Softball: Surprise call for Carson

WORLD CLASS: Callum Carson is a late replacement in the Junior Black Sox team for next month's World Series in Michigan. PHOTO/FILE

It's fair to say Hawke's Bay softballer Callum Carson has been on a roller-coaster ride for most of this year.

The biggest low came when he missed initial selection in February for the Junior Black Sox team to play in next month's Junior World Series in Michigan. It could have been easy for him to spit the dummy but that's not the Maraenui Pumas utility player's style.

The day the team was announced Carson turned up at Akina Park, Hastings, to congratulate the Bay pair who got the nod back them, the Saints pitcher-catcher combination of Adam Woon and Jacob Zurcher. He then played against them in a club game and was among the top batters in his team.

"I was never going to give up. I continued to train hard over the winter just in case I got a call," Carson said.

That call come on Tuesday night when Hawke's Bay's four-time world champion and Temperzone Junior Black Sox head coach Thomas Makea rung to tell him Canterbury outfielder Jackson Watt had withdrew after collecting a broken arm in training. "Cowboy" (Carson's nickname) was the next cab off the rank.

"It was a pretty good feeling. All that winter training paid off," Carson said last night after completing another day's work in the inline department for Future Products Group.

During recent months he has trained with White Sox catcher Melanie Gettins as she has prepared for her World Series in Canada next month and Black Sox utility Jovaan Hanley. These training stints led to an invite to play for glamour Wellington club Poneke Kilbirnie next summer and this means the 18-year-old is poised to follow a similar path to coach Makea and younger brother and Black Sox outfielder Campbell Makea.

As a non-travelling reserve for the Michigan trip Carson attended the Junior Black Sox Waiouru-based training camp from May 20-22.

"It was tough but fun," he recalled.

Soon after his conversation ended with coach Makea on Tuesday night Carson's thoughts moved to his former Pumas coach, long-time mentor and former Junior Black Sox manager Roger Aranui who died in March at the age of 54 after battling several illnesses.

"Most of the success I have had in softball is because of Roger. He had so much knowledge," Carson recalled.

A product of Henry Hill, Tamatea Intermediate and Napier Boys' High schools, Carson, is the second Puma to be selected for a World Series. Aranui's son Tiwana played for the Junior Black Sox at the last Junior World Series in 2014 when the Kiwis won silver.

"Now I've made the team the goal is to make the starting nine as often as possible. I don't mind where I play as long as I'm on the diamond ... but catcher and first base are my preferred positions," Carson explained.

New Zealand will be one of 13 countries at the July 22-30 tournament. Defending champions and hot favourites Argentina are in Pool A with Australia, the United States, Czech Republic, Denmark, Botswana and Venezuela and the Junior Black Sox will be in Pool B along with Japan, Mexico, Canada, South Africa and Israel. The Junior Black Sox will play a four-day buildup tournament in Ohio from July 9.

This will be Carson's fourth trip overseas for softball. He had two to Australia, one each with the International Softball Academy and New Zealand Development teams and last year he went to the Czech Republic with the Junior Black Sox.

A Hawke's Bay age group representative through the grades from under-13 to under-19 levels and a Central Vikings senior men's rep, Carson, has made several national tournament teams over the years.

He has been in Bay teams which have recorded second and third placings at various nationals but the highlight of his six years in the sport came when he received Tuesday night's phone call.

He agreed it was a lesson to youngsters to never give up.