Dutch Women Softball Teams

2010

ESF Congress

Jrs. White

Championships confirmed, awarded during ESF Congress

Nederlandse tekst

ANTALYA (Turkey) - During the 35th Congress of the European Softball Federation (ESF), held February 5-7 in Antalya (Turkey), the governing European softball body confirmed and awarded several tournaments for this and next year.

Amongst the tournaments being confirmed was the 17th European Championships, which will be held July 25-30 in 2011. It was announced earlier already that this event was to take place in Italy, but now this was confirmed during the Congress with the playing sites officially being announced. The European Championships will be held in the Friuli Region in Italy at Ronchi Dei Legionari, Castions di Strada and Staranzano. These three cities also were the playing sites during the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2007. That event was then won by the Dutch National Team, which therefore qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (China). In 2009, the Dutch recaptured the European title during the Championships in Valencia (Spain) for the first time since 1990. Next year, the event will be combined with the European B-Championship at the same locations.

The ESF Elite Championship was scrubbed for the second time, due to a lack of participating teams. The first edition was to take place in 2008, but then also had to be postponed. It was then announced that the Elite Championship was to be held this year, but again, it had to be canceled.

Amongst the tournaments being awarded was the 6th European Cadets Championships, which will be played August 8-14, 2011, in Deurne, near Antwerp, in Belgium. In 2009, the event took place in Alkmaar (Netherlands), with the Dutch Cadets Team finishing in second place, with Russia capturing the title. The Dutch are participating in this event since 2005 (third edition) when it was held in Russia. After finishing in second place there, the Dutch Team won the title in 2007 in the Czech Republic, before finishing in second place again last year.

During the Congress, Patrice Bienfait retired after having served 20 years as member of the Executive Council of the ESF and was named the first Honorary Member in ESF-history. Mr. Bienfait was given a standing ovation by delegates and guests of the Congress when he gave a very emotional goodbye speech at his retirement, a decision which he had to make for health reasons. Patrice Bienfait was elected Vice President in 1990 and was named Secretary General in 1993, a position which he has held since. On behalf of the ESF, President André van Overbeek handed Patrice Bienfait a watch engraved as a token of gratitude (on the ESF-photo at right). The Frenchman also received the ISF Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by ISF President Don Porter and ISF First Vice President Dale McMann.

Nine delegates from the Netherlands attended the Congress in Italy. Besides ESF-President André van Overbeek, the others were Anton Kops on behalf of the Dutch Association (KNBSB), Marlies Struyvé (ESF Umpire-in-Chief), former Dutch Junior Softball Head Coach André Prins (ESF Coaches Committee), former National Baseball Team Business Manager John de Vos (ESF Marketing) and Johan Kluijskens, Huub Nelissen and Johan Snoeks, who all attended on behalf of the Organizing Committee of the European Cup and Cup Winners Cup Tournament, to be held August 15-21 in Haarlem at the site of Olympia Haarlem. The ninth Dutchman was Jan Rijpstra, who was in Turkey on behalf of the Swiss Baseball and Softball Federation, where he is a member of the Board since April 2009, heading the department of Player Development. In July 2004, Jan Rijpstra became the Chairman of the Board for the Dutch Association (KNBSB), but resigned on April 1, 2007, due to working commitments in his regular job as Mayor of the Municipality of Tynaarlo. When Rijpstra was KNBSB-Chairman, André van Overbeek served as member of the Board, being responsible for Softball Affairs. In May 2008, Rijpstra stepped down as Mayor to move to Switzerland, as his wife worked there. By the way, since 2003, Jan Rijpstra is a member of the Advisory Council of Right To Play, the humanitarion organisation of which the Dutch National Softbal Team is one of its ambassadors. And so, the circle is round again.