By JARROD POTTER
CASEY Softball Association tandem Isabel Zaharias and Natasha Holt are set to take a swing at the best softballers in the country.
Zaharias, from Pearcedale, and Holt have both been selected for the Softball Australia 2016 Junior Women’s Spirit Squad.
Formerly known as the Aussie Pride, the Under 19s women’s team will feature in a tournament this July where they can test their mettle.
Their selection in the squad comes on the back of impressive nationals performances for Softball Victoria at the recently held Under 19 championships in Queensland.
Over the New Year, the Under 19 Victorians had a great return to form, finishing third with Zaharias (second base) and Holt (catcher) proving important throughout the tournament.
“We came third in the country – was a good step up from 2014 where the side finished last,” Holt said. “It was good just because the way we came together as a lot of stuff happened.”
Zaharias didn’t know how to feel when she got the news as national representation has always been something just out of her grasp … until now.
“It’s pretty exciting and a bit of a shock,” Zaharias said. “For me personally I’ve never made any of the Aussie squads so I was pretty proud.”
Teams from New South Wales, Queensland, New Zealand and America have participated in the tournament in previous years.
After starring for the Softball Victoria side, the the two Casey women will make the step up in hopes of using this tournament as a springboard towards the ISF Junior Women’s World Championships, held in 2017 in Clearwater, Florida, America.
Holt will also set her sights towards American college softball system, but hasn’t decided where she will go yet, despite offers already from NCAA Division 1 colleges.
In the meantime, the pair will return to the Casey colours for the state championships in April – playing both Under 19 and open women’s divisions – as well as Under 19s rep team tournaments.
