'One big whānau': New Zealand mens softball team eye World Cup title

The New Zealand men's softball team are looking for redemption at this years World Cup, with a key focus of bringing a sense of whanaungatanga back to the squad.

The Black Sox qualified for the 2025 WBSC Men's Softball World Cup in July last year, under the guidance of their new head coach Thomas Makea, a Hall of Famer, four-time world champion and three-time NZ player of the year.

Eight teams are set to fight for the championship at this whakataetae (competition), which is one of the most expected events in the history of mens softball.

The World Cup Finals will begin on 8 July in Prince Albert, Canada.

Makea (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Marama, Ngāti Makea Ki Rarotonga), the first Māori head coach of the Black Sox, brings a wealth of experience and connection to the sport, having been coached by his own father to coaching his sons, Reilly Makea and Dante Makea-Matakatea.

Reflecting on his coaching career, Makea told RNZ it was always something he was "supposed to do."

"Growing up and as I got older, I just thought that's what I was supposed to do, give back."

The New Zealand Black Sox as a team are not shy of success, having won the Men's World Championship a total of seven times, becoming World Champions for the first time in 1976.

The side have won a medal in 13 of the first 15 World Cups, and appeared consecutively in the World Championship Final 10 times from 1984 to 2017.

They are the most decorated softball team in history.

However, in 2022, the Black Sox had a disappointing finish on home soil, where they placed 8th.

Makea said they are determined to improve on their last World Cup performance, and creating a "brotherhood" plays a key role in that goal.

"The Black Sox have come a long way over the last few years," Makea said.

"We all know where they've been in 2022 and where they finished and how they finished, so [this year] it was about getting them to really play for each other, play for not only themselves but also their whānau and where they've come from."

Makea said for the past year the side has focused on both on-diamond and off-diamond relationships, to foster a sense of whanaungatanga within the squad.

"It's just about being connected with one another and really working hard together."

The concept of tuakana/teina, where younger players are mentored by their older counterparts, has also played a key role in bringing the boys closer together.

"We've got a couple of tuakana from the past that have come back to help all these teina in this team. It's been a great connection that way too."

"When we need that experience on the field, it's awesome to have those guys around to show the younger ones the way."

He said this years side is a "quality team" and has the offensive and defensive skills to make the podium.

"We're one big whānau with a team-first attitude."

Carrying on the legacy

What is not unknown to the softball community in Aotearoa is the strong whānau connections within the sport.

Amongst this years World Cup team is four sets of brothers, two of which are Makea's sons.

'Whānau plays a massive part in this team...half of the team is whānaunga," he said.

"Most of these boys, their grandfathers have played, their fathers have played and I'm sure down the line their kids will carry on in that legacy."

"It's just part of our sport. And it's massive for us too."

Representing Aotearoa, whānau and whakapapa

As the boys prepare to take the diamond, they will bring with them a special taonga from back home, a taiaha, Te Awhiorangi.

The name Te Awhiorangi holds deep significance in te ao Māori. It refers to a legendary adze said to have been used by Tāne to separate Ranginui and Papatūānuku, severing the sinews that bound them.

The taonga is also connected to stories from when Māori tūpuna came to Aotearoa. Some kōrero say it came here aboard the Aotea waka with Turi, others say it was brought by Tamatea-ariki-nui on the Takitimu waka and later passed down to Ngā Rauru through whakapapa.

In both purākau (stories), Te Awhiorangi helped each tūpuna overcome challenges faced on their voyage.

The name Te Awhiorangi is often translated as 'The Encircler of Heaven' or 'The Embrace of the Heavens.'

The Black Sox's taiaha was gifted to the 2013 World Series Black Sox team by Hawke's Bay Māori art practitioner Charles Paringatai.

This taonga was gifted to the 2013 World Series Black Sox team by Hawkes Bay Māori Art Practitioner Charles Paringatai.

Since then, it has been passed down through generations of teams.

"Once I got the job, I took that rākau back home to get blessed and to start my journey... It's a special taonga for us," Makea said.

To mark the beginning of their World Cup campaign, the boys will come up first against Canada on Wednesday 9 July at 2.30pm NZT before they take on Argentina on 10 July, 2:30pm NZT.

To tautoko the New Zealand Black Sox, whānau can catch the action via GameTime - the only official Live Stream provider.

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