Black Sox catcher retires a three time world champions

[fastball]

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 isn’t 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 team’s 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 didn’t 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 1990’s 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 isn’t 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 
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