{{short description|New Zealand softball player/coach and rugby union footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2015}} '''Christopher Paul Kohlhase''' (23 December 1967 – 29 May 2015) was a New Zealand softball player and coach. A member of the New Zealand National Softball team, called the "Black Sox", he later became the coach of the Samoan softball team.<ref>[http://www.st-peters.school.nz/news_and_events/archive/march182004.php ''St Peter's College Newsletter'', 18 March 2004] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20040717080124/http://www.st-peters.school.nz/news_and_events/archive/march182004.php |date=17 July 2004 }}</ref>
==Early life and family== Born in Auckland in 1967,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.heavenaddress.com/Christopher-Paul-Chris-Kohlhase/1059362/ | title=Christopher Paul (Chris) Kohlhase | year=2015 | publisher=HeavenAddress | accessdate=2 June 2015}}</ref> Kohlhase was the son of New Zealand softball representative Eric Kohlhase and his wife Ellen, and the younger brother of Eddie Kohlhase, who also played softball for New Zealand.<ref name="Eric obit">{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/5893621/Softball-NZ-mourns-legend-Eric-Kohlhase | title=Softball NZ mourns 'legend' Eric Kohlhase | date=1 November 2011 | publisher=Stuff|location=New Zealand | accessdate=30 May 2015 | first=Jessica | last=Tasman-Jones}}</ref> He spent his childhood in Auckland and was educated at St Peter's College.
Although mainly noted as a softballer, Kohlhase was also an accomplished rugby union player, being a member of the Marist side that won the Gallaher Shield as Auckland senior club champions in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aucklandmarist.co.nz/small-gallery-article/bereavement-chris-kohlhase/149650/346037/ |title=Bereavement Chris Kohlhase |date=29 May 2015 |publisher=Marist Brothers Old Boys Rugby Club |accessdate=30 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530094123/http://www.aucklandmarist.co.nz/small-gallery-article/bereavement-chris-kohlhase/149650/346037/ |archive-date=30 May 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Softball career== Kohlhase joined the Black Sox in the late 1980s and played in international championships. He was appointed coach of the Samoan team which beat the Black Sox (coached by his brother Eddie) at the Pacific championships in 2005.<ref name="NZ_Herald_10009783">{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/softball/news/article.cfm?c_id=88&objectid=10009783 |title=Softball: Samoan Kohlhase scores in battle of coaching brothers |last=Ash | first=Julie |date=7 February 2005 |work=The New Zealand Herald |accessdate=23 September 2011}}</ref>
Kohlhase died in Auckland in 2015.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://notices.nzherald.co.nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/obituary.aspx?n=christopher-paul-kohlhase&pid=174964192 | title=Christopher Kohlhase obituary | date=30 May 2015 | work=The New Zealand Herald | accessdate=30 May 2015}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.softball.org.nz/ Softball New Zealand (accessed 22 June 2010)]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kohlhase, Chris}} Category:1967 births Category:2015 deaths Category:New Zealand people of German descent Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent Category:New Zealand rugby union players Category:New Zealand softball players Category:People educated at St Peter's College, Auckland Category:Sportspeople from Auckland Category:New Zealand softball coaches