White Sox looking for coach to take them to the top

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 9/28/06 4:58:10 AM 
From:  Vance <vanf(at)ihug.co.nz> 


  
Subject:  White Sox looking for coach to take them to the top
  


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White Sox looking for coach to take them to the top 
Thursday September 28th 2006

Situations vacant – Head coach required for the New Zealand CommunityTrust
White Sox. Key attributes talent identification and desire to
takeon the world. 

The position of White Sox head coach has been advertised by the
nationaloffice since earlier this month with applications closing
on MondayOctober 2nd. The position became vacant following the
2006 WorldChampionships when the contract with long standing
coach Mike Walshexpired.

Softball New Zealand chief executive Dale Eagar says while the
results atthe world championships where the White Sox finished
outside of the topeight were disappointing the contract for head
coach Walsh was always dueto expire at the end of the tournament.

Early indications suggest Walsh will look to reapply for theposition.
  

Regardless of who is appointed as coach to take the White Sox
forwardEagar says it is no easy task with international women’s
softball highlycompetitive and the New Zealand team with a lot
of work in front of themto be competitive with the best in the
world.   

“We need to put in place someone who is capable of finding the
athleteswith the ability and desire to work at achieving the
level required tomake the step up to be amongst the top teams
in the world.  Fourteams, USA, Australia, Japan, and China, are
at the top with a bunchbelow that trying to gain the next spot
simply to be able to challengethem,” said Eagar.

Given recent results Eagar freely admits the job of taking the
White Soxinto the top five in the world is no easy task but he
believes thepotential is there. 

“There is a lot of work to be done but there are encouraging
signs, theteam environment and culture created by the White Sox
during the recentworld championships campaign was an extremely
positive one. The team as awhole recognises they have a way to
go and that there are specific areasof the game that need extra
work.”

While Eagar believes the potential is there he says the team
needs tohave a realistic time frame to achieve success. However
if the team areto attempt to qualify for the 2008 Olympics they
will have to make somequick progress with the qualifying tournament
likely to be held earlynext year in Chinese Taipei.

“I think making the top five in the world is a realistic goal
but toachieve success at the qualifier and get to participate
at the 2008Olympics we are faced with an extremely short time
frame.”

With the final decision still to be made on whether the White
Sox attendthe Olympic qualifier Eagar says New Zealand Softball
is looking to makethe head coaching appointment in the near future.
With applicationsclosing on Monday next week Eagar says he expects
to have an appointmentmade by mid October.


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:vanf at ihug.co.nz 

 

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   fastball at pmihrm.com
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