the main
centres.
While other premier softball playing coastal centres have just completed their 2007-08 season, Mount Hagen has not even started theirs.
Aworried Mt Hagen Softball Association president Demas Gigimat said recently that the season could not start after they were barred from using the two fields in the city which they previously had access to.
Gigimat said the regular Gomis Oval diamond in Tarangau has been turned into a rugby league field to host the Duma Gomis off-season rugby league competition.
As an alternative, the softballers normally use the Mt Hagen Secondary School oval but last year the school administration advised them that they were no longer welcome to use the school field.
Gigimat said other Highlands centres such as Goroka, Mendi, Wabag and Kundiawa are also facing the same problems of no fields.
The association had tried without success in recent years to secure a proper playing field in the city. They have held talks with sports officials at Kapal Haus, but
nothing concrete has transpired.
Mt Hagen Softball Association had NGI, PNG Power, PNG Waterboard, Gazelle, Unicats and Royals men and women teams lined up for this season.
He said the association, unlike in previous years, would not be able to send their representative sides to the National Championships in Port Moresby next week because they have not played a game to make a selection.
Gigimat has appealed to higher authorities for help, saying that softball is a family game and it also promotes the same goals and visions of social development as other sporting codes.
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