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Willocks back in the Black Sox
Clayton Willocks holds the ISF Men's World Softball Championship trophy in February 2004 (oh-10-0323-006).
In April 2010, five years after he retired from playing softball for the Black Sox (NZ Men's Softball Team), MAJ Clayton Willocks is back in the team again, but this time, as the teams Technology Assistant.
The position is voluntary and entails video analysis of the Black Sox players and scouting opposing teams in order to assist in the development of Black Sox players, identifying weaknesses in opposing teams and preparation of winning game plans. The appointment is also responsible to the Softball NZ High Performance Manager and to the Black Sox Head Coach. Clayton brings years of experience at the elite level to the team, plus his two World Championship gold medals that he won with the Black Sox in 2000 and 2004.
Clayton Willocks playing for the Black Sox in 2004 as a player, now he is back in the team, this time, as the Technology Assistant (oh-10-0323-007).
MAJ Willocks is an Army Plans officer at Army General Staff in Wellington. His first assignment with the Black Sox will be in November, when the team commence a two week tour of Australia. Clayton's schedule for the next few years leading up to the Men's World Softball Championships in North Harbour in February 2013; will see Clayton tour North America in July 2011 and Japan in May 2012.
The Black Sox are arguably NZ's most successful sporting team having finished 1st or 2nd at every World Championship since 1976. The NZ Army has had a strong relationship with the Black Sox having provided the manager appointment over the period 1998 - 2009 (CAPT Grant McCarroll and WO1 Wayne Small) and hosting numerous training camps. With the next World Championship being held in North Harbour, it is expected that the media coverage of the team will be high; resulting in positive spin-offs for the NZ Army.
This page was last reviewed on 22 September 2011 and is current.