(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
 Amsterdam Pirates Head Coach Michael Duursma steps down day after winning title
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
In a surprise and unexpected move, Michael Duursma has stepped down as Head Coach of L&D Amsterdam Pirates, a day after capturing the Championship-title, winning the Holland Series 4-3 against Curaçao Neptunus.
On Sunday, Amsterdam Pirates won the deciding Game 7 in Rotterdam with a 4-2 score to prolong its title.
In an announcement on the club's website on Monday (October 18), it was said that Duursma is unable to fully combine his duties as a coach with his regular job as Coordinator of Baseball Academy Kennemerland Rabbits.
...Michael Duursma with the Championship...
...Shield after winning the Holland Series...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
,,It is with a heavy heart that I had to take this decision, I have had two great years with a wonderful club and team'', said Michael Duursma, who informed the club-board of his decision during the interruption of the Play-Off against HCAW.
,,But my work with the Academy is a full-time job and it is not possible to combine this at the moment.
When I do something, I want to do it right and coaching a big league-team takes a lot of time.''
With his work for the Academy, Duursma remains involved in baseball.
With that, a return as a club-coach or National Team-coach remains a possibility in the future.
Duursma: ,,Yes, who knows what the future brings, but for now, I will focus on the Academy and spent some more time with my family''.
Since its founding in 2008, Duursma has been active as an instructor at Baseball Academy Kennemerland Rabbits.
In May 2016, Duursma succeeded Bernie Beckman as Technical Manager and Head Coordinator of the Academy.
In 2017, he won the Bill Arce Award for Most Promising Coach.
In late September 2019, Duursma became the Head Coach Amsterdam Pirates, succeeding Brian Finnegan, who also stepped down after winning the title.
When Finnegan took the position of Head Coach, he announced in advance that he would lead the team for only one season.
That became a very successful season.
In the Holland Series back then, Pirates lost the first three games, but then became the first team in history to win the next four and capture the title, its first since 2011.
Finnegan had been the successor of Charles Urbanus, who had led Pirates in the previous five seasons.
Before becoming the Head Coach of Amsterdam Pirates, Duursma was active as a coach with the Netherlands Under-15 / Under-18 Teams for three years (2017-2019).
In 2017, Duursma was the 3B Coach of the Netherlands Under-15 Team, which then won the Silver Medal at the European Championship in Austria, losing the Final 4-2 to Germany.
In that same year, Duursma was one of the coaches of the Netherlands Team that won the Colt World Series in the USA.
In 2018, Duursma became th Manager of the Netherlands Under-15 Team.
In that year, he led the team during the World Cup Under-15 in Panama, where the team finished in eighth place.
Ten players of that team have made their debut in the Dutch big league in the past two seasons, while one of them, Darnel Collins, is playing professionally.
In 2019, Duursma again was the Manager of the Netherlands Under-15 Baseball Team and also was a member of the coaching-staff of the Netherlands Under-18 Baseball Team.
With the Under-15 Team, Duursma won the Bronze Medal at the European Championship Cadets (U15) in Nettuno (Italy) by winning 3-0 against the Czech Republic.
With the Under-18 Team, Duursma was the 3B Coach in the staff of Manager Eric de Bruin.
This team finished in seventh place at the Under-18 World Cup in Busan (South Korea).
Last year, in his first season as Head Coach of Amsterdam Pirates, Michael Duursma led the team back to the Holland Series, which it has won in spectacular fashion the year before.
Again, Pirates started the Championship Final against Curaçao Neptunus well, winning the first two games.
But the Final and the entire baseball/softball-season then ended abruptly due to new and stricter measures against the coronavirus.
It was decided that there would be no Champion in 2020 and with that, Pirates started the 2021 season still as the defending Champion.
In the announcement on the club's website, Amsterdam Pirates thanks Duursma for his two seasons as Head Coach.
,,Amsterdam Pirates thanks Michael for the enormous commitment to the team and the club and of course for the excellent results, despite all the restrictions that sports clubs had during the corona pandemic.
Last year, L&D Amsterdam led 2-0 in the Holland Series, which unfortunately was stopped early due to a lock-down.
This year the team's performance at the European Cup in Ostrava was a bit disappointing with a 5th place.
That was made up for during the play-offs in which, after an exciting battle against HCAW, a spot was secured for the Holland Series and qualification for the European Cup 2022.
The Holland Series were like the icing on the cake.
Duursma's team won the last game 4-2 in an exciting Series and won the national championship for the second time in a row.''
...Michael Duursma as Head Coach with Pitching Coach...
...Rob Cordemans during the 2020 Holland Series...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Also mentioned in the announcement was the addition of some young players to the team by Duursma.
,,Talented players were added to the line-up and were given a lot of playing time and the opportunity to grow in a nice mix of players with MLB and Minor League backgrounds and other experienced players.
This setup pleased Amsterdam Pirates and will be continued'', the announcement read.
It was also confirmed that the club's Board already is in talk with some candidates to succeed Duursma.
,,We don't do this overnight'', the club's Chairman Koen Gijsbers said.
,,We are in talks with candidates and will choose the coach that best fits the policy and future of the club.
In addition, this coach must also match the selection and care always takes time.
There will be a top coach for a top team!''
The Haarlem-born Duursma played for 21 seasons in the Dutch big league.
After having started his career at Boosters in Roosendaal, Duursma played for Double Stars, then made his big league-debut in 1996 with HCAW.
He played for five seasons for the Bussum-based club, then played one season for Neptunus in 2001.
From 2002 on, Duursma played eleven seasons for Hoofddorp Pioniers.
After the 2012 season, the infielder transfered to Amsterdam Pirates for whom he played four seasons before retiring after the 2016 season as a player.
He mostly played as short stop, but also was used as a second baseman.
Duursma led the big league in Runs Scored in 2003 (43) and 2004 (39).
He stole the most bases (20) in 2004.
Besides that, Duursma led the league in Hit by Pitches three times (2006, 2015, 2016).
He belongs to the all-time leaders in this category.
Through the years, Duursma played in 178 international games for the Netherlands National Baseball Team.
With the Orange-squad, Duursma participated in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (China).
He also participated in three World Baseball Classics (2006, 2009, 2013).
Duursma also participated in five European Championships (three titles), two World Championships, six Haarlem Baseball Weeks and six World Port Tournaments.
(October 18)
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