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Day 13: Meetings, Impressions & Interesting People
BERKELEY / SAN FRANCISCO (California, USA) - The players and staff of the Dutch National Softball Team on Monday met several interesting persons and gained new impressions. And after a few days of rain, wind and cold, it was an excellent day again with a blue sky and a warm sun. What a wonderful feeling! A great day to be out on the field. Oh, by the way, Tuesday is predicted to be another sunny day. The squad then will meet the Golden Bears, the team of the University of California-Berkeley.
After spending the early hours of Monday-morning in the weightroom, it was off to the softball-field again for an outdoor practice session.
There, Diane Ninemire, the Head Coach of Berkeley, and her assistant Tammy Lohmann, assisted the Dutch coaching staff in conducting the training session, adding their experiences and knowledge of the game in instructing the Dutch players and setting up several drills.
Coach Ninemire worked with the infielders and the outfielders, gave handsome advice and told everyone ''Be always ready to play and play hard''.
At the end of the afternoon, the Dutch team went back to San Francisco, where a reception was organized in honor of the Dutch squad at the house of Douglas J. Engmann, the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who is in office now for three years and liked every day of it. ,,It is wonderful to do this'', Mr. Engmann said. Later, during his welcome speech, he stated that the Dutch National Softball Team is the first sports team to be invited at the his home, which is located in the same neighbourhood where actors Robin Williams and Danny Glover and musician Carlos Santana have their homes.
It was a very pleasant evening where the team met several members of the Dutch community in San Francisco (approximately 30.000 Dutch people are living in the Bay Area).
They were all very interested and so everyone enjoyed talking with each other in a relaxed atmosphere, making it an evening to remember.
A special VIP-guest on the evening was Pat Gallagher, the President of Giants Enterprises of Major League-club San Francisco Giants.
Giants Enterprises is dedicated to developing non-baseball ventures for the club.
Mr. Gallagher is a former Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the Giants overseeing various aspects, including Stadium Operations an was involved in the building of the new AT&T Park, where the Giants are now playing since nine years.
A surprise guest at the meeting was Peter Laanen, who from 1987-1989 was the President of the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB).
In 1987, he was in Spain when the Dutch Baseball Team captured the European title. The Dutch team then was coached by Pat Murphy, who is now in his 14th season as the Head Coach of Arizona State University, where Dutch Coach Linda Wells was the softball Head Coach for 16 seasons.
In the same year, Laanen also traveled with the Baseball Team to Taiwan for participation in the Chung Hua Cup. Both the Championships in Spain and the tournament in Taiwan were covered for De Telegraaf-newspaper by current Media Officer Marco Stoovelaar.
In 1988, Peter Laanen went to Seoul (Korea) the next year, when the Dutch Baseball Team participated in the Olympic Games.
Besides that, he was involved with clubteam HCAW in Bussum at the same time Anouk Mels was pitching for that club's softball-team.
So this meant that Peter Laanen, Anouk Mels and Marco Stoovelaar met each other again after a lot of years. And of course, KNBSB-member of the board André van Overbeek also knew Peter Laanen from his years in the federation's board.
Coming April, Laanen will live in the San Francisco-area for ten years. He currently is the International Trade Director for the Netherlands Business Support Office of the Royal Netherlands Embassy.
And so, a very interesting and enjoyable day came to an end somewhere high atop a hill in a beautiful house in San Francisco, with a great view over the city and the bay.
Coach Diane Ninemire advices the Dutch infielders
On the beautiful softball-field, Coach Ninemire explains the details
Coach Mary-Ann Hatt (right) works with 3B Noemi Boekel
Coach Ninemire gives more tips to the Dutch players
After the infielders, the outfielders were addressed by Coach Diane Ninemire
Coach Ninemire's assistant Tammy Lohmann shows one of the drills
Dutch catchers Nathalie Timmermans (left) and Nina van Huissteden
Judith van Kampen in the bullpen. Rebecca Soumeru looks on
Coach Rob Walgien hits a ball into the outfield
Coach Linda Wells working with pitcher Rebecca Soumeru
The six coaches who worked with the Dutch players on Monday
Diane Ninemire, Liz Kelly, Rob walgien, Linda Wells, Mary-Ann Hatt, Tammy Lohmann
Players enters the beautiful house of Honorary Consul Doug Engmann
The team poses with Honorary Consul Doug Engmann
(photo taken by André van Overbeek)
Coach Rob Walgien poses with Peter Laanen and André van Overbeek
Kim Kluijskens, Petra van Heijst and Jolanda Kroesen enjoy the view
Players of the Dutch team talk with members of the Dutch community
Honorary Consul Douglas Engmann, KNBSB-Boardmember André van Overbeek, Head Coach Liz Kelly
and Pat Gallagher, President of Giants Enterprises of the San Francisco Giants
Pitcher Anouk Mels meets Peter Laanen again after a long time
Honorary Consul Douglas Engmann welcomes everyone
Judith van Kampen, Anouk Mels, Noémi Boekel, Petra van Heijst
and Kristi de Vries together with Pat Gallagher, President of Giants Enterprises of the San Francisco Giants
Go back to the schedule of the USA Tour
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