THE Monmouth Rockets Softball Club has started the season with success on and off the field.

Not only have they won five out of their first seven matches of the season in the Bristol Second division but three of their players have been selected to represent their country in the European Cadette (Under-16) Girls' Fastpitch Championships in Sardinia, Italy.

This is the European Softball Federation's bi-annual championship for under-16 national teams starting on Monday 29th June and ending Saturday 4th July.

The Great Britain Cadette Team finished sixth when this tournament was last held in 2013 but they hope to do better this time with a constantly improving team.

The Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls pupils – Issie Mosley, Alys Thomas and Mary Racz – spent a gruelling winter travelling back and forth to the softball academy in Farnham to train with the national coaches and compete for selection and the months of hard work have paid off.

It is an especially impressive achievement for Mary as, aged 14, she will be the youngest player in the GB squad. The selection of the Monmouth trio continues a tradition of excellence for the Rockets, a team that places training and player progression at the heart of its philosophy, which has made it a regular provider of GB talent.

Indeed, congratulations must also go to Rockets' outfield player Robert Mosley who returns home from university this summer having been promoted to field captain of the GB under-19 male fastpitch team.