IN MEMORIAM ...Tenley Boersma... (2003 - 2025) (© Photo: KNBSB)

Sparks Haarlem-player and youth-international Tenley Boersma passed away
Nederlands

ALKMAAR (Neth.) - On Saturday, September 6, Tenley Boersma passed away at the much too young age of 22, losing an unfair battle with that terrible illness. Writing an In Memoriam is never easy, especially when you have known someone personally. Or in this case, about a young woman, who had a full life ahead of her and was a talented and passionate catcher, who played in the Dutch big league for Sparks Haarlem. Tenley also has been a member of National Youth Teams.

Details about the memorial service are not yet announced.

On April 30, 2024, Tenley threw the ceremonial first pitch during the opening of Softball & Baseball Against Cancer, the annual events at the site of Hoofddorp Pioniers with games, clinics and courses to raise money for the Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds Kankerbestrijding (Queen Wilhelmina Fund Dutch Cancer Society). In her opening address, Tenley said she had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer seven months earlier. Despite this devastating news and undergoing treatments, Tenley always remained positive and optimistic. Throughout 2024, she kept on playing for Sparks Haarlem with whom she played in the Holland Series and earlier in the year won the European Cup Winners Cup on the club's home-site in Haarlem.

This year, Tenley was unable to play due to her illness. But a week ago, she was with her teammates in Bollate (Italy), where Sparks Haarlem participated in the European Premier Cup-tournament and captured the Bronze Medal.

Tenley Jayden Boersma was born on February 27, 2003 in Alkmaar. Tenley began playing softball at a young age at Alcmaria Victrix in Alkmaar and The Bears in Bergen (which had a working-agreement), where her father Robert frequently was one of her coaches Several years later, around 2018, Tenley went on to play for Gophers in Maassluis, a club that unfortunately ceased to exist after 40 years in 2023.

It was from Gophers that Tenley transfered in November 2019 to the big league-team of Sparks Haarlem at age 16. The following year, after having turned 17, Tenley made her debut in the highest league. In following seasons, she showcased her talent behind the plate, her offense, her insight in the game and cooperation working with pitchers.

In her first big league-season with Sparks Haarlem, which was an abbreviated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tenley played in 14 games and got 19 at bats. She made her debut on July 18, 2020, playing at second base in a home-game against Terrasvogels. With that, she belonged to a group of young, talented players who were born in the new century (2000 or later) and debuted in the highest league.

...Tenley receives her medal after Sparks... ...Haarlem won the European Cup Winners... ...Cup in 2024 in Haarlem (Netherlands)... (© Photo: Fred Versluis)

A week later, against Amsterdam Pirates, she played in her first game as catcher, replacing Lorraine Kieft in the fourth inning with Caressa Schoor as pitcher. In the final two innings of this game, she caught legendary pitching-veteran Rebecca Soumeru. On August 15 of her first season, in an away-game against Hoofddorp Pioniers, Tenley recorded her first basehit, an RBI-single off of Iris Strookman.

In 2021, Tenley played in 26 games, batted .269 and scored a career-high 17 runs. After having appeared in 22 games during the 2022 season, Tenley again scored 17 runs in 2023 and then set career-highs with 22 basehits and 10 runs batted in, playing in 34 games. During the 2024 season, which would be her last one, Tenley played in 17 games and collected nine more basehits.

In her five big league-seasons, Tenley Boersma, who mostly batted second, played in 113 games, recorded 61 basehits, scored 52 runs and batted in 28. During the 2024 Holland Series, Tenley, who always played with uniform number 10, would play in what would be her final game.

In all her seasons, the team was led by Head Coach Peter van Dalen, who was assisted by Patrick Howell and Tenley's father Robert. In 2022, her brother Tyler Boersma also was one of the coaches. In 2023, Norman Ames joined the coaching-staff. Since 2021, Robert also is a member of the coaching-staff of the Netherlands National Softball Team. Tyler also has coached several teams.

Tenley Boersma played in three successful European Cup Winners Cup-tournaments with Sparks Haarlem. In 2022, in Spain, the team won the Silver Medal. A year later, in Italy, Tenley batted .385, while the finished in first place. And in 2024, when the tournament was held on its home-site, Sparks Haarlem again captured the Gold Medal after winning 5-4 in a thriller-final against Saronno from Italy. Trailing 4-1, the team rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

From 2019 on, Tenley played in National Youth Teams, with whom she participated in three European Championships. In 2019, in Zagreb (Croatia), she captured the European title with the Netherlands Under-16 Team, which was led by Head Coach Ilja Hardewijn. During the event, Tenley batted .385 in playing in seven games and her brother Tyler was the team's Pitching Coach.

After international play was interrupted due to the corona-pandemic, tournaments returned in 2021. In that year, Tenley played for the Netherlands Under-18 Team, which was led by Saskia Kosterink, who is the current Head Coach of the Netherlands National Softball Team. In Czechia, the Orange-U18-squad finished in third place. Later in 2021, Tenley traveled to Lima (Peru) for the World Championship Under-18, where the team finished in seventh place. In Peru, Tenley was the best hitter of the Orange-team, hitting .350.

...Tenley as catcher for Sparks Haarlem... (© Photo: Fred Versluis)

In 2022, she again played in an European Championship, this time with the Netherlands Under-22 Team, which was led by Sandra Catoen. In Czechia, the team finished in second place.

While playing in youth-teams for The Bears/Alcmaria Victrix, Tenley participated in five Summer-editions (2014-2018) of the international Battle at the Castle, the international youth-tournament which were held annually from 2014 through 2019 in Oosterhout. During these tournaments, she played with and against many players, who would be future big leaguers.

In all her five big league-seasons with Sparks Haarlem, Maxime van Dalen, Nina Oomes, Ismay Poot and Suka Van Gurp were Tenley's teammates. Riangela Flanegin and Caressa Schoor were teammates in four seasons and Denice van Dijk, Famke Gildemacher, Mathilde Hoogland, Kimberly Jones, Lorraine Kieft, Julia Kwakernaak, Tammie Lijbers, Dani Möler, Feline Poot, Kirsten Scheele and Rebecca Soumeru played in three seasons together with Tenley.

Other teammates in those five seasons were Esmee Ames, Phine Aragones, Kelly Barnhill, Anna-Bè Bartels, Tamar Biervliet, Sienna Boelens, Quincey Catsburg, Greta Cecchetti, Chenise Delce, Kristina Foreman, Richelle van Gennip, Evest Groenland, Senna Grootings, Hannah Held, Rachel Henks, Lauren Heijnsdijk, Zoe Hicks, Isabel Hoogland, Marleen van der Horst, Jacky Huijben, Magdaléna Kavanová, Cassady Knudsen, Lisa Kovacevic, Esther Kruiswegt, Morgan Leinstock, Linnie Malkin, Thaima Maximiliana, Lisa Meyering, Dervisa Mutic, Kelsy Pieneman, Chelsea Robinson, Bobbi Scheurkogel, Renee Scholte, Isa Smit, Dominique Sprengers, Mila Stolk, Iris Strookman, Julia Westhoek, Savanna Wood, Grace Wrixon and Isa Zwitzer.

Although we knew that Tenley was very sick, the devastating news of her passing led to a lot of mouring within the Dutch softball (and baseball) family. Tenley Boersma was a talented and driven player, who played with a lot of passion and enjoyed every moment being on a field. She was much-liked by her teammates and will be missed by all of us, as we have to say goodbye to her far too soon.

The webmaster of Grand Slam * Stats & News offers his condolences to Tenley's parents Robert and Marijn, her brother Tyler, other family and friends and wishes them a lot of strength with this huge loss.

(September 7)