Darren Zack
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Darren Zack (born 1960 in Garden River, Ontario, Canada), also known by his nickname "Z-MAN" is a fastpitch softball player.[1] Zack is an Ojibwa softball player and he has set records at every level, pitching the most wins, strikeouts and consecutive scoreless innings, and capturing three gold medals at the Pan Am Games.[1][2][3] Zack conducts pitching clinics throughout North America, encouraging community involvement in the sport.[1]
Zack currently lives in the Garden River First Nation Reserve with his wife Charlotte and their children.[3][4] Zack has 5 children, Sean Dolan, Jon Dolan, late William, Molli Zack and Darren Junior.[5] Sean has 2 sons, Lewis and James and DarrenJr has a daughter and 4 sons. Nahla, Kovu, Leo, Kion and Rio. thus Darren has seven grandchildren.[5] Zack's culture and spirituality is important to him, specifically the teachings of the tobacco.[1]
Zack had a book released about him in 2010, called Z-Man Darren Zack, which chronicles his career.[6]
Zack was born during 1960 in Garden River, Ontario, Canada to John and Edith Zack and grew up on the Garden River First Nations Reserve near Sault Ste. Marie.[2][3] He is a part of the Ojibwa tribe and remains a resident of the Garden River First Nation reserve. He has one sister Leslie and one brother Brenden.[5] While he was young he was taught many sports, including fishing, hunting, football, and softball, the latter of which was a family tradition.[2] Zack believes his family's love for Fastpitch and the fact they would throw the ball around with him as a child was instrumental to his career success.[1] He has also commented that as a child the mentors in his life had encouraged him to go as far as he could with the sport.[7] Specifically as a teenager, after consulting his grandfather with a dream about an eagle and playing for team Canada, his grandfather explained the eagle was the "highest bird" and symbolic of no one being able to break his records if he pursued fastpitch.[1] In 2003 Darren Zack ran to be elected on to the council of the Garden River First Nations band. He along with 44 other candidates ran for 12 available spots.[8]