(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
 Charles Urbanus confirms he steps down as Head Coach of Amsterdam Pirates
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
While the rumor already circulated for some weeks, Charles Urbanus confirmed on Sunday (October 7) that he won't be back as Head Coach of L&D Amsterdam Pirates next season.
Urbanus made the announcement after completion of the Holland Series, which was won by Curaçao Neptunus.
At the moment, Urbanus is unable to combine coaching with his regular job, which is very intensive.
...Charles Urbanus will not be back as Head...
...Coach of Amsterdam Pirates in 2019...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
However, this is surely no retirement.
Charles Urbanus: ,,No, this is no retirement yet.
I like coaching very much, so, I might come back in the future, but I will do nothing next year.
I had to made a decision.
I want to do my job, which is very intensive, good, but I also want to do my coaching good.
But it is not possible to comebine that at the moment.
And of course, I have to look after my health also.
I informed the club of my decision this Summer.
But this is surely no goodbye!''
It is not known yet who will suceed Urbanus as Head Coach, but an announcement is expected shortly.
After a playing career with Amsterdam-based clubs OVVO and Amstel Tijgers, Charles Urbanus turned to coaching.
He can look back to a very successful coaching career of more than 30 years.
Urbanus was a pitcher and later second baseman and played 15 seasons in the Dutch big league, six with OVVO (1971-1976), nine with Amstel Tijgers (1978-1986) with whom he won three Championship-titles.
He also played for Amstel Tijgers in 1977 when it played in the second highest league.
In his career, Urbanus was named Best Pitcher three times and Most Valuable Player twice.
Urbanus played for the Netherlands Netherlands Team (130 games) in 1972-1986, participating in five World Championships and six European Championships.
Charles Urbanus made his coaching-debut in 1987 when he led the women softball-team of Terrasvogels in the big league, whom he also coached in 1988.
Urbanus then turned to baseball and was the Head Coach of Neptunus in 1991-1994, reaching the Play-Offs each year and winning the title twice.
In 1995, Urbanus became the Head Coach of Amsterdam Pirates for the first time when the team played in the second highest league after having relegated in 1994.
Urbanus led the team for three seasons and guided it back to promotion in 1997, returning to the big league.
In 2008 and 2009, he was the Head Coach of the Amsterdam Pirates Rookie League Team, winning the Dutch Championship-title in both years.
Urbanus then returned as Head Coach of the main-squad of Amsterdam in 2010, which was the start of a second 3-year stint.
Like with Neptunus, he led Amsterdam each year to the Play-Offs and in 2011, his team won the Championship-title.
Urbanus was the Technical Director of Amsterdam in 2013, but returned to the field in 2014.
He then succeeded Sidney de Jong, who stepped down after being added to the coaching staff of the Netherlands Team.
For Urbanus, it was the start of his third stint as Head Coach of Amsterdam, which this time lasted five years.
Again, he reached the Play-Offs each season.
Besides coaching club-teams, Urbanus also was a member of the Netherlands Team coaching-staff in several years.
He also coached youth-teams in different age groups at Amsterdam Pirates, winning five Dutch Championship-titles.
(October 7)
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