The excitement levels are rising for two young Kiwi baseball players who will meet up with the rest of the New Zealand All Star U13 squad for the 2017 Cal Ripken World Series (CRWS) in August at the brand new Ballparks of America facility in Branson, Missouri, USA.

The team assembles in Auckland on Monday for a final five-day training camp and with players selected from all over New Zealand and Australia, including third-time selection Nikau Pouaka-Grego (Christchurch Redbirds) and first-timer Hunter Southey (Howick-Pakuranga) who both can’t wait to get to America to play ball.

“I love to represent my country and I love the Ripken tournament,” Pouaka-Grego said after being selected for his third series beginning when he was first selected in 2015 as a 10-year old. “As it is my third time playing in the tournament, I will be able to pass on my knowledge to my teammates and at the same time play as hard as I can, and every year it gets better, because I know what to expect (from the level of competition) and I get to see my American family again (at previous tournaments, players stayed at local residents homes in Aberdeen, Maryland).
Nikau Pouaka-Grego

“The level of competition is very high and I’ve been working hard since the end of the (summer) season to ensure I’m in the best shape come August, training every day with strength and conditioning in addition to on-field drills,” said Nikau who has been able to train with his younger brother Patariki (Paki) who is in the wider training squad. “With Paki in the squad, it has been easier to get more out of training defensively as he is a fellow infielder, helping me up the middle (infield) and pushing me.”

The hard work has been matched by first-time selection Hunter Southey, who plays for the Howick-Pakuranga Baseball Cub. “I have trained hard every day during and since the season, working on all facets of the game, as I know I need to work hard to get to level of other players at this tournament,” Southey said.

Hunter Southey

“I watched some of the games last year online and the teams are going to be very hard to beat,” said Southey, adding, “We will be playing (baseball powerhouses) Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and last year’s winners Japan, and I’ve been told by players who’ve played at the tournament that the players are going to be really good.”

Diamondblacks, Howick-Pakuranga and former professional Brisbane Bandits pitcher Andrew Marck will be head coach for the team and will be assisted by fellow New Zealand national team member and Adelaide Bite catcher/infielder Connar O’Gorman, along with National Development Officer Dan Tan and long-time Auckland and Counties youth coach Mark Irwin.

This will be Andrew Marck’s first time as head coach of a national team, serving as an assistant coach with the Ripken team a year ago in Maryland. “Having been an assistant to 2016 head coach Randy Yard, I learned a great deal from him on how he managed the team and am looking forward to taking the reins this year, this is a big step in my coaching career I’m looking to add my innovative approach to the team,” said Marck.

“We have a very strong coaching staff and I look forward to getting together with them to discuss our approach and the selection process,” said Marck, who added, “Under 13 is a very important age in a young ball players life and for this country, and I look forward to having an influence on their careers.”

The team will meet for the final camp at Bayside-Westhaven’s Crossfields Reserve grounds in Glendowie from Monday to Friday before heading to Missouri for a wood bat tournament to prepare for the Cal Ripken World Series, which runs from 3rd to 10th August.