Dutch Women Softball Team

2010

Star Awards 2009

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Star Awards handed out by KNBSB

Nederlandse tekst

NIEUWEGEIN (Neth.) - The annual Star Awards for the best players of the previous season were handed out on Saturday, January 9 at the Head Office of the Dutch Federation in Nieuwegein. Six of the eleven softball-awards were handed out to players of the Dutch National Team, including one former player. A total of 28 awards (including baseball and men softball) were handed out today, which also served as the annual new year's reception of the Dutch Federation.

Despite the sometimes severe weather conditions (a lot of snow, cold), the happening was well visited. On the other hand, not all winners were in attendance and that had to do with the fact that several foreign players won the awards, while others were abroad or were not able to come to Nieuwegein due to the weather conditions.

Former national player Marloes Fellinger of Sparks Haarlem was named Most Valuable Player of the 2009 season and also won the award for hitting the Most Homeruns. For Marloes, this was her first major award in the Dutch Major League after she was named Most Promising Youth Player in 2000. Unfortunately, Marloes, who had confirmed she was coming, was unable to come to Nieuwegein due to the weather conditions. Four other awards went to players currently on the roster for the Dutch National Softball Team. Saskia Kosterink, who won the award for Most Stolen Bases, was not available to pick up her award, as she was in Italy, where she will play in the 2010 season. Also not available to pick up their trophies were Virginie Anneveld and Ginger de Weert. Virginie (who was on holiday in Curaçao) was named Best National Team Player Under 23 and won the Egbert van der Sluis Memorial Trophy, while Ginger was named Best Youth Pitcher, winning the Riet Vermaat Trophy. Ginger was represented by her parents, as she left for Arizona on Friday to start het study in the USA. The Bep van Beijmerwerdt Trophy, the award for Most Promising Youth Player, went to Kim Donkers, who was in attendance and could pick up her trophy herself. For Kim, who has played already in several international tournaments, this was the first award in her career. National Team Head Coach Craig Montvidas handed out the trophy to Kim.

Other softball player awards went to Australian Aimee Murch (Iber Lengua Terrasvogels), who was named Best Pitcher, Batting Champion (American) Makenzie Smith (Euro Stars) and American Lindsey Meadows (Dutch champion Computer SOS Tex Town Tigers), who was named Most Valuable Player of the Holland Series. The latter was in attendance, as she lives in the Netherlands. In the previous two years, Lindsey won the Best Pitcher Award and also was named MVP of the Dutch League.

Veteran coach Berend Mannessen, who guided First Divisionist DSS back to the Dutch Major League, was named Coach of the Year. The Nol Houtkamp Award, for longtime activities in player development, went to René Roovers, who retired as Head Coach of big league-team Twins after completion of last season.

New Zealander Penese Iosefo, who pitched for Dutch Men Softball Champion Spikes, won four awards, including those for MVP and Best Pitcher. American Ryan Murphy captured these awards in the Dutch Baseball League.

Hans Zonneveld, one of the three members of the current KNBSB-Board, welcomes everyone

Head Coach Craig Montvidas hands out the Bep van Beijmerwerdt Trophy to Kim Donkers
At left is Master of Ceremonies Andy Houtkamp

Award-winner Kim Donkers and Head Coach Craig Montvidas pose for a photo

An overview of the Award Ceremony

The Award-winners pose for a photo
Back Row: Jefferson Muzo (Most Stolen Bases, BB), Benjamin Dille (MVP Holland Series, BB),
Jim Ploeger (Roel de Mon Award, BB), Wim Martinus (Coach Neptunus, picked up award for Steve
Janssen, BB), Bryan Engelhardt (Most Homeruns, BB), Ton van Koeverden (Coach Euro Stars,
picked up award for Makenzie Smith, SB), Kim Donkers
(Bep van Beijmerwerdt Trophy, SB), Peter Kolderie (Coach Spikes, picked up awards for
Penese Iosefo, SBM), Linda de Weert (picked up the award for daughter Ginger de Weert, SB),
René Roovers (Nol Houtkamp Award, SB), Lindsey Meadows (MVP Holland Series, SB)
and Berend Mannessen (Coach of the Year, SB).
Kneeling in front are Kenny Berkenbosch (Best Hitter, BB), Björn Hato (Ron Fraser Award, BB)
and Julius Veeris (Best Hitter, SBM)

Bryan Engelhardt, Kenny Berkenbosch, Kim Donkers and Berend Mannessen
pose for Oscar Flos, photographer of De Telegraaf-newspaper

Afterwards, a Brazilian Brass Band played some music