16 May 2025, Issue 1260
Softball saviour He’s there day and night, according to Western Bay of Plenty Softball Association vice president Vance Tuheke. “He puts in way too many hours and has done a great job for WBOP softball.” He’s talking about WBOP softball club president Paul Goodall, pictured, who began
playing the sport in 1979 when a college peer threw him a softball glove. “You’ve got a pretty accurate arm,” said his mate, and the rest is history. After 46 years in the sport, Goodall was recently honoured with two of the sport’s top national awards, Administrator of the Year and
Softballer of the Year, by the New Zealand Softball Association. The accolades reflect Goodall’s tireless work at the Western Bay of Plenty softball club since he moved to Tauranga, in 2016. Back then the club had roughly 180 members. Today it boasts more than 400. “It was trundling along but needed
an injection of enthusiasm and knowledge,” said Goodall, who described softball as his passion. At the awards night, Goodall was described as being “the heart and backbone of softball in the Bay of Plenty”. And he doesn’t plan on quitting any time soon. Read his story on page 4. Photo / Brydie Thompson
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