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In 2008, Caroline Theunissen (pictured at right with André van Overbeek, who handles softball affairs in the Executive Board of the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Federation) returns as Business Manager of the Dutch National Softball Team after taking over in 2007 after completion of the European Championships in Amsterdam (Netherlands). During the European Championships, Caroline serves as head of security. Two years earlier, she is the assistant head of security for the Amsterdam-facility during the World Cup Baseball, which is staged in the Netherlands. In 2009, Caroline again is in charge of security during the first round of the World Cup Baseball in the pool which is played in Dutch capital Amsterdam.
After concluding her active playing career, Caroline is the Head Coach of the women softball-team of TIW-Survivors in Diemen for three years, playing with them in the Third Division.
For the same club, she acts as Assistant Coach with the men softball-team in 2004, which then plays in the Dutch big league.
Caroline also coaches on the highest level, as she is the Assistant Coach of Amsterdam Pirates in 2002 and 2005 and with DSC '74 in 2006.
In 1994, she acts in three games as the Interim Head Coach with Pirates, giving her an 1-1-1 record.
In the 2000 season, at age 36, Caroline makes an one-time pitching appearance in the big league for Amsterdam Pirates and is the winning pitcher in a game against Terrasvogels.
In 1996, Caroline is a member of the Amsterdam Pirates softball-team which then captures the European CupWinners Cup by winning the final against Sparks Haarlem, where Assistant Coach Mary-Ann Hatt then is one of the players.
In 1974, when she is 10 years old, Caroline starts playing softball for Giants Diemen, where she stays for 13 seasons.
In 1987-1988, Caroline plays for Kinheim in Haarlem, before moving on to DSC '74, with whom she promotes to the big league in the 1989 season, then makes her debut on the highest level the next year.
After three seasons with DSC '74, Caroline went on to play for Amsterdam Pirates, starting in 1992.
Caroline's connection with the Dutch National Team goes back a long way, as her mother Mies van Scherpenzeel was one of the first pitchers to play for the national squad in the fifties. After the Dutch Softball Federation was founded in 1951, a national team was formed shortly after. Caroline lists her mother, who is in her eighties, as one of her favorite softball-players.
Caroline has two children, daughter Eliza, who plays softball (juniors) with TIW-Survivors (and in 2008 played two months in the USA) and son Tim, who plays baseball (juveniles) with Amsterdam Pirates.
2008 --- In her first full season as Business Manager of the Dutch National Softball Team, Caroline travels with the team twice to the American continent for a monthlong preparation for the Olympic Games ---
In the first American Trip, the team goes to California and Hawaii, in the second American Tour, the team plays professional teams from the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Ohio ---
Hereafter, three games are played during the Holland Tour, followed by the naming of the Olympic roster on July 14 ---
The Japan Tour, including participation in the Tri-Nation Tournament, follows ---
Next, Caroline is with the team in Beijing for her first Olympic Games.
2007 --- During the European Championships in Amsterdam, Caroline handles security and shortly after completion of the event, is named Business Manager of the Dutch National Team. She succeeds Paul Boonstra, who stepped down after the Championships. Caroline makes her debut in her new function during the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which is won by the Dutch team, resulting in qualification for the Olympic Games in Beijing.
2006 --- This season, Caroline is the Assistant Coach of Ton van Koeverden with DSC '74 in the Dutch big league, but retires after the season.
2005 --- Caroline is added in mid-season to the coaching staff of the softball-team of Amsterdam Pirates when Ron van Axel Dongen takes over as new Head Coach.
2003 --- Caroline plays in her last game in the Dutch league, getting one at bat for Amsterdam Pirates.
2002 --- While being the Assistant Coach of Glyniss Kenepa, Caroline makes a brief comeback in the Dutch big league, playing in three games for Amsterdam Pirates.
1996 --- With Amsterdam Pirates, Caroline participates in the CupWinners Cup Tournament in Haarlem (Netherlands). Pirates wins the Cup after beating organisor Sparks 6-1 and 3-1 in the best-of-three final ---
In the regular season, she plays in only eight games, before retiring.
1994 --- On July 9, Caroline, who plays for Pirates, is Interim Head Coach in a double-header vs. DSC '74 after the team separated the day before with its Head Coach Nol Houtkamp.
Led by Caroline, Pirates splits the double-header. Three days later, the game vs. Twins ends in a tie, before the season is interrupted for the World Championships.
When the season resumes, Caroline hands over the duties to new Head Coach Fred Pasman and returns to playing.
1993 --- In this season, Caroline plays in 18 games for Amsterdam Pirates.
1992 --- In her first season with Amsterdam Pirates, Caroline scores four runs and has three RBI's.
1991 --- Caroline plays in her last season with DSC '74.
1990 --- Caroline makes her debut in the Dutch Major League, playing for DSC '74.
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