Coaching trio believe juniors ready for win
The last time the junior New Zealand softball team won a world championship, Bevan Matene and Jarrad Martin were playing.
Now, 31 years on, the pair are convinced the Junior Black Sox can do it again.
That’s because the duo, alongside fellow Taranaki man Alf Robson, are part of the coaching staff and the international tournament is being played in New Zealand.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Under-18 Men’s Softball World Cup is being held in Palmerston North from February 22 and 12 international teams are travelling to it.
The trio have coached the New Zealand team, which is made up of 15 to 17-yearolds from all around the country, three times since Martin got involved in 2014.
Before they got involved, the team had been struggling. ‘‘They hadn’t posted any good results for 13 years,’’ Martin said.
The team has been on the podium every year they have competed since, Martin said, but never landed the top spot like the 1989 game Matene and Martin helped to win in Canada.
He said ‘‘it’d be awesome’’ to get a win while coaching.
They are confident for the championship but a little worried about matches against Japan, because every time they have played them since 2014 they have lost, Martin said.
‘‘That’s pretty much been our brick wall. They’re a pretty good side.’’
Robson said the coaching trio have known each other for a while and started playing softball as youngsters before they progressed through the ranks.
‘‘We’ve pretty much grown together.’’
This makes working easier, Robson said.
‘‘Relationship-wise it’s been good – both inside and outside the game. We’ve got a lot of trust and confidence in each other.’’
The junior team is great, Robson said, and so is the coaching team, ‘‘it doesn’t get any better’’. together
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