“Our game is one that if you see it, you enjoy it. If you take part in it, you love it for life.”
If you’ve been around a softball diamond in New Zealand, chances are you’ve crossed paths — directly or indirectly — with the work of Dave Elder. As Softball New Zealand’s Community Lead, Elder has made it his mission to ensure the sport doesn’t just survive but thrives at every level, from grassroots schoolyards to elite competitions.
It’s a role that feels like a natural progression for someone who has been immersed in the game since he was five years old. Elder’s journey has taken him from player to coach, representing clubs and regions in both New Zealand and Australia, and even coaching at international level. That lifelong love of the game, he says, is what drew him to apply for his current role: “I have a genuine love of the game and that led me to apply for the Community Lead Role for Softball NZ.”
Elder’s job is less about sitting behind a desk and more about being out in the community, listening, advising, and connecting people. A typical week could involve anything from meeting with local associations to liaising with Sport NZ and Regional Sports Trusts. “Really it’s about making myself available and of value to our associations,” he explains. “That means understanding what they need, investigating how we might deliver it, and then helping them put it into practice.”
It’s a hands-on, relationship-driven role — and one that has allowed him to witness some of the sport’s most encouraging developments up close. When asked about highlights so far, Elder doesn’t talk about trophies or elite pathways. Instead, he points to the people. “Without doubt the humbleness of our hard-working people in our sport. Seeing the growth in the regional centres has been so heartening. The passion is immense, and while associations are very competitive, the willingness to help each other is incredible.”
One standout moment has been the reintroduction of the Heartland competition, which celebrates and connects regional softball communities. For Elder, initiatives like these highlight what makes the sport unique: competition that is fierce on the diamond but underpinned by camaraderie and shared love of the game.
Of course, building strong foundations isn’t without its challenges. Participation, facilities, and resources remain pressing issues across grassroots sport. Yet Elder sees opportunity in the way softball connects people through enjoyment first, rather than pressure to perform. “We don’t all have to be world champions to be able to share in the success of those athletes and officials who started from grassroots,” he says. “Every person involved in and enjoying softball is the basis of our game.”
Behind the scenes, Softball New Zealand is working on initiatives designed to keep the game healthy and sustainable for years to come. Elder highlights the Strengthen and Adapt programme, which provides associations with access to training and resources. Regular regional hui give communities the chance to share issues and ideas, while new pilot programmes are being rolled out this season to help retain and grow participation among rangatahi wāhine (13–18-year-old girls). Practical coaching sessions around the country are also on the horizon.
Support is coming from outside the diamond too. Elder is quick to acknowledge The Dugout’s contribution in helping drive the junior game, giving young players opportunities to develop their skills early.
Looking ahead, Elder’s vision is clear: accessibility and enjoyment at every level. “The key for me is to have everyone understand that the game is about enjoyment and that it is just as important to have softball available to as many people as possible at community and social levels as it is to have opportunities at the competitive and elite levels,” he says.
Exposure is another big piece of the puzzle. The more people see softball played at its highest level, the more likely they are to pick up a glove and bat themselves. “Our game is one that if you see it, you enjoy it. If you take part in it, you love it for life.”
For Dave Elder, that’s the heart of the mission: building a sport where everyone — from a five-year-old trying teeball for the first time, to a national representative pulling on the black jersey — has a place to play, grow, and belong.