Time for White Sox to deliver on Olympic dream
Thursday 1 February 2007, 4:24PM
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PRESS RELEASE. The final step along the road to the 2008 Beijing Olympics begins in Taiwan tomorrow for the New Zealand Community Trust White as they face up to their final qualification bid.
Along with five other teams Chinese Taipei, Singapore, DPR Korea, Philippines and South Korea, the NZCT White Sox are looking to secure victory at the Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament being played in Tainan city from February 1-7.
New Zealand’s first game of the tournament is going to be a big one as they take on tournament hosts Chinese Taipei. As the highest ranked team in the tournament they will go into the tournament as the favourite in the view of NZCT White Sox assistant coach Roman Gabriel.
“Against Chinese Taipei we will be looking to set the benchmark for the rest of the tournament. We want to set the standard and let everyone know how good we are. Chinese Taipei is the best ranked team so they would be favourites on paper but we can’t take the other teams for granted,†said Gabriel.
The qualifier will be held over seven days with all teams competing in a double round robin. Following that the top two sides will contest a best of three finals series.
Gabriel is confident the New Zealand side is capable of tasting success but he says the key will be everyone in the squad from one through to 17 working together.
“We need to be disciplined with our hitting and we need to keep it simple and do the basics well. We need all 17 players on the same page,†said Gabriel.
Going into the tournament Gabriel and the NZCT White Sox management team will be looking to the three selected pitchers Ali Arnold, Michelle Kingi and Sheree Cartwright to work together as a unit and keep the team in the game.
“This will allow power hitters such as Kim Dermott and Togi Lote to come into the game and deliver with the bat.†said Gabriel.
Gabriel believes that if the NZCT White Sox secure a place in the 2008 Olympics it will provide a real boost for the sport in New Zealand and will provide a huge carrot for many of the younger players in the game.
New Zealand’s first game in the Olympic Qualifying tournament will be tomorrow afternoon at 4pm (NZ time) against Chinese Taipei.
Along with five other teams Chinese Taipei, Singapore, DPR Korea, Philippines and South Korea, the NZCT White Sox are looking to secure victory at the Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualifying tournament being played in Tainan city from February 1-7.
New Zealand’s first game of the tournament is going to be a big one as they take on tournament hosts Chinese Taipei. As the highest ranked team in the tournament they will go into the tournament as the favourite in the view of NZCT White Sox assistant coach Roman Gabriel.
“Against Chinese Taipei we will be looking to set the benchmark for the rest of the tournament. We want to set the standard and let everyone know how good we are. Chinese Taipei is the best ranked team so they would be favourites on paper but we can’t take the other teams for granted,†said Gabriel.
The qualifier will be held over seven days with all teams competing in a double round robin. Following that the top two sides will contest a best of three finals series.
Gabriel is confident the New Zealand side is capable of tasting success but he says the key will be everyone in the squad from one through to 17 working together.
“We need to be disciplined with our hitting and we need to keep it simple and do the basics well. We need all 17 players on the same page,†said Gabriel.
Going into the tournament Gabriel and the NZCT White Sox management team will be looking to the three selected pitchers Ali Arnold, Michelle Kingi and Sheree Cartwright to work together as a unit and keep the team in the game.
“This will allow power hitters such as Kim Dermott and Togi Lote to come into the game and deliver with the bat.†said Gabriel.
Gabriel believes that if the NZCT White Sox secure a place in the 2008 Olympics it will provide a real boost for the sport in New Zealand and will provide a huge carrot for many of the younger players in the game.
New Zealand’s first game in the Olympic Qualifying tournament will be tomorrow afternoon at 4pm (NZ time) against Chinese Taipei.