Don Tricker the Super Coach deserves his praise


When Don Tricker took over from Mike Walsh, back in the days when Walsh was the saviour of softball, there were rumblings.

Who was this man? Someone who had played for the New Zealand side without setting the world on fire. Someone who had coached a Poneke-Kilbirnie team which was full of stars anyway.

Walsh had been sacked, it seemed, being given the choice of the permanence of the national coaching coordinator or the temporary position as Black Sox mentor. What was a family man to do?

Tricker can celebrate that he not only overcame that start but made the job into something unique in New Zealand sport. He created a side which encourages individuals who have high ideals and ambition as well as impeccable skill levels.

What he has achieved is a team which is at a higher level than anyone in the sport, or any sport, could imagine from what is a limited base of talent.

Without wanting to labour the point, Walsh started it, taking over from the good old boys’ syndrome. Out went those whose main aim was selection and touring and enjoying being away from home.

“Getting into the team is only the first step,” Walsh said. “Winning is the aim and if you are not there for that, don’t bother trying.” It is history that he achieved this in 1984, in his first world series, after taking over in 1980.

Walsh had built an impeccable record with club and provincial teams which may never be repeated and so Don Tricker, the quiet achiever, came into a team where he had not long ago been one of the boys. The side had won a gold, two silvers and another gold in successive series. How could anyone top that?

Tricker is a remarkable man. He had some outstanding achievers in Dean Rice, Marty Grant and the gifted Mark Sorenson to use as a base, and chose Eddie Kohlhase as an assistant. It was an inspired choice as Eddie is someone with the same very high ideals.

The South African trek, the saga of team work overcoming all obstacles, making the most of things going wrong on the way to the gold, is the basis of a book. If it were the All Blacks it would have been ten books, like those about to the All Whites drive to Spain in 1981-82.

Tricker’s philosophies, coming through from even the newest members of the squad, linked the team together. It was a side which showed the way to counter the usual touring blues. No more sitting in single rooms, watching different television programmes, moping and getting homesick. No more fretting the small stuff, snarling at umpiring decisions “which stopped us taking the medal” and no more forgetting what you are overseas to achieve.

If Don Tricker had his career in the USA he could have been a megastar coach. Instead he is like the coach who recently turned down the LA Lakers to stay with his college team where he was the local hero. “Forget the $US14 million,” he said, and went for the quality of life.

The good old boys have gone forever in softball, if the national body uses the talents available now. The Eddie Kohlhase, Mark Sorenson, Dean Rice, Marty Grant types of thinkers, achievers and movers will keep the Tricker style alive.

Unfortunately this Black Sox side may not, given New Zealand’s preoccupation with oval balls and netball achievements, be given the full recognition it deserves. The ability to take out the USA, Canada and the rest in such style, with such confident batting and by such high scores, and be decent, humble but proud guys with it, showed the true quality of the team.

But you need to talk to those in charge and to the team members right through the squad, to know why it happened. The Tricker style built on Walsh’s work and took it to a level which other sports should copy, and perhaps Graham Henry might get the message from Mark Sorenson’s chats to the All Blacks.

Thanks to Don Tricker, there is a lot to learn for us all. Well done, Coach.