Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2006 10:36:28 +1300 From: Vance <vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz> Subject: Black Sox catcher retires a three time world champions
Envelope-To: fastball(at)pmihrm.com Black Sox catcher retires a three time world champions Wednesday January 8th 2006 Despite 12 years on the international softball diamond the decision to retire has still been a tough call to make for New Zealand Community Trust Black Sox catcher Bevan Martin. The 34-year-old made his senior international debut for New Zealand in 1994 and during his career has won three senior world championship titles, a junior world title in 1989 and a Commonwealth Championship gold medal this season. Martin says the decision to retire is due to the rigours his international softball career has placed on his body. In recent season he has been plagued by groin, knee and tendon injuries. Since 2002 injuries for me have been ongoing and the body can only take so much. I had goals set to go the 2009 world champs but that isnt going to happen the body is finding it too hard, said Martin. The veteran catcher announced his retirement to the Black Sox squad following their gold winning medal performance during the Commonwealth Championship in Australia last week. Black Sox coach Eddie Kohlhase who was on the diamond as a player in 1994 when Martin made his debut and there in the coaching box as he retired describes Martin as a Black Sox great. He typifies what the Black Sox are all about, as a player he put the team ahead of himself he was the consummate professional. He was the glue behind what we see as a very special culture that the Black Sox have developed over the last two decades in the team we have a saying hand up instead of hand out and he typified that, said Kohlhase. The Taranaki based Martin says his 12 year stint with the Black Sox has far exceeded any dreams he may have had as a youngster. I never imagined my career would go this long, after the first world champs in 1996 I thought that might have been it I never thought it would go 12 years in the team at this level. Martin has been with the Black Sox through a golden period in the teams history as they have claimed world championship gold medals in 1996, 2000 and 2004. Rather than take individual kudos for the success Martin says it all comes down to the team and their desire. The guys have a real desire to be number one first and foremost; they push each other to get the number one spot. Seventeen players are selected in a squad but only nine can play and everyone is striving for one spot, said Martin. When reflecting on the career of Martin former Black Sox coach Don Tricker can not speak highly enough of the man. I always considered Bevan Martin to be one of our most valuable players. He often had the toughest jobs of backing up the world best player in Mark Sorenson and because of that it limited his game time in the big games but it didnt limit his contribution to the team. In South Africa in 2000 when we won the world champs I would have said Bevan was our most valuable player he set the bench mark for attitude, the team architecture and the team culture, said Tricker. In years to come when he looks back Martin agrees he will have a lot to be proud of. When I got back from the Commonwealth Championship talking with my father and looking back over it and five gold medals from the juniors, three world champs and a Commonwealth gold medal it is something special. Martin began his rise to the international softball diamonds as a youngster representing Taranaki. Following his success at the junior world championships he moved to the Hutt Valley playing for Hutt City United. In the late 1990s following encouragement from his cousin and Black Sox captain Jarrad Martin, Bevan crossed the border and played his club softball for Poneke Kilbirnie and provincial softball Wellington. Softball NZ CEO, Dale Eagar, paid special tribute to Martin on hearing of his decision to retire. The Black Sox are strong as a team, on and off the diamond, but they will all recognise that they have lost in some way one of their cornerstones providing that strength. As recognised by Eddie and Don, Bevan was a special part of the mix, said Eagar. Eagar recalls his earliest encounters with Martin at under 17 level, noting that even at that stage the potential was obvious. I was lucky enough to be involved with Bevan when he was in the Junior Black Sox team in 1989 and he was already showing at that point a level of dedication and strength of will that guaranteed him a place at three world championships with the Black Sox. If Bevan can pass even a small percentage of this on to his future secondary school students there will be some high achievers emerging from Coastal Taranaki College, said Eagar When the Black Sox next go into camp and the next national team is named and he isnt there Martin admits it will be hard. He believes the toughest part of not being part of the team anymore will be missing out on the people and the relationships that have been built up in the team over the last decade. Looking ahead Martin says he will be concentrating on his work at Coastal Taranaki College and studying for some teaching papers. Surfing will also be a new pass time for Martin as he enjoys future summer seasons away from the softball diamond. By SNZ Media Liaison: Kelly Mitchell * mailto:kelly.mitchell(at)xtra.co.nz http://www.softball.org.nz/ * mailto:snz(at)softball.org.nz Cheers Vance Softball New Zealand web master. * mailto:vance(at)vanf-graphics.co.nz Als Fastball List * Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com Website: http://www.alsfastball.com/ http://www.ISCfastball.com/ NEWS:http://www.fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball http://www.pmihrm.com via: http://www.webbox.com
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