By Zach Zook

BLOOMINGTON – Peter Wards and Jackson Watt are recruitment consultants and web designers in Australia and New Zealand respectively, but they’re also world-class softball players.

Members of the Bloomington Stix fastpitch team, which has already qualified for the ISC World Tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich., Wards and Watt largely attribute their ability to be here in America competing to others.

“I guess I was lucky,” said Watt. “My boss is quite softball-oriented so he obviously saw the opportunity. It’s a life experience over here as well but obviously a chance to better my skills and play some good softball over here so I was lucky in that sense.”

While America’s Pastime is the sport of choice in the United States, fastpitch softball is large in New Zealand. With that being the case, one might wonder what the draw is to international players like Wards and Watt.

“Back home nothing is happening right now,” Wards said. “It’s winter so there’s no comp going on, so coming over is a chance to play year-round and get your skills up facing the best competition in the world.”

Wards also eluded to the challenge of being able to leave his home and work for a summer to pursue softball.

“It’s definitely the challenge of coming over,” said Wards. “It’s a very competitive comp. All of the best players in the world come and play their summers in America and Canada.”

The Bloomington Stix host its annual All Seasons Roofing Mid-Summer Classic at O’Neil Park Saturday and Sunday. The winner of the five-team tournament receives an automatic bid to the World Tournament, which will be held Aug. 12-19.

The Stix are currently ranked ninth in the nation, with the field including the third and fifth-ranked teams.

Zach Zook can be reached at [email protected].