Honours Board
SOFTBALL NZ - PLAYERS OF THE DECADES
World championship winning captains Mark Sorenson and Jarrad Martin have both been named players of the decades as Softball New Zealand celebrates its 75th jubilee. Sorenson, who captained the Black Sox to world titles in 1996 and 2000, was voted the best male player for the 1987 to 1996 decade and Martin, captain of the team that won the world crown in 2004, for the period 1997 to 2006.
Honoured for the first decade of the game in New Zealand were Alf Jenkins and Eva Knight. The 1947-1956 decade winners were Brian Wareham and again Eva Knight. Recognised for their dominance in the game for the 10 years from 1957 to 1966 was Bill Massey and Bev Makinson. Knight was not the only player to be recognised for two decades with Kevin Herlihy taking out the award for the 1967 to 1976 and 1977 to 1986 decades.
The women’s player for the 1967-1976 decade was Marilyn Marshall and for the next decade Cheryl Kemp took the honours. The decade from 1987 to 1996 belonged to Gina Weber who preceded Rhonda Hira. The two players to be recognised from 2007 to now were Thomas Makea, who has played in four world championships since 1996, and Michal Tangaroa, who has played in two world championships.
| Decade | Female Player of the Decade | Decade | Male Player of the Decade |
| 1937-1946 | Eva Knight | 1937-1946 | Alf Jenkins |
| 1947-1956 | Eva Knight | 1947-1956 | Brian Wareham |
| 1957-1966 | Bev Makinson | 1957-1966 | Bill Massey |
| 1967-1976 | Marilyn Marshall | 1967-1976 | Kevin Herlihy |
| 1977-1986 | Cheryl Kemp | 1977-1986 | Kevin Herlihy |
| 1987-1996 | Gina Weber | 1987-1996 | Mark Sorenson |
| 1997-2006 | Rhonda Hira | 1997-2006 | Jarrad Martin |
| 2007-2012 | Michal Tangaroa | 2007-2012 | Thomas Makea |
SOFTBALL NZ HONOURS INFORMATION & CRITERIA TIME FRAMES FOR INFORMATION AND NOMINATIONS - 2019
(+ passed; * ISF Hall of Fame)
PATRONS
| Alfred Jenkins + | 1951 - 1974 | |
| David T Howe + | 1975 - 1991 | |
| Alf Whelan * + | 1991 - 1997 | |
| Lyndsey Leask * + | 1997 - 2001 | |
| Roy Dalton + | 2001 - 2017 | |
| Robert Leveloff MNZM | 2018 - Present |
PRESIDENTS
| Alfred Jenkins + | 1936 - 1950 | |
| Mick Zemba + | 1950 - 1951 | |
| David Howe + | 1951 - 1972 | |
| Alf Whelan * MBE + | 1972 - 1983 | |
| Ray Weaver * + | 1983 - 1993 | |
| Lyndsey Leask * QSM + | 1993 - 1997 | |
| Roy Dalton + | 1997 - 2000 | |
| Robert Leveloff MNZM | 2000 - 2006 | |
| Danae Goosman MNZM | 2006 - 2010 | |
| Hilton Earley | 2010 - 2013 | |
| Lynette Lockhart | 2013 - 2016 | |
| Nicky Sherriff | 2016 - 2022 | |
| Lynda O'Cain | 2022 - Present |
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS
| Baldwin, Kevin + | Hutt Valley | |
| Bell, Athol + | Southland | |
| Bell, Maurice | Canterbury | |
| Breen, Valmai | Central Otago | |
| Brewer, Don | Whanganui | |
| Brewer, Lou + | Whanganui | |
| Brown, Alf + | Canterbury | |
| Byrne, Marie | Canterbury | |
| Cameron, Reg + | Hutt Valley | |
| Campbell, Naill + | Southland | |
| Chapman, Joyce | Hawkes Bay | |
| Clarke, Raewyn | Wellington | |
| Cross, Joe + | Southland | |
| Dalley, Lorraine | Wellington | |
| Davidson, Garry | Hutt Valley | |
| Davis, Coralie | Manawatū | |
| Dyason, Elva + | Manawatū | |
| Dyason, Ray | Manawatū | |
| Eager, John + | Canterbury | |
| Earley, Hilton | Auckland | |
| Edwards, Lindsay | Whanganui | |
| England, Jeremy | SNZ Umpires | |
| Fenton, Maurice | Wellington | |
| Freeman, Fay ONZM | North Harbour | |
| Furlong, Ron + | Hawkes Bay | |
| Gerrie, Keith | North Harbour | |
| Gibb, L G + | ||
| Griffiths, Vicki | Canterbury | |
| Gurney, Ronnie | North Harbour | |
| Hall, Arch + | Hutt Valley | |
| Hall, Arnold | Canterbury | |
| Hamilton, Esme | Hutt Valley | |
| Herbert, Les + | Hutt Valley | |
| Humphreys, Jean + | Auckland | |
| Humphreys, Raewyn | Auckland | |
| Hutchings, Doreen + | Auckland | |
| Jellyman, Frank + | West Coast | |
| Jeromson, Frank + | Hutt Valley | |
| Johnson, Jill | Otago | |
| Joseph, Rehe + | Waikato | |
| Judson, Raewyn | North Harbour | |
| Karsten, Don | Southland | |
| Karsten, Elaine + | Southland | |
| King, H C + | ||
| Kinghorn, Stu | Auckland | |
| Kohlhase, Eric + | Auckland | |
| Latta, Graham + | Southland | |
| Laws, Thomas | Wellington | |
| McKeown, George + | ||
| Mack, Pene | Auckland | |
| Matthews, Jack | Waikato | |
| Morgan, Ken | North Harbour | |
| Mulholland, Jim + | Hutt Valley | |
| Natana, Elizabeth | SNZ Scorers | |
| Nukunuku, Christine | Auckland | |
| Palmer, Ellis | West Coast | |
| Phillips, Joyce + | Canterbury | |
| Porteous, Seph + | Waikato | |
| Redshaw, Harry + | Manawatū | |
| Rochford, Jack | Canterbury | |
| Rogers, Paul + | Auckland | |
| Rowse, Trevor + | Auckland | |
| Seeling, Cass | Western Bay of Plenty | |
| Smith, Bill | North Harbour | |
| Smith, Stan E + | Southland | |
| Smith, Trevor | North Harbour | |
| Smith, W E + | ||
| Sorenson, Maureen | Hutt Valley | |
| Walker, Walton | Tairawhiti | |
| Wasson, Mary + | Whangārei | |
| Waterhouse, Craig | Hawkes Bay | |
| Yeates, Don + | Horowhenua |
LIFE MEMBERS
| Atkin, Harry + | Wellington | |
| Bell, Athol + | Auckland | |
| Dalton, Roy + | Hutt Valley | |
| Dolejs, Ed + | Nelson | |
| Eagar, Dale | Canterbury | |
| Ferguson, Merrell * | Hutt Valley | |
| Freeman, Don + | North Harbour | |
| Gibson, Jim + | Canterbury | |
| Goosman, Danae MNZM | Canterbury | |
| Hay, Rusty + | Wellington | |
| Higgins, Paul + | Wellington | |
| Howe, David + | Hutt Valley | |
| Jenkins, Alfred + | Wellington | |
| Leask, Lyndsey * QSM + | Canterbury | |
| Leveloff, Robert * MNZM | North Harbour | |
| Lockhart, Lyn | Canterbury | |
| Marshall, Gerry + | Hutt Valley | |
| Murphy, C (Mick) R + | Manawatū | |
| Pringle, Colin J + | Wellington | |
| Sherriff, Nicky | Canterbury | |
| Shields, C (Tex) L + | Canterbury | |
| Smith, Joyce + | Southland | |
| Tibbits, Ray + | North Harbour | |
| Vincent, George * OBE + | Wellington | |
| Voyle, John T * MBE + | Auckland | |
| Weaver, Ray * + | Wellington | |
| Whelan, Alfred * MBE + | Auckland | |
| Wilson, William (Bill) H + | Hutt Valley |
SOFTBALL NEW ZEALAND HALL OF FAME
| 1988 | Marilyn Marshall * | Wellington |
| 1988 | Bill Massey * | Hutt Valley |
| 1995 | Dennis Cheyne * | Wellington |
| 1995 | Ed Dolejs * + | Nelson |
| 1995 | Kevin Herlihy * MBE + | Waikato |
| 1995 | Terry Nunns * | Hutt Valley |
| 1995 | Peter Priddey * + | Wellington |
| 1995 | Paul Rogers * + | Auckland |
| 1995 | Dave Sorenson * | Hutt Valley |
| 1995 | Marie Ward * | Wellington |
| 1995 | Alf Whelan * MBE + | Auckland |
| 1996 | Harry Atkin + | Wellington |
| 1996 | Don Brewer + | Whanganui |
| 1996 | Rosina Fletcher + | Auckland |
| 1996 | Gerry Marshall + | Hutt Valley |
| 1997 | Wayne Baldwin + | Hutt Valley |
| 1997 | Jan Foote | Hawkes Bay |
| 1997 | Irene Keating | Wellington |
| 1997 | Robyn Storer * | Canterbury |
| 1997 | Owen Walford * | Hawkes Bay |
| 1997 | Ray Weaver * + | Wellington |
| 1997 | Charlie Phillips * + | Whanganui |
| 1997 | Lester Baldwin * + | Hutt Valley |
| 1998 | Merrell Ferguson * | Hutt Valley |
| 1998 | Bev Makinson + | Canterbury |
| 1998 | Jimmy Cotter + | Hutt Valley |
| 1999 | Colin Ward * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2000 | Cheryl Kemp * | Canterbury |
| 2000 | Lesley Monk * | Wellington |
| 2000 | Michael Nichols * | Wellington |
| 2001 | Jane Earnshaw * | Canterbury |
| 2001 | Dave McKerchar | Wellington |
| 2001 | Debbie Mygind | Auckland |
| 2001 | Martha Rush | Auckland |
| 2002 | Natalie Hazlewood | Canterbury |
| 2002 | Esme Hamilton + | Hutt Valley |
| 2002 | John Joyce | Wellington |
| 2002 | Basil McLean | Hutt Valley |
| 2003 | Michael Walsh * ONZM | Wellington |
| 2004 | Annie Lineham | Auckland/Bay of Plenty |
| 2004 | Eddie Kohlhase * MNZM | Auckland |
| 2004 | Chubb Tangaroa * MNZM | Hawkes Bay |
| 2005 | Kere Johanson | Wellington |
| 2005 | Gina Weber * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2006 | Nardi Leonard (Clark) * | Auckland |
| 2006 | Russell Moffat * | Canterbury |
| 2006 | Dean Rice * | Auckland |
| 2006 | Wayne Saunders * | Hutt Valley |
| 2009 | Rhonda Hira * | Canterbury |
| 2009 | Helen Townsend | Canterbury |
| 2009 | Michael White * | Wellington |
| 2010 | Ross Smith + | Hutt Valley |
| 2014 | Steve Jackson | Auckland |
| 2014 | Dion Nukunuku | Auckland |
| 2014 | Char Pouaka | Canterbury |
| 2014 | Mark Sorenson * MNZM | Hutt Valley |
| 2014 | Fiona Timu * | Auckland |
| 2014 | Don Tricker * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2015 | Marty Grant | Nelson/Wellington |
| 2015 | Jackie Smith | North Harbour |
| 2015 | Wiremu Tamaki * | Wellington |
| 2015 | Melisa Tupuivao (Upu) | Hutt Valley |
| 2016 | Eva Goodall + | Wellington |
| 2016 | Lyndsey Leask * QSM + | Canterbury |
| 2016 | Brian Wareham | Auckland/Wellington |
| 2017 | Leslie King | Auckland |
| 2017 | Jarrad Martin * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2017 | Patrick Shannon | Auckland |
| 2017 | Travis Wilson | Canterbury |
| 2018 | Rhys Casley | Hutt Valley |
| 2019 | Kim Dermott | Canterbury |
| 2019 | Melanie Hulme | Canterbury |
| 2019 | Ed Isaac | North Harbour |
| 2019 | Grant McCarroll | Hutt Valley |
| 2021 | June Fitzpatrick | Wellington |
| 2021 | Donny Hale | Auckland |
| 2021 | Thomas Makea | Wellington |
SOFTBALL NEW ZEALAND HALL OF FAME
| 1988 | Marilyn Marshall * | Wellington |
| 1988 | Bill Massey * | Hutt Valley |
| 1995 | Dennis Cheyne * | Wellington |
| 1995 | Ed Dolejs * + | Nelson |
| 1995 | Kevin Herlihy * MBE + | Waikato |
| 1995 | Terry Nunns * | Hutt Valley |
| 1995 | Peter Priddey * + | Wellington |
| 1995 | Paul Rogers * + | Auckland |
| 1995 | Dave Sorenson * | Hutt Valley |
| 1995 | Marie Ward * | Wellington |
| 1995 | Alf Whelan * MBE + | Auckland |
| 1996 | Harry Atkin + | Wellington |
| 1996 | Don Brewer + | Whanganui |
| 1996 | Rosina Fletcher + | Auckland |
| 1996 | Gerry Marshall + | Hutt Valley |
| 1997 | Wayne Baldwin + | Hutt Valley |
| 1997 | Jan Foote | Hawkes Bay |
| 1997 | Irene Keating | Wellington |
| 1997 | Robyn Storer * | Canterbury |
| 1997 | Owen Walford * | Hawkes Bay |
| 1997 | Ray Weaver * + | Wellington |
| 1997 | Charlie Phillips * + | Whanganui |
| 1997 | Lester Baldwin * + | Hutt Valley |
| 1998 | Merrell Ferguson * | Hutt Valley |
| 1998 | Bev Makinson + | Canterbury |
| 1998 | Jimmy Cotter + | Hutt Valley |
| 1999 | Colin Ward * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2000 | Cheryl Kemp *+ | Canterbury |
| 2000 | Lesley Monk * | Wellington |
| 2000 | Michael Nichols * | Wellington |
| 2001 | Jane Earnshaw * | Canterbury |
| 2001 | Dave McKerchar | Wellington |
| 2001 | Debbie Mygind | Auckland |
| 2001 | Martha Rush | Auckland |
| 2002 | Natalie Hazlewood | Canterbury |
| 2002 | Esme Hamilton + | Hutt Valley |
| 2002 | John Joyce | Wellington |
| 2002 | Basil McLean | Hutt Valley |
| 2003 | Michael Walsh * ONZM | Wellington |
| 2004 | Annie Lineham | Auckland/Bay of Plenty |
| 2004 | Eddie Kohlhase * MNZM | Auckland |
| 2004 | Chubb Tangaroa * MNZM | Hawkes Bay |
| 2005 | Kere Johanson | Wellington |
| 2005 | Gina Weber * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2006 | Nardi Leonard (Clark) * | Auckland |
| 2006 | Russell Moffat * | Canterbury |
| 2006 | Dean Rice * | Auckland |
| 2006 | Wayne Saunders * | Hutt Valley |
| 2009 | Rhonda Hira * | Canterbury |
| 2009 | Helen Townsend | Canterbury |
| 2009 | Michael White * | Wellington |
| 2010 | Ross Smith + | Hutt Valley |
| 2014 | Steve Jackson | Auckland |
| 2014 | Dion Nukunuku | Auckland |
| 2014 | Char Pouaka | Canterbury |
| 2014 | Mark Sorenson * MNZM | Hutt Valley |
| 2014 | Fiona Timu * | Auckland |
| 2014 | Don Tricker * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2015 | Marty Grant | Nelson/Wellington |
| 2015 | Jackie Smith | North Harbour |
| 2015 | Wiremu Tamaki * | Wellington |
| 2015 | Melisa Tupuivao (Upu) | Hutt Valley |
| 2016 | Eva Goodall + | Wellington |
| 2016 | Lyndsey Leask * QSM + | Canterbury |
| 2016 | Brian Wareham | Auckland/Wellington |
| 2017 | Leslie King | Auckland |
| 2017 | Jarrad Martin * MNZM | Wellington |
| 2017 | Patrick Shannon | Auckland |
| 2017 | Travis Wilson | Canterbury |
| 2018 | Rhys Casley | Hutt Valley |
| 2019 | Kim Dermott | Canterbury |
| 2019 | Melanie Hulme | Canterbury |
| 2019 | Ed Isaac | North Harbour |
| 2019 | Grant McCarroll | Hutt Valley |
| 2021 | June Fitzpatrick | Wellington |
| 2021 | Donny Hale | Auckland |
| 2021 | Thomas Makea | Wellington |
INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL FEDERATION ASSOCIATION / WORLD BASEBALL SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION
| 1985 | George Vincent OBE + | Wellington |
| 1985 | Alfred J Whelan MBE + | Auckland |
| 1987 | Marilyn Marshall | Wellington |
| 1991 | Kevin Herlihy * MBE + | Waikato |
| 1991 | Terry Nunns * | Hutt Valley |
| 1991 | Paul Rodgers + | Auckland |
| 1991 | John Voyle MBE + | Auckland |
| 1991 | Marie Ward | Wellington |
| 1993 | Dennis Cheyne | Wellington |
| 1993 | Ed Dolejs + | Nelson |
| 1993 | Peter Priddey + | Wellington |
| 1993 | David Sorenson + | Hutt Valley |
| 1997 | Lester Baldwin + | Hutt Valley |
| 1997 | Owen Walford | Hawkes Bay |
| 1997 | Ray Weaver + | Wellington |
| 1999 | Lyndsey Leask QSM + | Canterbury |
| 1999 | Charles Phillips + | Whanganui |
| 1999 | Robyn Storer * | Canterbury |
| 2001 | Merrell Ferguson | Hutt Valley |
| 2003 | Cheryl Kemp | Canterbury |
| 2003 | Lesley Monk | Wellington |
| 2003 | Michael Walsh ONZM | Wellington |
| 2003 | Colin Ward MNZM | Wellington |
| 2007 | Jane Earnshaw | Canterbury |
| 2007 | Micheal Nichols | Wellington |
| 2010 | Rhonda Hira | Canterbury |
| 2010 | Wayne Saunders | Wellington |
| 2010 | Mark Sorenson MNZM | Wellington |
| 2010 | Don Tricker MNZM | Wellington |
| 2011 | Russell Moffatt | Canterbury |
| 2011 | Chubb Tangaroa MNZM | Hawkes Bay |
| 2011 | Gina Weber MN | Wellington |
| 2013 | Michael White | Wellington |
| 2015 | Eddie Kohlhase MNZM | Auckland |
| 2015 | Debbie Mygind | Auckland |
| 2015 | Dean Rice | Auckland |
| 2017 | Robert Leveloff MNZM | North Harbour |
| 2017 | Jarrad Martin MNZM | Wellington |
| 2017 | Fiona Timu | Auckland |
| 2019 | Wiremu Tamaki | Wellington |
| 2019 | Bill Massey | Hutt Valley |
| 2019 | Nardi Leonard | Auckland |
| 2022 | Thomas Makea | Wellington |
| 2022 | Lyndsay Edwards | Whanganui |
| 2022 | Jackie Smith | Auckland |
WORLD CHAMPIONS- GOLD MEDALISTS
| 1976 | New Zealand Men | Lower Hutt, New Zealand (1st equal with USA & Canada) |
| 1982 | New Zealand Women | Taipei, Taiwan |
| 1984 | New Zealand Men | Midland, Michigan, USA |
| 1985 | New Zealand Junior Men | Fargo, North Dakota, USA |
| 1989 | New Zealand Junior Men | Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| 1996 | New Zealand Men | Midland, Michigan, USA |
| 2000 | New Zealand Men | East London, South Africa |
| 2004 | New Zealand Men | Christchurch, New Zealand |
| 2013 | New Zealand Men | North Harbour, New Zealand |
| 2017 | New Zealand Men | Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada |
NEW ZEALAND TEAM HEAD COACHES
| Women | Men | ||
| 1949 | Jack McCulloch | 1966-1972 | Alf Whelan MBE + |
| 1962-1965 | Gerry Marshall + | 1973-1976 | Rusty Hay + |
| 1967-1968 | Norm Laws + | 1978-1980 | Roy Dalton + |
| 1969-1974 | Harry Atkin + | 1981-1997 | Mike Walsh ONZM * |
| 1976 | Norm Laws + | 1998-2004 | Don Tricker ONZM * |
| 1977-1990 | Ed Dolejs * | 2004-2013 | Eddie Kohlhase MNZM * |
| 1992-1994 | Colin Ward MNZM * | 2013-2022 | Mark Sorenson MNZM * |
| 1995-1998 | Cheryl Kemp *+ | 2023 - | Thomas Makea |
| 1999-2006 | Michael Walsh ONZM * | ||
| 2007-2010 | Dean Rice * | ||
| 2010-2014 | Naomi Shaw MNZM * | ||
| 2015-2018 | Kevin Gettins | ||
| 2019-2023 | Roman Gabriel | ||
| 2023-2025 | Donny Hale | ||
| 2025 - | Craig Wallace |
SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP & OLYMPIC TEAM CAPTAINS
| Women | Men | ||
| 1965 | Rosina Fletcher + | 1966-1968 | Dave McKerchar |
| 1968 | Elizabeth Roadley | 1972 | Peter Priddey *+ |
| 1974 | Marie Ward * | 1976 | David Sorenson *+ |
| 1978 | Marilyn Marshall * | 1980 | Terry Nunns * |
| 1982-1986 | Naomi Shaw * MNZM | 1984 | Kevin Herlihy MBE *+ |
| 1990 | Lelsey Monk * | 1988 | Carl Gould |
| 1994 | Nardi Leonard * | 1992-2000 | Mark Sorenson MNZM * |
| 1998 | Jackie Smith, Helen Townsend, Kiri Shaw | 2004-2009 | Jarrad Martin MNZM * |
| 2000 Olympics | Gina Weber * MNZM | 2013 | Rhys Casley |
| 2002-2006 | Fiona Timu * | 2015-2019 | Nathan Nukunuku |
| 2010 | Char Pouaka | 2022 | Cole Evans |
| 2012 | Kiri Shaw | ||
| 2014 | Lara Andrews | ||
| 2016-2018 | Ellie Cooper |
NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT- HONOURS AWARDS
| 1976 | Alfred Whelan *+ | MBE |
| 1977 | John Voyle *+ | MBE |
| 1982 | George Vincent *+ | OBE |
| 1985 | Kevin Herlihy *+ | MBE |
| 1986 | Lyndsey Leask *+ | QSM |
| 1998 | Mark Sorenson * | MNZM |
| 2001 | Michael Walsh * | ONZM |
| 2001 | Gina Weber * | MNZM |
| 2001 | Danae Goosman | MNZM |
| 2004 | Jarrad Martin * | MNZM |
| 2004 | Chubb Tangaroa * | MNZM |
| 2004 | Don Tricker * | ONZM |
| 2005 | Fay Freeman | ONZM |
| 2010 | Robert Leveloff * | MNZM |
| 2014 | Eddie Kohlhase * | MNZM |
| 2015 | Colin Ward * | MNZM |
| 2025 | Annie Scoon | MNZM |
NEW ZEALAND SPORT HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
| Bill Massey * | 1936- | |
| Kevin Herlihy MBE *+ | 1947-2006 | |
| Marilyn Marshall * | 1949- | |
| Rita Fatialofa | 1963- | |
| NZ Women's Softball Team | 1982 | |
| Mark Sorenson MNZM * | 2015- |