 Centrals and Head Coach Caroline Theunissen separate!
Nederlands
 DE BILT (Neth.) -
In an unexpected move, Centrals announced on Wednesday, April 17, that it had separated with its Head Coach Caroline Theunissen.
Effective immediately, she is succeeded by Bas Langezaal, who was the Assistant Coach.
Former player Petra van Elteren, will be added to the staff as the new Assistant Coach.
...Caroline Theunissen... | | 
...Bas Langezaal... |
| (© Both Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In a press release, Centrals stated that Caroline Theunissen has been released of her duties ''by those responsible in the board.''
The statement continues that ''there was a lack of confidence in her position as Head Coach, due to not enough communication within the team and with the coach of the second team''.
Caroline Theunissen took over the coaching at Centrals after the 2011 season when the team relegated from the big league.
Last year, she led the team to second place in the second highest league ('Overgangsklasse'), which earned the team a spot in the best-of-five Promotion/Relegation Play-Off.
In that series, Centrals defeated Twins to return to the big league this season.
Two weeks ago, Centrals was not successful during the annual Jan de Wit Tournament in Haarlem, but opened the new season last weekend with a split against Dutch champion Alcmaria Victrix.
After losing the opener 8-2, Centrals won Game 2 with an 1-0 score.
Bas Langezaal was the Head Coach of Robur '58 last season, which then won the championship in the 'Overgangsklasse' to earn the right for automatic promotion to the big league.
However, Robur '58 opted not to promote, stating it didn't had a representative team for the highest league.
With his appointment as new Head Coach, it marks the return for Langezaal as Head Coach in the big league.
In 2005 and 2006, Langezaal was the Head Coach of Sparks Haarlem.
In 2005, Sparks Haarlem captured the championship title.
In 2006, Langezaal was replaced late in September by Johan Kluijskens, who finished the season.
New Assistant Coach Petra van Elteren has been the Head Coach of Centrals in the past when it didn't play in the big league.
In 1993, she played in 20 big league-games for Amsterdam Pirates.
She will join the team in three weeks, as she currently is on holiday in the United States.
The dismissal of Caroline Theunissen after only two games is the quickest since Twins separated with its Head Coach Koen Janssen after the first two games of the 2004 season.
In 2011, Tex Town Tigers separated with its Head Coach Meagan Hartung after the first six games of the new season.
Four times since 2004, a team and Head Coach separated one of two weeks before the start of a season.
(April 17)
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