 Jerome Haretuku in action for the Black Sox - Source: David Lintott
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 (Cap tip to Bob Henning)
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A healthy sense of perspective has certainly helped Black Sox outfielder Jerome Haretutku through the most traumatic experience of his softball career - his axing from this year's world champion squad.
This weekend, the young Aucklander will be staking a claim for re-selection, when new coach Mark Sorenson oversees his first camp in command of the national men's team at the Trentham army base.
Haretuku was sensationally dropped by then coach Eddie Kohlhase just days out from the world tournament in March, when captain Rhys Casley aggravated a shoulder injury and became a doubtful start for the event.
Instead of dispatching his inspirational skipper, Kohlhase opted to bring in specialist cover for his infield position, but had to make room on the roster for that newcomer.
Haretuku was the odd man out and his misfortune had the potential to seriously split the local softball community.
His reaction illustrated exactly why he was chosen in the first place.
"At the time, it was quite hard," he admits. "At the same, my focus went onto helping the team do whatever had to be done to achieve our goal - to win the world title.
"My job was to make sure the boys stayed focused and help them wherever I could.
"They wanted me there as well and it would have been selfish of me to just say 'I'm out of here'."
So, while Haretuku (26) never took the diamond, he was very much a part of the preparations and celebrations that week.
He's also secure enough to realise that his omission had nothing to do with him - he was simply the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The fact that Haretuku had trained the house down and was one of the fittest in the group made Kohlhase's call all the harder to make.
"The last three years, I've been working on every part of my game," he says. "I've done everything I could, but that was just an unfortunate situation with injuries and not really under my control."
Immediately after the world championships, Haretuku began tertiary studies into sports and exercise science, so he didn't have time to stew on the past. He's still just as hungry to play for his country again.
With so many retirements from that team and only two years to groom replacements, Haretuku looms as an immediate contender for an outfit that will rely more on speed than power under softball legend Sorenson.
"I'm looking forward to learning from Mark," says the young Aucklander. "He played for New Zealand as a teenager, so he's got years and years of experience.
"It will be good to pick his brains and learn everything I can from him."
This first gathering under Sorenson will be about setting a foundation for the next two years in terms of culture, leadership, planning and physical conditioning, with nine players returning from the world champion roster.
Pitchers - Nik Hayes (Hutt Valley/Dodgers), Regan Manley (Canterbury/Christchurch Parklands United), Josh Pettit (Wellington/Johnsonville), Kurt Schollum (Marlborough/Saints), Brad Worsley (Hutt Valley/Dodgers)
Catchers - Curtis Cosh (Auckland/Eden Roskill), Aaron Neemia (Wellington/Miramar), Connor Peden (North Harbour/Roosters), Ryan Schollum (Marlborough/Saints), Cory Timu (Hutt Valley/Marist)
Infield - Tyron Bartorillo (Canterbury/Papanui), Tyson Byrne (Hutt Valley/Dodgers), Josh Harbrow (Canterbury/Albion), Nathan Nukunuku (Auckland/Mt Albert), Frank Pointon (Canterbury/Albion), Jerome Raemaki (Wellington/Poneke Kilbirnie), Brad Rona (North Harbour/Northcote)
Outfield - Ben Enoka (Auckland/United), Donny Hale (Auckland/Mt Albert), Jerome Haretuku (Auckland/Marist), Wayne Laulu (Wellington/Miramar), Campbell Makea (Wellington/Poneke Kilbirnie), Josh Thompson (Canterbury/Christchurch Parklands United)
