A softball revival is on the cards as the 2016-17 Softball season prepares to get under way at the Philip Kahts Stadium in Bunkers Hill this coming weekend.
Softball, once a revered sport in East London at the respected stadium once called the best in South Africa, the sport however then dramatically tumbled from grace along with the stadium which fell into disrepair and for the last three years was not even used at all as it sat vacant and completely vandalised.
An undertaking this year to lift it back to its former glory has however been taken on and with money having been invested in the stadium fixing it up and with the ground cleaned up and fixed it is ready to see some action.
This has been made possible by the intervention of Luthando Bara of LGP, the brainchild behind the Legends Marathon and Berlin November Horseracing, who is supporting the resuscitation of softball in the region.
“Close to half a million has already been put in here to get this place back up and running again,” said Bara.
As part of the agreement between LGP and the Eastern Cape Softball Association which operates a bar in the facility, a percentage of funds raised from bar proceeds is to be channelled back into the sport.
Most of the funds towards the revival have come from a music lounge which has been set up at the venue and operates on the weekends.
“I believe that we can work out the problems here and make sure that everyone can be happy and this will in the end lead to softball being the winner.”
Bara was alluding to earlier complaints from Bunkers Hill residents as regards the noise emanating from the music lounge.
“We are ready for the season and excited to see softball back being played at the Philip Kahts Stadium,” said head of Eastern Cape Softball Association chairman Bongani Masika.
This year a junior and senior division will be played, where in previous years just the senior sides have played.
Teams from King William’s Town, Mdantsane, Duncan Village and Buffalo Flats along with University teams from Walter Sisulu University and Fort Hare will be taking part in the senior division while junior sides from around East London and King William’s Town will be taking part.
“These are just the teams that will definitely be playing this season, but we would like any players who are interested in softball to come,” said Masika.
“This is a sport for everyone and I would like to get as many teams as possible involved and playing here again.”
Also of importance for the sport is to try and get more players from the rural areas involved, which they are actively trying to do.
“Softball is not a cheap sport, the equipment is very expensive and then we also need funds to get the players from the different areas to the stadium, but this is important for us and something we need to do,” explained Masika.
This Saturday will see teams meeting at the stadium.
“It will be the first day of the season, we will be registering all the teams, all of the players will be here and it will be great to get everything under way,” said Masika.
“It will be an exciting day for the teams and we are looking forward to them playing here at the Philip Kahts again.”