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Dutch Women Softball Team |
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2008 |
Who is Who? |
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| # 27 - Anouk Mels - Pitcher |
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|  | | Birthdate | February 5, 1971 |
| | Birthplace | Hoorn (Netherlands) |
| | Residence | Boxtel (Netherlands) |
| | Occcupation | Secretary |
| | Height | 1,76 m |
| | Weight | 68 kg |
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| | Bats | Left |
| | Throws | Left |
| | Position | Pitcher |
| | Games National Team | 43 |
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| | National Team since | 1991 - 1996; since November 2007 |
| | Club(s) | Ducks (Boxtel)
HCAW (Bussum, 1988 - 1996)
Fukujusa (Japan, 1997)
Ronchi Dei Legionari Peanuts (1998 - 1999, Italy)
Royals (New Zealand)
Gryphons (Rosmalen, current) |
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| ...Tournaments Participated In... |  |
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with HCAW
European Cup
1988 (Antwerp, Belgium), 1989 (Parma, Italy), 1990 (Santpoort, Netherlands)
1991 (Rome, Italy), 1992 (Prague, Czech Republic), 1993 (Nice, France)
1994 (Bussum, Netherlands), 1995 (Antwerp, Belgium), 1996 (Bussolengo, Neth.)
with Ronchi Dei Legionari
CupWinners Cup
1998 (Almere, Netherlands), 1999 (Prague, Czech Republic)
with Dutch National Team
1992 - European Championships (Bussum, Netherlands)
1994 - Winfield Cup (North Island, New Zealand)
World Championships (St. John's, Canada)
1995 - Tournament in USA (Bakersfield, USA)
Canada Cup (Vancouver, Canada)
European Championships (Torino, Italy)
Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Haarlem, Netherlands)
1996 - Winfield Cup (several sites, New Zealand)
Qantas Four Nations (Brisbane, Australia)
Canada Cup (Vancouver, Canada)
Olympic Games (Columbus, USA)
2008 - American Tour I (California/Hawaii, USA)
American (NPF) Tour II (Pennsylvania/Illinois/Ohio, USA) |
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| ...Awards... |
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1988 - Most Valuable Player, Dutch Major League
1992 - Most Valuable Player, European Cup
1993 - Most Valuable Player, European Cup
Most Valuable Player, Dutch Major League
1994 - Best Pitcher, European Cup
Most Valuable Player, Dutch Major League
Most Homeruns, Dutch Major League
1995 - Most Valuable Player, Dutch Major League
1998 - Best Pitcher, CupWinners Cup |
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| Miscellaneous |
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| When did you start with softball? | | | When I was nine years old |
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| Why did you start with softball? | | | I thought it was a stout sport and you didn't need skirts |
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| Accomplishments / Highlights | | | Best Pitcher, MVP
Winning the Olympic Qualifier in 1995
Playing in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 |
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| Biggest blunder | | | I forgot |
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| Which persons do you most admire? | | | Pieter |
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| Which persons would you like to meet? | | | Frank Rijkaard |
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| Three people you would love to have dinner with? | | | My husband and my children |
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| Dreamjob? | | | Player's Agent |
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| From who did you learn the most? | | | Pieter |
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| Biggest turn-off? | | | Populism |
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| Talent you wish you had? | | | Subtlety |
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| Pets | | | None |
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| Exotic pet you would like to have? | | | None |
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| Hobbies or Interests | | | Going on vacation |
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| When you wouldn't have been involved in
softball, what other sport would you have done? | | | Tennis |
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| What does the Olympic Games means to you? | | | A fantastic opportunity; Most beautiful tournament in the world |
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| Why does softball has to return to the Olympics? | | | Because it is played all over the world |
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| Describe your playing style | | | Agressive |
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| ...My Favorite / Best... |
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| Movie | | | Lord of the Rings |
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| Actor | | | Johnny Depp |
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| Actress | | | Carice van Houten |
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| TV Channel | | | Nederland 1, 2 and 3 |
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| TV Show | | | Holland Sport |
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| TV Sports Show | | | Holland Sport |
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| TV Personality | | | Mathijs van Nieuwkerk |
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| Radio Channel | | | Radio 1 and 2 |
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| Radio Show | | | Spijkers met Koppen |
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| Radio Personality | | | Dolf Jansen |
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| Music Genre | | | Rock |
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| Singer (male) | | | Cornell |
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| Singer (female) | | | Anouk |
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| Group / Band etc. | | | Rolling Stones, The Who |
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| Song | | | 'Time After Time' by Cyndi Lauper |
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| Vacation Spot / Country | | | Frankrijk |
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| Food | | | Italian |
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| Drink | | | Beer? |
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| Animal | | | Parrot |
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| Newspaper | | | Brabants Dagblad |
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| Book | | | Feist and Goodkind (Fantasy) |
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| Magazine | | | Cosmo |
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| Internet Sites | | | Google |
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| Sport (besides softball) | | | Rugby |
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| Olympic Sport (besides softball) | | | Gymnastics, Track & Field |
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| (Professional) Sports Team | | | Ajax |
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| Athlete (male) | | | Jona Lomu |
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| Athlete (female) | | | Leontien van Moorsel |
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| Softball Player | | | Michelle Smith |
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| Career |
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2008 --- Is 1-for-1, scores once and is the starting pitcher on February 16 vs. St. Mary's College in the opening game of the first American Tour by the Dutch National Team, which is part of the preparations for the Olympic Games in Beijing ---
With her appearance, Anouk makes her official comeback in the Dutch National Softball Team ---
On March 2, Anouk goes the distance and throws an 1-hitter in the first game of a double-header vs. Chaminade University of Honolulu.
2007 --- Anouk makes pitching appearances with Gryphons in the Dutch First Division. The team wins the title, promotes and will make its debut in the Dutch big league in 2008 ---
In November, the lefthander participates in a try-out for the Dutch National Team and is added to the preliminary Olympic roster ---
This not only marks a return to the national squad after eleven years, but she also is the only mother amongst the players on the roster.
1998 - 1999 --- Anouk plays in Italy for Ronchi Dei Legionari Peanuts. In both years, her team wins the CupWinners Cup. In 1988, she is named Best Pitcher of the tournament ---
In her career, Anouk also played in New Zealand.
1997 --- After completing her career in the Netherlands, Anouk this years plays in Japan.
1996 --- Anouk plays in five games with the Dutch National Team during the Olympic Games in Atlanta, where the softball-tournament in being held in the city of Columbus. Therefore, on the current roster, Anouk is the only player with Olympic experience ---
In her ninth, and at that moment, last season in the Dutch big league, Anouk is 2-1 and appears in only seven games as a pitcher, but strikes out 40 batters. Appearing in 21 games as a batter, she hits .381.
1995 --- In Haarlem, Anouk participates with the Dutch National Team in the Haarlem Softball Week, which this time also has the status of Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The Dutch win the event and qualify for the Olympic Games of 1996 in Atlanta ---
In the regular season, the lefthander has her best career-record with 14-1 and also sets a career-high with 132 strikeouts. At the plate, she hits .383 and has 21 RBI's ---
For he accomplisments in the season, Anouk wins the MVP Award for the third consecutive year ---
In Antwerp (Belgium), Anouk and HCAW again capture the European Cup.
1994 --- During the European Cup Tournament, Anouk is named best pitcher, while HCAW wins the Cup for the third time in a row ---
She leads the league in homeruns and is named MVP for the second year in a row.
1993 --- With HCAW, Anouk is 6-2 and has an 0.54 ERA. Offensively, she set career-highs with a .385 average, 28 runs, 24 RBI's and two homeruns ---
After the European Cup Tournament, Anouk again was named MVP of the event, which again was won by HCAW ---
She also is named most valuable player after completion of the Dutch big league-season.
1992 --- Anouk makes her debut in the Dutch National Team during the European Championships in Bussum (Netherlands) ---
In the regular season, she ends with a 3-4 record, but also has an 0.57 ERA. She again hits .308 and scores 19 runs ---
But there also was a highlight this season, as she was named MVP during the European Cup Tournament, which was won by HCAW.
1991 --- In the regular season, Anouk is 11-2 with an 0.58 ERA, while batting .308 and scoring 19 runs.
1990 --- Anouk improves her regular season-record to 14-5, strikes out 69 batters and has an 0.65 ERA. With the bat, she is .289, scores 20 runs and has 18 RBI's ---
In Italian capital Rome, HCAW again wins the European Cup.
1989 --- In her second season, Anouk's record is 11-3 and also has two saves, while hitting .360 offensively, scoring 27 runs, collecting 17 RBI's and registering 40 basehits. She also steals a career-high nine bases.
1988 --- Playing for HCAW in Bussum, Anouk makes her debut in the Dutch Major League. In her first season, she finishes with an 8-5 record and has an 0.85 ERA, but also hits .300, scores 26 runs and has 39 basehits, including a homerun ---
After the season, she is awarded the Most Valuable Player Award ---
With HCAW, Anouk participates in her first of nine concecutive European Cup Tournaments. In Antwerp (Belgium), her team wins the Cup.
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| Family |
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| ANOUK is the sister of Margot, who also played in the Dutch Major League and the Dutch National Team. Anouk is married with Pieter van der Heijden and has two sons, Niels (seven) and Jasper (almost six). |
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