Softball challenged to retain regional superiority

 By WENDY KATUSELE

SOFTBALL has been challenged to continue maintaining its superiority in the Pacific region.

PNG Sports Foundation chief executive officer Peter Tsiamalili Junior issued the challenge while officiating as guest speaker at a traditional ceremony held in Port Moresby to farewell the code’s home ground at Bisini on Saturday

The Bisini Parade, which has softball, soccer, netball rugby union and cricket, is set to see development for next year’s Pacific Games. 

New plans will see softball take up residence at the old Ken Lifu Oval, next to the Colts Cricket Ground. 

Tsimalili, who was confirmed as PNG Sports Foundation executive director by the National Executive Council last week, said while the softball diamonds would be moved to a new site, the onus was now on the Softball Federation to get the code to the next level after dominating the Pacific Games for decades.

“With the new facilities it should give softball the edge to up the ante,” Tsiamalili said.

Softball PNG are the defending Pacific champions after winning gold at the 2007 Samoa Games.

PNG has been assured of a gold medal by the PNGSF with two international matches scheduled for the national women’s team in September and the men’s team in October in Australia.

PNGSF senior vice-president Ralph Tarasomo made the undertaking to Tsiamalili.

While he congratulated the PNGSF and its two affiliates, Port Moresby Women’s Association and the Port Moresby Men’s League for going through a transition and incorporating traditional values and customs in the game. “This closes one chapter of history you built many years ago but opens a new era,” Tsiamalili told players and their families who had gathered to witness the traditional ceremony with pig killing and mumu.

PNGSF president Chris Bais, who is a maimai (chief), performed the customary ritual to mark those softball greats and administrators who had passed on.