Nathan Nukunuku Explained

Nathan Nukunuku (born 8 May 1980) is a member of the New Zealand national softball team, called "The Black Sox" since 1999 and has been the captain since 2013.

Early life and school

Nukunuku spent his childhood in Hawkes Bay[1] and Auckland and was educated at St Peter's College, which has traditionally been very prominent in the Auckland school boy Softball competitions. Nukunuku played Rugby union as well as Softball at St Peter's. He was in the First XV in his last years there. He was a member of the St Peter's senior Softball team which was the Auckland secondary schools champion in 1997, 1998 and 1999. St Peter's was second in the 1997 and 1998 New Zealand Secondary Schools competition but won the championship in the 1999 competition. While still at school, Nukunuku was a member of the Auckland Under 19 team which was the New Zealand Under 19s champion in 1996, 1997 and 1998, and was second in 1999.[2] Nathan Nukunuku is the brother of former Softball international, Dion Nukunuku.[1]

Career

Nukunuku first joined the Black Sox in 1999. He played in three world champion Back Sox teams at shortstop, at second base and outfield in 2013. In 2015 he was an outfielder and in 2017 he was deployed at first base. In the 2019 championships in Prague he is projected to primarily be in a hitting role and first base. In 2019 he retains a high slot in the batting order. This reflects "his reputation as one of the world's top hitters." He has also retained some speed (nearing his 39th birthday). "Nukunuku has had extensive experience as a player-coach, leading Auckland to a raft of national provincial titles (11 in the last 16 years) and [his team] Ramblers to back-to-back national club crowns in 2018 and 2019." He has been the Black Sox captain since 2013. Nukunuku played for North American clubs 2006 to 2012, usually on short-term contracts and he was a member of the International Softball Congress all world team four times. He won a title with County Materials in Wisconsin in 2006.[3]

Record

Junior international career

Senior career

Senior National Career

The Auckland National League team has won 11 championships in the last 16 years (as at 2019).[3]

Senior international career

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Softball: Nukunuku brothers on equal terms now . 2 December 2000 . . 27 October 2011.
  2. http://www.softballstar.co.nz/view_player.asp?id=n8dogg12 Softball Stars - Nathan Nukunuku (accessed 23 June 2010)
  3. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/111649973/twenty-years-at-the-top-for-black-sox-captain-nathan-nukunuku-with-no-final-inning-in-sight Tony Smith, "Twenty years at the top for Black Sox captain Nathan Nukunuku with no final inning in sight," Stuff News, 29 March 2019
  4. Tony Smith, "Nukunuku hopes lifeline is golden", The Dominion Post, 28 February 2013, p. B9.

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