Raqaiyah Nuska named MVP as Hedland Hurricanes show skills at State championships

Port Hedland’s Raqaiyah Nuska has been named the MVP of the under-16s Junior Softball Championship with the Hedland Hurricanes making it all the way to the semifinals.

The competition was held in Perth from March 5-6 with the Hedland Hurricanes showing off their skills winning two of their games and falling short to eventual premiers Woodland Wolves in the semifinal.

Nuska, 15, starred as a pitcher, being recognised by Softball WA and named as the tournament MVP and also listed on the all-star team list as the designated pitcher.

She said the side trained hard in Hedland in the lead-up to the tournament.

“We trained three times a week and we played scratch matches against softball ladies up here in baseball,” she said.

She said it was a great achievement to be named MVP but was also happy with how the team performed.

“We thought the competition was going to be higher, but it turned out they were on the same level as well,” she said.

“I learned a lot. I’ve watched everybody, I watched all the teams play and saw how they played so by seeing them I tried to improve how to play that spot.”

Nuska’s mum, Kate said she was shocked and proud when Raqaiyah was named MVP.

“There were quite a few tears shed,” she said.

She said the children respected their coaches Tamara Simpson, Shelley Glass and Emma Simpson.

“They got along. they were so encouraging. And I think that really helped the team that kept this spirit high, even on losses,” she said.

Kate Nuska said the Hedland girls gave some of the competition a scare.

“They did think that they were going to lose so it was good that Hedland sort of shocked them into going ‘Yeah, we’re from up north but there’s talent here’,” she said.