ECB United Softball Club eNewsletter - 30 September | Uniform Collection, North Harbour Updates etc....

What a fantastic start to the season over the weekend! It was great to see our top women's and men's teams proudly wearing the green and representing the club on the field. Even better was seeing our loyal supporters lining the sidelines — a spot we expect will become prime real estate every Saturday right through to March 2026!

With the first games now underway and plenty more great softball to come, we’re excited for what’s shaping up to be an awesome season.

In this newsletter you'll find:

Club President Update
Club Captains Update
Uniform Collection - Sunday 19 October schedule details
Pre-Order Merchandise (shop now open)
North Harbour Softball Updates and more…..

CLUB PRESIDENT MESSAGE:

As proud members of the North Harbour Softball Association, we’re committed to doing our part to protect and maintain the great facilities we’re lucky to use. With the season fast approaching, here are a few important reminders to keep in mind:

👏 Shoutout to Our Juniors
Before we dive into the housekeeping, I want to take a moment to acknowledge our amazing juniors who came along to support our senior teams last weekend. The banners looked incredible, and the energy on the sidelines didn’t go unnoticed. The senior players were truly grateful for the support — it made a real difference. It was a fantastic show of club spirit, and something we can all be proud of. Well done everyone!

🚫 Ground Access for Team Trainings
We expect to hear from Council during the week of 20th October regarding when team trainings can officially begin. Until we receive confirmation, no team trainings are to take place on the fields. We understand everyone’s eager to get started, but we must respect Council’s process to ensure the fields remain in good condition for the season ahead.

🧹 General Housekeeping
Let’s all do our bit to keep the grounds safe, clean, and playable:

• Please use the rubbish bins provided in dugouts and around the diamonds. A quick tidy-up after each game goes a long way—and it’s a big help to our volunteers.
• Stay off the foul ball lines when warming up.
• Mats must be used on every diamond. Last season, failing to use them caused significant damage. Council has spent the last nine months repairing the grounds, so let’s protect that effort and help maintain their quality.

Thanks again for your continued support and commitment to the club and the wider North Harbour community. Let’s kick off the season the right way—together.

Rich
Club President

CLUB CAPTAINS MESSAGE:

📣 Pre-Season Training Continues This Weekend
A reminder that our pre-season training at Freyberg Park resumes this Saturday and runs every weekend through to 25th October. It’s a great chance to dust off the cobwebs and get ready for the season, especially as we can't start our team trainings until near the season start date — we’d love to see as many of you there as possible!

Training Times:
🕐 1:00–2:30 pm – Juniors (up to U13)
🕝 2:30–4:00 pm – U15 through to Seniors

Please note: Any weather-related cancellations will be posted here on Facebook, so keep an eye out for updates.

🥎 This Weekend’s Games – Premier & Premier Reserves
Come down and support our senior teams in action this weekend:

🕙 10:00 am – ECB Prem Men vs Roosters Black – Leveloff Field (Diamond 2)
🕛 12:00 pm – ECB Prem Reserve Men vs Northcote Kings – Diamond 9
🚫 ECB Prem Reserve Women – Panthers have a BYE this weekend.

📋 Final Reminder: Player Registrations
We’re currently forming teams for the season, so if you haven’t registered yet — now is the time! If you’re not registered, you won’t be included in our team numbers, so please make sure your registration is completed ASAP.

Any questions about the season please contact us

Bron and Tracey

UPDATE FROM NORTH HARBOUR SOFTBALL

WORKING BEE – SUNDAY 19 OCTOBER, 8.30AM

NHSA are holding their annual working bee on Sunday 19th October from 8.30am. Many hands make light work, and with good numbers the jobs should be finished in just a few hours. They’ll also need cars or trucks with trailers (at least 3) to make it easy to move the backstops and fences.

Jobs on the day include:

Putting up backstops
Putting up outfield fences
Laying pitching mats & bench seats
Stocking the end storage room with bases & bins
Cleaning the stadium
Weed-eating around outfield fences (Diamonds 9 & 10)
Possible water blasting

If you can make it please do. Contacts on the day: Bridget Baker & Neale Howe

HARBOUR VOLUNTEERS – HARBOUR TUAO

NHSA have started a Harbour Volunteer Group – a team of awesome people who can give their time during the season, whether it’s 30 minutes or a couple of hours.

Tasks may include:

Weed-eating around outfield fences
Removing/putting up fences for council upkeep
Assisting on the diamonds between games (training provided)
Water blasting
Helping at tournaments
Lending a hand in the canteen
Plus other jobs as they arise

They've set up a Team Reach group for quick call-outs when help is needed. Not every week will require help, but the more people in the group, the more they can spread the load. This is our home for summer, and we’re lucky to have such an awesome venue at Rosedale Park—let’s all pitch in to keep it looking its best.

Leads: Bridget Baker (Board) & Suzette Taylor (ECB)
📞 Call Bridget any time with questions: 021 023 101 77
➡ Join the Team Reach group with code: NHTuao

MERCHANDISE STORE NOW OPEN

Our Merchandise Store is now open. Order any New Balance items before 24 October for delivery before Christmas.

We have Caps, Visors, Belts, Socks in stock. Pre-order for collection at a pre-season training afternoon or purchase at uniform pick up prior to the season start date.

Get in quick with the special $15 Green T-Shirt offer. These are limited edition and almost sold out. www.ecbsoftball.org.nz/shop

if you have any questions regarding merchandise please contact merchandise@ecbsoftball.org.nz

PRE-ORDER SPORTS TOWEL $15

Pre-order your ECB Sports Towel now! Quick dry sports towel Size: 40cm x 80cm Has small elastic band to secure to a...

Uniform Collection & Registration Day
Date: Sunday, 19 October 2025 from 11am - 3pm.
Where: Freeman Field (Diamond 1), Rosedale Park.
Best access and parking: via Paul Matthews Drive entrance.

To ensure you're ready to start the season on 01 November, this is a critical day to collect your uniform and avoid delays in receiving your gear. You’ll also be able to:
- Finalise any outstanding registrations
- Purchase essential merchandise such as belts, caps, visors, and other ECB gear

Scheduled Time Slots (by Grade):
11:00 – 11:30am – Under 5 & Under 7
11:30 – 12:00pm – Under 9
12:00 – 12:30pm – Under 11
12:30 – 1:00pm – Under 13
1:00 – 1:30pm – Under 15/17 Girls & Under 15 Boys
1:30 – 2:30pm – Under 17/19 Boys
2:30 – 3:00pm – Seniors

These times are designed to help with flow and reduce wait times. If you have players in multiple grades, please attend during any one of your allocated time slots—what’s most important is that you collect your uniform on this day. For example, if you're an U7 player and can only come with the Seniors, that's absolutely fine.

Can't attend?
If you're unable to make it on the day, please email uniforms@ecbsoftball.org.nz to discuss options.

Let’s get everyone ready and equipped before the start of the season!

UPDATES:

FEE OPTIONS
We have multiple payment options or contact Suzette (treasurer@ecbsoftball.org.nz) to set up a payment plan. Please note: all fees must be paid in full by the first Saturday of play (unless a payment plan is arranged).

ECB WEBSITE TIPS - www.ecbsoftball.org.nz
Our ECB Softball website is your one-stop hub for everything you need — from the weekly draw and merchandise shop to the calendar, latest updates, past emails, rules, and more. See below the updated game times, now on the website. Note Div 1 Men is still TBC.