(click logo for original news story)

By TONY SMITH – The Press

Incumbent coach Eddie Kohlhase has been offered another chance to lead the Black Sox back to the world men’s softball championship title.

Kohlhase beat out a bid by recently retired longtime Black Sox pitcher Marty Grant.

The Press understands Kohlhase was offered the position earlier this week. His appointment is set to be officially confirmed next Tuesday at a function in Wellington when Softball New Zealand launches the new National Fastpitch Championship.

Softball New Zealand (SNZ) general manager Dane Dougan was only prepared to say yesterday that “a person has been offered the role. We are just working out the contracting [details] now”.

Kohlhase had hoped to guide the Black Sox to a record fourth consecutive world championship title in Saskatoon, Canada last July after stepping up to the plate as head coach following two successful campaigns as Don Tricker’s assistant in 2000 and 2004.

But the Black Sox lost the Saskatoon final 0-5 to Australia after losing 0-7 to their trans-Tasman rivals in the first round of the playoff series.

The much-vaunted Black Sox batting lineup – obsessed as they were with longball hitting – failed to score a run off ace Australian pitcher Adam Folkard in two games.

The Black Sox’s campaign was reviewed by a committee comprising Kohlhase, team manager Wayne Small, Dougan and SNZ chairman Rex Capil.

Dougan said yesterday SNZ’s board supported the committee’s six key recommendations.

These include more focus on high-performance programmes and better definition of management roles.

Softball New Zealand will work with the International Softball Federation and other national federations to set up a “sanctioned and recognised” international programme.

SNZ will look to develop a national team for “men in between the Junior Black Sox [under-19 squad] and the Black Sox”. “Whether this is an under-23 [team] or a New Zealand A concept is still to be explored,” Dougan said.

Here is the old one, below:

(click logo for official tournament website)

The story on the new logo from “Aroundtherings.com“

New Logo Unveiled for International Softball Federation
11/12/2009

PLANT CITY, FLORIDA (USA) — A new identity has begun for the International Softball Federation following today’s launch of a new logo for the sport’s world governing body.

Coming on the heels of the XXIV ISF Congress in Venezuela where new officials were elected and a new constitution was adopted, softball’s top organization has a new forward direction, marked – figuratively and literally – by the re-branding efforts that are beginning today.

The logo – shown at the top of this release – carries over the green from the previous ISF mark, while now incorporating four other colors. Created by a designer from Spain, the new identity also includes the ball portion of the logo previously used for BackSoftball, the Olympic reinstatement campaign.

“This is an important step as we move forward with our sport,” said ISF President Don Porter. “Softball is a game for both sexes and for all ages and cultures around the world and is a sport that will prevail for generations to come. As a result, it was important that we reflected those attributes with a contemporary logo that will sustain the ongoing changes and developments within our sport.”

Effective immediately, the world governing body’s Web domain is also changing, such that the official website is moving to www.ISFsoftball.org and the email addresses for the administration at the world headquarters have been altered to reflect such. The up-to-date list can be found on the Contact Us page of the website.

While the website has been updated to reflect the new logo, further work is being planned for a new look for the ISF’s home on the Web.

For more information on this press release please contact: brucew@ISFsoftball.org

From the ISF website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2009

SWEEPING CHANGES AT ISF CONGRESS
Elections, Constitution, & New ISF Logo Among Numerous Developments

MARGARITA ISLAND, VENEZUELA – The retention of the world governing body’s leader, a new secretary general, and various changes among the regional vice presidents were part of the many developments coming out of the just-concluded XXIV International Softball Federation Congress held here. It was also revealed that extensive re-branding efforts will commence shortly, featuring a new ISF logo and revamped website.

In addition, the delegates approved a constitution that took effect immediately and they awarded two future world championships. Plus, a new class was elected to the ISF Hall of Fame. There were also changes to the playing rules, and visits from special guests. The latter included Venezuela Sports Minister Victoria Mata, Venezuela Olympic Committee President Dr. Eduardo Álvarez, and Venezuela Olympic Committee Vice President Mrs. Elida de Álvarez.

Don Porter was re-elected as ISF president, having run unopposed. Ms. LOW Beng Choo (Malaysia) is the ISF’s new secretary general, following elections that took place yesterday. She was previously the ISF deputy secretary general. Retiring ISF Secretary General Andy Loechner (USA) had been in the position since 1987. Two other women from Ms. Low’s region were among those elected by the congress, including a former Olympic softball coach.

In the five regions, a significant change was made in that each now has two vice presidents, plus there is a new position called non-Spanish-speaking Caribbean vice president. The changes are as follows:

VP Position
Elected
1st Vice President Mr. Dale McMann (CAN)
2nd Vice President Mr. Bob Leveloff (NZ)
Africa Mr. Guillo Marapjane (RSA)
Mr. Marumo Morule (BOT)
North America Mr. E.T. Colvin (USA)
Non-Spanish-speaking Caribbean Mr. Romell Knowles (BAH)
Latin America Mr. Antonio Morales (COL)
Mr. Jesús Suniaga (VEN)
Asia Mme. JIANG Xiuyun (CHN)
Mme. Taeko Utsugi (JPN)
Europe Mr. Ami Baran (ISR)
Mr. Andre van Overbeek (NED)
Oceania Mr. Darryl Clout (AUS)
Mr. Robert J. Steff, Sr. (GUM)
In addition, International Olympic Committee Members Mme. Beatrice Allen (GAM) and Mr. Meliton Sanchez (PAN) remain as members of the ISF Executive Council. Furthermore, the newly created constitution – which comes in addition to the standing ISF Administrative Code – will provide for the creation of an ISF Board of Directors and gives a new, forward direction for the world governing body.

Based on bids that had been presented, the ISF IX Junior Men’s World Championship in 2012 was awarded to Parana, Argentina, and the ISF XIII Men’s World Championship in 2013 was awarded to North Shore City, New Zealand. Dates for both tournaments will be announced at a later time. The event three years from now will mark the first ISF world championship to be held in South America.

Newly elected to the ISF Hall of Fame are the following:
PLAYERS: Peter Clout (AUS), Naomi Ellis (BAH), Rhonda Hira (NZ), Sally (McDermid) McCreedy (AUS), Nobunori Nishimura (Japan), Mark Sorenson (NZ), Darren Zack (CAN)
UMPIRES: Eduardo Jose Falcon (VEN), John McAuliffe (AUS), Wayne Saunders (NZ)
ADMINISTRATORS: Ivan Eduardo Briceno C. (VEN), Philippa Griffith-Bailey (BIZ), Viatcheslav Smagin (RUS), Robert J. Steffy Sr. (GUM), Glen Todd (CAN)
COACHES: Naomi Shaw (NZ)
MERITORIOUS SERVICE: Jacinto David Amaiz (VEN), Don Tricker (NZ)

Also, two individuals were announced as recipients of the prestigious ISF Medal of Honor. Retiring ISF 1st Vice President Clovis Lodewijks (AHO) and Secretary General Andy Loechner (USA) became just the eleventh and twelfth recipients of the award.

The next ISF Congress will take place in October 2011, with the site to be announced at a later date.

(click logo for original news story)

Softball plans to rebrand after Olympic failure

October 25 – Softball is planning to rebrand with a new logo and a revamped website as it begins to come to terms with its failure to win back its place in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Softball, which was controversially dropped from London 2012, had mounted a strong campaign to regain its place on the programme but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose golf and rugby sevens instead.

Now, at the first Congress of International Softball Federation (ISF) since the decision was announced at the IOC Session in Copenhagen earlier this month, it has unveiled plans to modernise itself.

Don Porter was re-elected as President of the ISF after running unopposed but there were several other changes among the sport’s leadership.

These included a new secretary general and various changes among the regional vice-presidents.

In addition, the delegates at the meeting held at Margarita Island in Venezuela approved a constitution that took effect immediately and they awarded two future World Championships.

Low Beng Choo, from Malaysia, was chosen as the ISF’s new secretary general, following elections that took place yesterday.

She was previously the ISF deputy secretary general and replaces America’s Andy Loechner, who is retiring having been in the position since 1987.

Two other women from Low’s region were among those elected by the congress, including a former Olympic softball coach.

In the five regions, a significant change was made in that each now has two vice-presidents, plus there is a new position called non-Spanish-speaking Caribbean vice-president, a role given to Romell Knowles from the Bahamas.

Canada’s Dale McCann and New Zealand’s Bob Leveloff were elected as the 1st and 2nd vice-presidents respectively.

South Africa’s Guillo Marapjane and Botswana’s Marumo Morule were elected as vice-presidents for Africa, E.T. Colvin from the United States for North America, Colombia’s Antonio Morales and Venezuela’s Jesus Suniaga for Latin America, China’s Jiang Xiuyun and Japan’s Taeko Utsugi for Asia, Israel’s Ami Baran and Holland’s Andre van Overbeek for Europe and Australia’s Darryl Clout and Guam’s Robert J. Steffy for Oceania.

In addition, IOC memebrs Beatrice Allen, from Gambia, and Meliton Sanchez, from Panama, remain as members of the ISF Executive Council.

The newly created constitution – which comes in addition to the standing ISF Administrative Code – will provide for the creation of an ISF Board of Directors and gives a new, forward direction for the world governing body.

Two events were awarded, the 2012 Junior Men’s World Championships to Parana in Argentina and the 2013 Men’s World Championships to North Shore City in New Zealand.