(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Fred Versluis, Henk Seppen & Marco Stoovelaar)
 Saskia Kosterink will be the next Head Coach of the Netherlands Softball Team
Nederlands
...Saskia Kosterink...
...new Head Coach...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
 NIEUWEGEIN (Neth.) -
Saskia Kosterink will take over as Head Coach of the Netherlands National Women's Softball Team after conclusion of the WBSC World Cup in July, the Royal Netherlands Baseball and Softball Federation (KNBSB) announced on Friday (May 24).
During the upcoming WBSC World Cup, which will be held in Italy July 15-21, Head Coach Ferenc Jongejan will lead the team for the last time.
Kosterink then will take over and she will head the team during the European Championship, which will be organized September 1-7 in the Utrecht-region (Netherlands).
Jongejan will become Technical Manager of the softball-section of the KNBSB.
In a press release, Saskia Kosterink looked ahead to the moment she takes over:
,,The involvement is already somewhat greater in the run-up than it normally is.
After a week of rest, we have three weeks in August - there is an interruption for the European Cup for Clubs - to prepare for the European Championship in our own country.
The short period and the pressure surrounding the European Cup mean that I am aware of making our joint start as calm as possible''.
Her first reactions after being appointed new Head Coach were: ,,Extremely exciting, a fantastic challenge, proud and honoured''.
Saskia Kosterink surely is no stranger to the group of Orange-players, as she already is a member of the coaching-staff since 2017.
Back then, the former outfielder made her coaching-debut during the European Championship in Italy as Bench Coach of then-Head Coach Juni Francisca.
And it also will not be the first time that the former National Team-player will act as Head Coach of the Orange-squad.
Saskia Kosterink also initially served as Bench Coach the following year during the WBSC World Championship in Japan.
However, a rare change in the coaching-staff was executed during the tournament.
The team lost three of the first four games and was on the brink of being eliminated for the Play-Offs.
After a disappointing 6-5 loss against the Philippines, Head Coach Juni Francisca was put on a non-active status by then-Technical Director Tjerk Smeets.
Program Manager Softball Gonny Farley, who was with the team in Japan, was given the responsibility of the team for the remainder of the tournament, while Saskia Kosterink was named Interim Head Coach.
After the decision of Francisca's relief of duties was announced, 1B Coach Marcel Schippers stepped down.
Hitting Coach Bart Hanegraaff took over that position, while Karen Marr stayed on as Pitching Coach.
In her first game as Head Coach, Saskia Kosterink led the Orange-squad to a crucial 6-5 win against Chinese Taipei.
In the next game, the Netherlands was nipped by Mexico, 1-0, but then recorded an 11-1 win against South Africa to qualify for the Play-Offs.
In this Final Round, the team lost 8-1 to Canada and finished in eighth place, but the goal to reach the Play-Offs had been accomplished.
...Saskia Kosterink as 1B Coach during the...
...2019 European Championship in Italy...
(© Photo: Fred Versluis) |
A month after conclusion of the World Championship, American Connie Clark is named as new Head Coach with fellow-American Michelle Gromacki as Bench Coach for the upcoming Super6 in Hoofddorp (Netherlands).
Saskia Kosterink returned in the staff, this time as 1B Coach.
In 2019, Clark and Gromacki returned.
Kosterink again was the 1B Coach and Ferenc Jongejan joined the staff as Pitching Coach.
In this year, the Netherlands Team participated in two important events, the European Championhip and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Both ended with disappointment.
In the EC, the Orange-squad lost the Final against Italy and during the Qualifier, the team lost again vs. Italy, which therefore qualified for the Olympic Games in Japan.
In November 2019, Jongejan was named as new Head Coach.
In 2020, Saskia Kosterink was both the 1B Coach and Hitting Coach.
Since 2021, she has been the Bench Coach in Jongejan's staff.
Last month, Saskia Kosterink traveled to Czech capital Prague with the Netherlands Team for a 4-game exhibition series against Czechia.
The team won all four games.
Besides Head Coach Ferenc Jongejan and Bench Coach Saskia Kosterink, the other current members of the Orange-staff are Rob Boersma (1B Coach), Tjerk Smeets (Pitching Coach), Bas Besselink (Physical Therapist) and Sanne Bolhuis (Team Manager).
After leading the National Team during the upcoming European Championship, Saskia Kosterink also wants to focus on early preparations for 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (USA).
Softball is no part of the Olympic Program of this years Olympic Games in Paris (France).
As player, Saskia Kosterink made her debut in the National Team in 2005.
Since then, she participated in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (China), but also in four World Championhips, six European Championships, one Olympic Qualifying Tournament, three Canada Cup-tournaments, two World Cup of Softball-tournaments and one Japan Cup-tournament, besides several training camps (including games) to the USA (California, Hawaii, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Florida), as well as an international tournament in Japan, preceeding the 2008 Olympic Games and in Venezuela, which preceeded the 2010 World Championship there.
...Saskia Kosterink as centerfielder during the...
...2013 European Championship in Czechia...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In 2014, Saskia Kosterink also played for the Netherlands in the World Championship, which took place on home-soil in Haarlem (Netherlands), the first time the event was organized in Europe.
Overall, she played in 151 official international games for the Netherlands Team, with whom she captured three European titles.
In 2009, 2011 and 2013, led by then-Head Coach Craig Montvidas, the team remained unbeaten in the Championships held in Spain, Italy and Czechia.
In 2017-2019, Saskia Kosterink also was the Head Coach of the Netherlands Under-19 Team and in 2021 of the Netherlands Under-18 Team.
At the club-level, Saskia Kosterink played for Tex Town Tigers (2003-2007) and Sparks Haarlem (2008-2009; 2014) in the Dutch big league.
She also played four seasons (2010-2012) in the highest league in Italy for Bollate.
After completion of her season in Italy, she played for Sparks Haarlem in the postseason in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Saskia also played in three seasons in the Australian Softball League (2012-2013, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016) for Western Australia Flames.
In 2013, she played in the Australian All Star Game.
The outfielder also played in two college-seasons in Florida in the USA (2006-2007).
In 2001, Saskia Kosterink won the Bep van Beijmerwerdt Trophy for Best Dutch Youth Player and in 2005, she won the Egbert van der Sluis Trophy for Best National Team Player under 23.
In 2006, Saskia was chosen for the All Star Team of the Canada Cup.
During the 2007 European Championship, she was named Best Outfielder and in 2014, she was named Most Valuable Player of the European Cup Winners Cup-tournament.
...Saskia during the 2014 World Championship...
...in Haarlem (Netherlands)...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In 2008, Saskia was named Athlete Ambassador of the former International Softball Federation, which now is the softball-section of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
Peter Kwakernaak, Technical Director of the KNBSB, states in the press release:
,,As KNBSB, we are privileged and happy that Saskia Kosterink, as a refined international, who has also been associated with Talent TeamNL talent development for years, is taking over from Ferenc Jongejan.
With her insight, knowledge and experience, we will build a team with potential for gold at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.''
Saskia Kosterink states in the press release:
,,This is a fantastic challenge.
The dream of becoming a national coach has always been there.
Working with the team towards the Olympic Games.
I feel a lot of confidence in myself and towards the players, I have learned a lot as a coach in recent years and I can boast a lot of international experience in top softball.
Tournaments, competition pressure, other situations; it is not unknown territory.
I can provide peace of mind, tips & tricks from my own experiences and what it requires of you to get into the global top five.
I am looking forward to it!''
Ferenc Jongejan, who led the team to the European title in 2022, will become Technical Manager of the softball-section of the KNBSB.
In the press release, Kwakernaak said:
,,We would like to thank Ferenc Jongejan for his tireless efforts for the team over the past five years.
He and his staff have redesigned the softball top sports program, which has led to great results and a well-deserved place in the final pool for the Softball World Cup in Italy this summer''.
(May 24)
|
