Orewa College students Denise Swanepoel and Jackson Magan achieve national and regional success representing North Harbour in softball tournaments in Palmerston North.

Denise Swanepoel earns NZ Tournament Team selection while Jackson Magan claims U13 Rookie Sox title

Palmerston North hosted two significant softball events in February, with Orewa College students Denise Swanepoel and Jackson Magan both representing North Harbour at different levels of the game.

Denise competed at the Heartland Softball National Championship, where she was selected for the New Zealand Tournament Team. The championship brought together regional sides from across the country, with selection recognising her performance during the tournament.

At the same time, Year 7 student Jackson Magan was part of the North Harbour Under 13 representative team that won the Rookie Sox tournament at Colquhoun Park. It was Jackson’s first time representing North Harbour in softball. After progressing through several rounds of trials, he joined 14 other players from across the wider region to form the squad.

The team trained through the summer break and built strong connections, which contributed to their success against representative teams from across the North Island. For Jackson, the tournament also marked his first time away from home competing with a new group of teammates, an experience he thoroughly enjoyed.

Both achievements highlight strong North Harbour representation from Orewa College students across different stages of the sport.

Photo credit: Kane Magan