Softball: Age no barrier to world glory

By JULIE ASH

Twenty years ago, Mark Sorenson thought life could not get any better.

He was 16 and a member of the New Zealand men's softball side who had just claimed the world title in Michigan.

"It was pretty exciting, but I thought the game was pretty easy, really," Sorenson said.

Winning the title as a teenager, "it's like you've got to the top of the world. But thankfully you get brought back down to earth pretty quickly."

Two decades and two more world championship crowns later, even Sorenson is surprised to find himself lining up for another shot at glory.

"Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would be here," he said.

"As a 16-year-old you think 36 is ancient. You go, 'Jeez, there is no way I'll reach 36,' so I guess in one sense I am happy to be here and that my body has held together."

Sorenson retired from international softball in 2001, but with the carrot of trying to win one at home dangling in front of him, he made himself available for the Black Sox world championship campaign.

That decision was not easy.

"You question yourself, you question your ability, you question what your relative merits are worth to the side," said Sorenson, who will be competing in his sixth world championship, in Christchurch starting on January 29.

"You go through all sorts of emotions.

"The best thing was when the team was named and I was named in it because then it was a matter of getting on with things."

Since the announcement of the team in September, the Black Sox have had two camps.

"There are 11 guys who were there in 2000. To have a core of players with a lot of experience is very positive.

"Certainly hitting-wise, our hitting depth is exceptional and our defence is really strong,' said Sorenson, whose father, Dave, also represented New Zealand in softball.

"It will be a matter of pulling everything together - pitching, defence and making sure that we are scoring plenty of runs."

Sorenson captained the side to world championship success in 1996 and 2000, but this time Wellington's Jarrad Martin will be calling the shots - which Sorenson said had taken a little getting used to.

"Coming back into a new environment after a couple of years out was a little bit different because I had been used to the environment being a certain way.

"It was good that things had changed. It showed me that the Black Sox as a whole were continuing to evolve.

"It certainly didn't revolve around me. I was just one of the components in it.

"I will still have a leadership role and I will do everything I can to help Jarrad and make his job easier."

Sorenson, one of the game's best hitters and catchers, has plenty to offer a team who are aiming to become the first to win three consecutive world titles.

"Primarily I will be in a designated hitter's role, with a possibility of playing some first base to give Jarrad a spell. Or he might be pitching and then in the catcher's role as well.

"So I could fill any of those positions, which just goes to show the old fellow has still got a little bit of versatility left in him."

And the softball legend is under no illusion how difficult this world tournament will be.

"Some of the other big countries are going to want to make sure that we don't win three in a row. A lot of them don't like us anyway because we do win.

"But I think - without sounding bad - the biggest threat to ourselves is us.

"All of our focus is going to be on us and making sure we do the things that we do well properly," Sorenson. said. "You can create an environment where you fear the opposition. We certainly like to respect them, but we don't want to fear anyone."