(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Robert Bos)
 Anouk van den Heuvel new Head Coach of Kinheim
Nederlands
 HAARLEM (Neth.) -
Former Dutch big league and National Team-player Anouk van den Heuvel is the new Head Coach of the women's softball-team of Kinheim, the club announced on Wednesday (October 23).
Van den Heuvel, who will make her coaching-debut, succeeds Roland Telleman and Ruben de Groot, who led the Haarlem-based team in the past seven seasons.
...Anouk van den Heuvel...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
This season, the Kinheim softball-team was one of the two dominating teams in the 12-team Second Division.
In the regular season, Kinheim finished with a 19-3 record and shared first place with Caribe.
In the following Play-Off Round (top-six), Kinheim defeated Caribe 8-1 and 9-4, remained unbeaten and was 10-0 to finish in first place and secure both the Second Division-title, as well as promotion to the First Division, which is the second highest league.
The softball-team of Kinheim last played in the second highest league (also called First Division back then) in 1995-1998.
In the 1998 season, Kinheim finished in last place and relegated to the District-level.
From 1999 on, Kinheim had some tough seasons.
The team relegated to the Fifth Division in 2000, then to the Sixth Division a year later.
In 2002, Kinheim finished in first place and returned to the Fifth Division.
From 2004 on, Kinheim mostly played in either the Third or Fourth Division.
In 2023, Kinheim returned in the Second Division.
In the late seventies through 1986, Kinheim played in the Dutch big league.
The team relegated in 1981, but returned in 1983.
In 1986, Kinheim played in its last season at the highest level.
Kinheim published the following on its website on Wednesday:
,,Baseball and softball club Kinheim is pleased to announce the appointment of Anouk van den Heuvel as the new head coach of the Kinheim-Ladies.
The softball team will play in the 1st division in 2025.
Van den Heuvel, a well-known name in the softball world, takes over from Roland Telleman and Ruben de Groot, who have successfully led the team in recent years.
Anouk brings a wealth of experience to Kinheim.
After more than 400 games at the highest national softball level and an impressive career as an international, she now wants to transfer her knowledge and passion to the young and talented team of Kinheim.
''My ambition as a coach is to guide the girls individually and as a team from A to Z in their development on a physical and mental level.
I would like to share my knowledge and experience and that suits these eager and enthusiastic girls well.
I am very much looking forward to getting started with this group of girls.
Together we will make softball even more fun and better!''
Ladies-1 has grown strongly in recent years and this season - after an absence of more than 35 years - managed to achieve promotion to the 1st class.
With the arrival of Anouk, Kinheim hopes to take the next steps in the development of the team and to achieve further successes in the competition.
More information about the other members of the coaching staff will become available in the coming weeks.
Kinheim is very grateful to Roland and Ruben for their efforts and the results achieved.
We wish Anouk every success in her new role.
There is great confidence that she, with her experience and passion for the sport, will take the team to new heights.''
As player, Anouk van den Heuvel made her debut in the Dutch big league in 2004 when she was with Euro Stars, with whom she played in seven seasons in the highest league.
Thereafter, the former infielder played in five big league-seasons for Terrasvogels, with whom she won the Dutch Championship-title in 2013.
Playing for Terrasvogels, she also won the European Cup Winners Cup in 2012 and 2013.
After the 2015 season, Van den Heuvel decided to continue her career at a lower level after having played in the highest league for twelve seasons.
She went on to play for Neptunus with whom she won the First Division-title in 2021, meaning the Rotterdam-based team promoted to the big league.
And so, Anouk van den Heuvel made her comeback in the highest league in 2022.
Towards the end of that season, she was honored for playing in her 400th regular season-game in the big league.
In 2023, she added one more season, which proved to be successful, as she won the Dutch Championship-title with Neptunus, then retired after the season.
In 2005, Anouk van den Heuvel participated with the Netherlands Softball Team in the Canada Cup Tournament.
She returned in the Orange-squad in 2010 and then played in several games during the Holland Tour.
Anouk van den Heuvel also is closely involved in the organization of the annual Indoor Cup in Schiedam in January.
This year, she succeeded Mariëlle Vleugels as chairman of the organizing committee.
(October 23)
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