By Michael Oliver, 3 Sport staff writer
Black Sox manager Doug Golightly says the side would be “idiots” to stop its brightest talent pursuing a dream of playing baseball.
The team’s vice captain Brad Rona and his 17-year-old son Pita stepped down from the side at a meeting on Monday to chance their arms on the baseball diamond.
Outfielder Ben Enoka will meet with Softball NZ officials today, but is expected to follow his team mates out of the side.
Softball New Zealand issued an edict stopping players from plying their trade in both sports as the Black Sox step up efforts to win the Softball World Champs in 2013.
Golightly says the fact the Ronas have opted for careers in baseball is “rather immaterial”.
“We just wanted a total focus on playing for the Black Sox,” he told LiveSport.
“If it was touch, or league, or croquet, or underwater hockey, we would have said the same thing.”
But Golightly made it clear there was no inherent dislike of baseball within Softball NZ.
“We’re not anti-baseball at all, quite the opposite,” he says.
“What [the Black Sox] can offer them is an incredible journey, a great brotherhood, a chance to represent their country, and be part of a proud heritage.
“Baseball can offer them financial independence [and] it can offer them that for their families as well. This is something we couldn’t look ourselves in the mirror and stand in the way of that. We’d be idiots to do that.”
Brad Rona says the support of Golightly and Black Sox coach Eddie Kohlhase has been immeasurable.
"I feel like a lot of pressure's come off my shoulders," he says.
"We're all clear on where we're going and I believe we've made a good decision.”
The Ronas now won't be part of the Black Sox team leaving next Tuesday for a week-long skins tournament against Australia's best in Canberra.
3 News / NZN
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