(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by DBV/Walter Keller & Henk Seppen)
 Jendrick Speer new Manager of German National Baseball Team
Nederlands
 FRANKFURT AM MAIN (Germany) -
Former National Team-player Jendrick Speer is the new Manager of the German National Team, as well as of the Under-23 National Team, the Deutschen Baseball und Softball Verband (DBV) announced on Wednesday (March 15).
Speer succeeds Belgian Steve Janssen, who was the Manager of these two teams since 2019.
...Jendrick Speer...
(© Photo: DBV/Walter Keller) |
DBV-President Jürgen Elsishans states: ,,We are happy that Jendrick Speer has agreed to take this position and we hope to get back on the road to success, especially with the senior national team.
It was important to us when we were looking for a German coach, we would fine someone who is able to be present in Germany throughout the year.
We have accomplished that feat and we wish him all the best''.
In the past 25 years, the 42-year old Jendrick Speer has been active as a player and coach of Paderborn Untouchables.
Initially, Speer would be the team's Head Coach again this season, until he was approached for this new opportunity.
,,We are immensively proud that Jendrick Speer has been given this task'', the Paderborn-club reacted.
,,So close to the start of the season, this of course is a challenging situation for us that we quickly have to react to.''
In December 2018, Steve Janssen succeeded Martin Helmig.
In the past, Janssen also has been a member of the coaching-staff, as well as being the Manager of the Netherlands National Team.
Janssen led the German Under-23 Team to two Silver Medals at an European Championship.
With the National Team, Janssen finished in sixth (2019) and ninth (2021) place during the Championships.
In September last year, Germany hosted the World Baseball Classic Qualifying Tournament (Pool A) in Regensburg.
Germany then opened with an 8-1 loss against Great Britain in what was a Semi-Final.
As the highest ranked teams on the WBSC World Rankings, Germany and the Czech Republic had a bye in the Opening Round.
Because of the loss, Germany then faced South Africa in the (backdoor) Lower Round and won 11-5.
But thereafter, Germany was eliminated after losing 8-4 to the Czech Republic, which then also eliminated favorite Spain.
With that, the Czech Republic and Great Britain both qualified for the World Baseball Classic, which currently is in the deciding phase.
Jendrick Speer is the recordholder of games played in the German National Team.
He made his debut in the National Team in 1997 at age sixteen during the European Championship in France.
There, Germany finished in tenth place.
In following years, Germany started to climb in the rankings and finished in fourth place in 2005 and 2007, then won the Bronze Medal in 2010 when the Championship was played at home-soil with Stuttgart being the prime site.
After he had retired as a player, Speer became the Head Coach of Paderborn Untouchables, whom he led in six seasons in the 1.Bundesliga.
Last season, the team reached the German Championship Final, but then lost to Bonn Capitals.
This year, Speer will lead the National Teams in two European Championships.
First, in August, the Under-23 Team in Austria.
Thereafter, in September/October, he will head the main-squad during the Championship in the Czech Republic.
(March 15)
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