(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Fred Versluis)
 Netherlands Softball Team off to USA for training-camp
Nederlands
 SCHIPHOL (Neth.) -
The Netherlands Women Softball Team left for Houston, Texas (USA) on Sunday (May 12) from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to start a one-and-a-half-week training-camp at the site of Scrap Yard Dawgs.
The trip is part of the team's preparations for this years European Championship and Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
A total of 25 players are part of the group that will practice and play (intersquad) games.
The team will be led by American Coach Connie Clark, who was named Head Coach of the Orange Team in January.
During the stay in Texas, she will be assisted by Saskia Kosterink (Asistant Coach), Bart Hanegraaff (Hitting Coach) and Ferenc Jongejan (Pitching Coach).
Gonny Farley oversees the activities as the Top Sport Manager Softball of the Dutch Association.
...Dervisa Mutic (left) and Charlotte Drijvers...
...during the opener of this years Holland...
...Tour with the Orange Team in Uithoorn...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
The team will practice and play at the Scrapyard Softball Complex, located in Conroe, 64 km (40 miles) north of Houston.
The Complex is the playing site of Scrap Yard Fast Pitch, which was founded as Scrap Yard Dawgs in October 2015 and played in the professional National Pro Fastpitch in 2016 and 2017.
Last year, the team became an independent team and played as Scrap Yard Fast Pitch.
Dutch infielder and National Team-player Britt Vonk played for the team in the NPF in all three seasons of the team's existence.
In 2017, Vonk won the NPF Championship-title with the team.
In June and July of this year, the Netherlands Team has two important events on its schedule.
First, the team will defend its European title at the European Championship, which will be held June 30-July 6 in Ostava, Frýdek-Místek (both Czech Republic), Rybnik and Żory (both Poland).
The six best countries of the Championship will advance to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which will be organized July 23-28 at the site of UVV in Vleuten/Utrecht (Netherlands).
The winner of that event qualifies for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo (Japan).
All 25 players on the roster have played in the team before.
Catcher Charlotte Drijvers and Utility Player Dervisa Mutic are the only two who have not yet played in an international game for the Netherlands National Team.
They made their debut during last years Holland Tour, which is an annual series of exhition games on different locations throughout the country.
For these two players, this marks their first travel with the Orange-squad.
Last year, Drijvers was the Bullpen Catcher for the team during the inaugural Super 6 in Hoofddorp (Netherlands).
The 25 players who will be in the USA are:
Pitchers (7):
Ilona Andringa, Mariëlle Vleugels, Eva Voortman (all FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem), Lisa Hop (Euro Stars), Marjolein Merkx (Roef!), Rebecca Soumeru and Ginger de Weert (both Sparks Haarlem).
Catchers (4):
Charlotte Drijvers (Roef!), Dinet Oosting (FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem), Karin Tuk (Terrasvogels) and Laura Wissink (Tex Town Tigers).
Infielders (6):
Virginie Anneveld, Shareday Christina (both FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem), Maxime van Dalen, Suka Van Gurp (both Sparks Haarlem), Onaisha Franka (Roef!) and Britt Vonk (Bussolengo, Italy).
Outfielders (5):
Jessie van Aalst, Brenda Beers (both FysioExpert Olympia Haarlem), Wies Ligtvoet, Isa Los (both Roef!) and Chantal Versluis (Sparks Haarlem).
Utility Players (3):
Damishah Charles (Twins Oosterhout), Dervisa Mutic (Sparks Haarlem) and Cindy van der Zanden (Roef!).
(May 12)
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