Dutch Women Softball Team

2010

Montvidas in San Diego

links

National Team Head Coach attends annual convention in California

Nederlandse tekst

SAN DIEGO, California (USA) - Dutch National Team Head Coach and Dutch Youth Teams Coordinator Craig Montvidas returned from San Diego on December 13. In San Diego, Montvidas attended the annual convention of the National Fastpitch Coaches Assocation.

From Wednesday, December 8 through Saturday, December 11, the annual convention of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) was held in the beautiful city of San Diego. Craig Montvidas was one of more than 1100 coaches from the USA and abroad who attended the happening.

During the 4-day convention, there were several lectures held by guest-speakers, including Kelly Inouye-Perez (Head Coach UCLA), Teena Murray (Director Olympic Sports Performance, University of Louisville), Bo Hanson (four-time Olympian and coaching consultant), Kate Grace (Founder of Kate Grace Physical Therapy), Linda Garza (Associate Head Coach Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Mike White (Head Coach University of Oregon), Mike Larrabee (Head Coach University of Arkansas), Connie Clark (Head Coach University of Texas), Carol Bruggeman (Associate Head Coach University of Louisville), Michelle Venturella (Head Coach University of Illinois at Chicago) and Beth McClendon (Head Coach Florida International University).

Also during the convention, the NFCA Easton Victory Club Luncheon was held. During this luncheon over 120 coaches were honored for reaching various career milestones. Coaches are honored when they reach an 100-mark in their career. Amongst the honorees were Mike Candrea, the Head Coach of the University of Arizona, who won his 1400th career game, and Phil McSpadden (photo left), the Head Coach of Oklahoma City University, who reached the 1200 career wins. In the past, Mike Candrea led a staff in Arizona that included Nancy Evans, who was the Pitching Coach of the Dutch National Softball Team in 2009 and 2010. Phil McSpadden is the Head Coach of the softball-team that includes Dutch National Team-catcher Nathalie Timmermans and supported the Dutch Team with a lot of assistance during their stay in Oklahoma City during the World Cup of Softball in 2009.

Another highlight of the convention is the induction of the newest members of the NFCA Hall of Fame. This year, Florida Southern Head Coach Chris Bellotto, Illinois State Head Coach Melinda Fischer and Nebraska Head Coach Rhonda Revelle were inducted. During the ceremony, the two members who will be inducted during next years convention also were announced. Ithaca Head Coach Deb Pallozzi and Tennessee Co-Head Coach Ralph Weekly will then be inducted when the convention is held in Las Vegas.

Also honored were National and Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year, which included the staff of UCLA (University of California at Las Vegas), which is compiled of Kelly Inouye-Perez (Head Coach), Lisa Fernandez (Assistant Coach), Gina Vecchione (Assistant Coach) and (Team USA Player) Natasha Watley (Volunteer Assistant Coach). The UCLA-staff got a national recognition in the NCAA Division I. In the NAIA, the national recognition went to the coaching staff of Oklahoma City University, which exists of Phil McSpadden (Head Coach), Bobbi Bridges (Assistant Coach), Guy Cook (Strength & Conditioning Coach) and Harold Copas (Pitching Coach).