(Story & Photos by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Coaching Staffs announced for Dutch National Teams
Nederlands
 NIEUWEGEIN (Neth.) -
The coaching staffs for the national women softball-team of the Netherlands, as well as the Dutch Junior Team have been announced.
The Netherlands National Team will defend its European title this Summer at the European Championship in Rosmalen (Netherlands), while the Junior-squad will play in the regular big league-season (Golden League), playing under the name of Holland Talent Team.
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...Tracy Bunge & Juni Francisca...
(© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
During the European Championship in Rosmalen, which will be held July 20-25 at the site of Gryphons, the Dutch Team will defend its European title.
The Orange squad captured the European title three times in a row since 2009, remaining unbeaten in all three tournaments.
In Rosmalen, the team will be led by Tracy Bunge, who will be assisted by Juni Francisca.
American coach Tracy Bunge succeeds Craig Montvidas, who led the team since 2009.
This year, Montvidas will be active as Head Coach of the Pennsylvania Rebellion, one of the teams in the professional National Pro Fastpitch (NPF).
There, he will be assisted by Karen Marr, who was the Dutch Team's Pitching Coach in recent years.
Early February, National Team-player Virginie Anneveld was signed to a 2-year deal by Pennsylvania.
Two weeks later, Dagmar Bloeming also signed a contract for two years with Pennsylvania.
With this, they will make their professional debut in the NPF.
Tracy Bunge frequently assisted Montvidas at the Orange squad since November 2009 during international events, such as the World Championship or European Championship.
From 1997-2009, she was the Head Coach of the team of the University of Kansas, after having led Ohio University for three years.
In 2013, Tracy Bunge also was a member of the coaching staff of the Netherlands Junior Team during the World Junior Championship in Canada.
In October of last year, Juni Francisca ended a very successful period as Head Coach of Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem.
Last year, he led the team to the Dutch championship after having won the European Cup Winners Cup and was named Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.
Sparks Haarlem remained unbeaten the entire season.
Francisca was Head Coach of Sparks Haarlem since 2008 after having led the teams of Birds and Twins before that.
...Mary-Ann Hatt (left) & Caroline Theunissen...
...during the Olympic Games of 2008...
...in Beijing (China)...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
Mary-Ann Hatt will be the Head Coach of the Holland Talent Team this year in the Dutch big league.
She will be assisted by Sandra Catoen, while Lindsey Meadows will serve as Pitching Coach.
Last year, Mary-Ann Hatt was one of the coaches of the Dutch Junior Team during the European Junior Championship in Rosmalen.
In the previous three years, she also was a member of the coaching staffs of both the Red (Juniors) as White (Cadets) Teams.
She earlier was one of the coaches of the Junior-squad in 2005.
From 2005-2008, she was one of the coaches of the Netherlands National Softball Team, including the Olympic Games of 2008 in Beijing (China).
As a clubcoach, Mary-Ann Hatt had been active as Head Coach of Twins, TYBB, Euro Stars and Gryphons, all in the Dutch big league.
Sandra Catoen last year was the coach of the Dutch White Team (Cadets), while Lindsey Meadows will make her coaching debut with a National Team.
The latter also is an active player of the Netherlands National Team and is on the roster of big league-club Tex Town Tigers, with she won the Dutch championship-title twice in 2008 and 2009.
Paul Boonstra will be the Team Manager of the National Team, while Caroline Theunissen will be the Team Manager of the Junior squad.
The latter had the same position with the National Team from May 2007 through 2008.
Other members of the supporting and medical staffs will be named later.
(March 5)
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