The New Zealand Secondary Schools Junior Championships is happening in Auckland this week.
Te Kāea went along to the Day 1 of the tournament and met some of our Māori players who are passionate about the sport.
This competition has now been running for 7 years and this year, it has brought together 8 boys teams and 5 girls teams. Although it's only Day 1, players are already confident.
"The boys went alright they played pretty well until the last innings they just had a good bat in the end," says Peter Seeling.
For those who are Year 10, this is their second time competing in this tournament, however, for some, this is a brand new experience.
Isobel Kamoe says, "When I first started, I didn't know anything, I didn't know how to throw, I didn't know how to catch then my coach started teaching me and now I’m at nationals."
As softball is not one of the most popular sports throughout secondary schools in New Zealand, there is the hope that by moving it to other main centres it will create more interest.
According to Eugene Gilbert, "A lot of these kids come straight from rugby, from league, from netball and it’s just making them aware that this tournament exists and once we do that we suddenly get all the interest."
Some players here will have the chance to then move on to the next level of softball come the New Year.
"A lot of these kids start here at the junior secondary schools stay on and go play in the senior ones that are in March," says Gilbert.
Games will take place right up until this coming Thursday.