Australian softball player Kahu Kapea ready for International Youth Cup

Friday, March 23, 2012

Hawker, Canberra — Australian Capital Territory (ACT) U15 representative Kahu Kapea is gearing up for the International Youth Cup tomorrow in Sydney where she is to play in an international match against a Japanese U15 side. Wikinews caught up with her between a double header at the Hawker International Softball Centre where Australia women's national softball team played Japan women's national softball team.

She was not aware that softball had been played at the Olympics until recently and has no particular desire to play in the Games, though she has ambitions to make the national team. Which country is a bit of an issue. Kapea's preference is for Australia but she is half Australian and half New Zealander so she could play for either team and her father would not mind seeing her representing the Kiwis.

The Sydney born Kapea plays softball, soccer, and does dance, but she sees softball as her future. It is the sport she excels the most at, both her parents played the game, and many family friends are involved with the sport. She started playing the game as a five or six year old, filling in for a youth teeball team coached by a family friend that needed players to fill in the squad.

Kapea, the youngest and tallest member of the current ACT Gold side, has represented the ACT and local clubs in competitions that have given her opportunities to travel to Sydney and Melbourne. She played for ACT at the School Sport Australia National Championship last year in Melbourne.

When asked if she faced any discrimination because she is half Maori and softball is traditionally a game for white girls, she said no. Her teammates were all tremendously supportive and hung out together as a group. If other softballers on the boys team or elsewhere in ACT softball made any comments, her teammates would correct them. Kapea said the ACT softball community was like a family.

She and other ACT softball players are to be at the Junior International Challenge on Saturday at the Blacktown Inernational Softball Centre.

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Related news

"Japanese national team decisively beats ACT 10-0 in four innings" — Wikinews, March 20, 2012
"Japanese national team beats ACT softball team" — Wikinews, March 20, 2012
"Adam Folkard and Nick Norton ready for more men's softball" — Wikinews, March 19, 2012

Sources

This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter. See the collaboration page for more details.

"National events — International Youth Cup" — Softball Australia, March 23, 2012 (date of access)
"Softball ACT — Junior International Challenge" — Softball Australia, March 23, 2012 (date of access)
"PSSA Girl’s Championship Wraps Up" — Softball NSW Umpires Association, September 3, 2011

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