Softball: Herlihy pitching coach for Olympics

WELLINGTON - Former New Zealand men's softball captain Kevin Herlihy will be pitching coach for the women's team at the Sydney Olympics.

Herlihy, who captained the 1984 World Series-winning men's team and was pitching coach for the side who won the title 12 years later, is a late addition to the coaching staff for the Olympic Games.

He will join head coach Mike Walsh and former provincial and national team-mate John Lowes on the officials' list for the Games.

A former Wellington representative pitcher, Herlihy attended a record six World Series from 1966 to 1984 as a player.

He has also attended another two World Series competitions as a pitching coach - the 1994 women's tournament in Newfoundland and the 1996 men's event in Michigan.

"Following the series against Australia in February, moves started to be put in place [for a pitching coach]," Herlihy said.

"There had been a change of heart at the top, and also the reaction from some of the girls and the help I had been able to give them forced them to rethink things."

Herlihy has pinpointed a few aspects of their game which the pitchers need to improve on for Sydney.

"We are still not entirely happy with the velocity they are getting," he said.

"There is also their accuracy.

"With the exception of Gina [Weber] we know we are not going to be pitching as fast as some of the other teams and while [speed] helps we can still get by as long as you have pinpoint accuracy.

"I have made the promise to them that I would go out and do all the scouting and come up with game reports, but the onus is still on them to put the ball where we want it to go."

Walsh expects to see a tangible improvement when his team compete at two international tournaments in Canada over the next month.

The side, who left on Sunday, will play in the Three Nations Challenge in Toronto starting tomorrow and the Canada Cup in Vancouver from July 1 to 9.

- NZPA