The Combined Services is the "tournament team" selected at the completion of the New Zealand Inter-Services Tournament from players and officials of the Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Air Force and the New Zealand Police teams. Both men's and women's teams are selected to compete annually at Softball New Zealand tournament such as the Inter-Provincial Championships.

The Combined Services were a regular part of the New Zealand Softball scene from the 1960s to the 1990s. In December 1995, the Combined Services played appeared for the last time at the National Provincial Championships in Christchurch.

Today, the Combined Services are simply those former representatives who still love getting together, playing softball and having a few drinks while looking back on the good olds softball days and life in the Forces. Our return to softball was completed at the 2012 Evergreens Tournament in Hamilton. The lad's got back together just like it was yesterday, e.g. no sore bodies - Yeah Right!

In 2013, the Services team played their way into the tournament final, where they were beaten by Wellington. To date, this was the Services best achievement at the tournament receiving the Chee Brothers Trophy for runners-up.

In 2014, the Services team played well reaching the semi finals after getting past Canterbury. In the semi, the team faced Auckland who were the overall tournament champions. All in all, the Services are building a pool of players so that we are competitive and present at future tournaments.

Although the team is still known as the Combined Services, we welcome players from the NZ Defence Force (Navy, Army and Air Force), and of course the Police and Emergency Services.

Our mission is to be part of the Evergreens Tournament for the forseeable future.

Our Background

It is believed that initially, softball competition between the Navy, Army and Air Force representative teams began in the mid 1960's. The Inter-Service Softball Tournament had not been formed at this stage; therefore, each Service softball team attended the National Provincial tournament and would compete against each other in the 3rd Division draw, plus other provinces that fell into the 3rd Div category.

The Service team who finished the highest out of the three Service teams would be deemed the Inter-Service softball champions for that year. It is also believed that it was the Air Force who started attending the provincial tournament first, followed a year later by the Army, and three year later by the Navy. The Combined Services representative crest at the time consisted of the Army crowned lion standing on a royal crown, the Air Force eagle and the Navy anchor.

It is believed that the women's Inter-Service competition began in 1964, due to the women's tournament trophy, the Prendergast Cup, being engraved from 1964. The Prendergast Cup is believed to have been donated by Mrs Prendergast who was involved with softball in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The inaugural winner of the women's competition was the Air Force Women's Team.

The men's Inter-Service Softball Tournament trophy is called the Lauthala Bay Trophy. It is believed that the trophy was donated by the Air Force. The first winners of the men's trophy were the Army in 1967. It was also in 1967, at Burnham Camp, Christchurch, that the New Zealand Police teams joined the Inter-Services Tournament. The Police teams would remain part of the tournament until December 1995.The inclusion of the Police meant that the tournament teams were selected from the four Services for both men and women, and were called the New Zealand Combined Services.Combined Services teams were regular participants at the National Provincial Championship tournaments. In 1988, at the Rothmans National Provincial Championships in Invercargill, the Combined Services Men's Team performed extremely well and finished the tournament in 5th place, which is the highest any Combined Services team has achieved.In 1992, at the National Provincial Championships in Dunedin, the Combined Services Men's Team beat Auckland 2 - 1 in the B Section final to win the Dick Headifen Memorial Trophy for the first and, to date, only time.In 1995, the curtain was lowered on Combined Services sport across all codes. This brought an end to Inter-Service Tournaments and a remarkable era of strong New Zealand Defence Force sport representation around New Zealand.In softball, the Combined Services were regular top 8 finalists at National level and have beaten some of the countries top provincial teams along the way, and in doing so, have built a respectable name within New Zealand Softball.At the 1995 Men's Provincial tournament, hosted by Canterbury, the Combined Services Men's Team beat Australia 6 - 5 on diamond two at Cuthberts Green during pool play.In February 1997, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Inter-Services Softball Tournament was reformed again, this time with teams from the Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force.The Inter-Service Tournament continues to this day with the three Services. A fourth team can be invited to attend the tournament and in recent times, the Australian Defence Force Softball Association (ADSA) Teams have frequented our tournament.In 2009 at Whenuapai, the New Zealand Police Men's Team attended the tournament for the first time since 1995. The Police attendance was well received and NZ Defence Force softball officials will look to involve the Police and ADSA at future tournaments.In 2012, the Combined Services were reformed by attending the Evegreens Tournament at Hamilton.In 2013, the Services worked extremely hard by disposing of Auckland and Canterbury on the last day of the tournament to reach the final, but were beaten 3-1 by Wellington.In 2014, the Services played well with a good hard fought win over Canterbury in the quarter final, but lost in the semi final to eventual tournament winners Auckland 9-6.