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NIEUWEGEIN (Netherlands) - Wednesday, April 15, was Day One of the outdoor series of games which will run through June 24.
Today, three 40-minute intersquad games were played. On the coming two Wednesdays, more intersquad games are scheduled.
These games will serve as preparations for the upcoming Holland Tour, which will open on Sunday, May 3 with a double-header at Capelle a/d IJssel.
Besides the Wednesday-games, the Dutch National Softball Team also conducts regular practice sessions on Mondays and Fridays.
All practices and Wednesday-games are taking place on the nice site of baseball- and softball-club Nieuwegein Diamonds in Nieuwegein.
Today was a beautiful, sunny and warm day, great to be on a field to play ball.
During the three mini-games, normal innings were played with one team staying at bat and the other remaining in the field, but also some special situations were created.
Making the calls today was umpire Henk Geenen, who did all the work alone and did a great job.
Players and staff of the national squad appreciated it very much and thank Henk for his important contributions in today's intersquad games.
During the Holland Tour, the Dutch National Team has 32 games scheduled, including 16 on Wednesdays and 16 on Sundays.
When make-up games of the regular season are being re-scheduled for Sundays, the games scheduled for the Dutch team will not be played.
On five Sundays, the Dutch Team will face teams from the Dutch Major League.
The squad of Head Coach Craig Montvidas also will play eight games against the Dutch National Junior Team of coaches André Prins and Jaap Braakman, meets the national team of Great Britain once and plays 13 games against an All Star Team, compiled from foreign players in the Dutch competitions.
Holland Tour Schedule
Are the intersquad sessions preparations for this series of 32 games, the Holland Tour itself is part of the preparations for the international games scheduled for July and August.
From July 4 through August 1, the Dutch Team participates in the Canada Cup in Surrey (Canada), the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City (USA) and the European Championships in Valencia (Spain).
The latter will also be a qualifying tournament for the World Championships, to be staged in 2010 in Oklahoma City.
The players are warming up before the intersquad session with a running drill
NOC*NSF Strength and Conditioning Specialist Patrick van Balkom conducts the warming-up
Head Coach Craig Montvidas overlooks the action from the dug-out
Head Coach Craig Montvidas goes over the details for the first intersquad games
Solange Starrenburg and Ginger de Weert are getting some treatment
from Physical Therapists Anouk Fermont and Sanne Oude Egberink
Umpire Henk Geenen, who officiated in today's intersquad games
Pitcher Rebecca Soumeru in full motion during one of the intersquad games
Britt Vonk playing at 1B with Solange Starrenburg being the runner
Dagmar Bloeming is about to deliver a pitch
Annemiek van Riessen connects with Anne Blaauwgeers doing the catching
Umpire Henk Geenen makes the call behind the plate
Meike Witteveen is ready to hit, Anne Blaauwgeers is the catcher
Head Coach Craig Montvidas is coaching from third base
Saskia Kosterink makes a throw from centerfield
NOC*NSF Strength and Conditioning Specialist Patrick van Balkom is
doing some necessary work-related reading
A concentrated Nathalie Gosewehr playing in leftfield
A lot of foul balls ended up in the water besides the field
Here, Physical Therapists Anouk Fermont and Sanne Oude Egberink are fishing for balls
Conditioning Specialist Patrick van Balkom gives advice and 'rescued' some balls after the games
Lefthanded pitcher Shannah van der Kaaij throwing in one of the mini-games
Saskia Kosterink, Nathalie Gosewehr, Solange Starrenburg and Rebecca Soumeru
listen to Head Coach Craig Montvidas during a break in the action
Assistant Coach Nancy Evans made notes from behind the back-stop
Standing at right is Team Manager Paul Boonstra
Business Manager Rich Hooff with Physical Therapists Anouk Fermont and Sanne Oude Egberink
On this beautiful and sunny day, there were smiles all around
Like here with Anne Blaauwgeers
Pitcher Kirsten Scheele in her wind-up. At left is short stop Petra van Heijst
Merel Oosterveld looks on from the dug-out, awaiting her turn at bat
An overview of the field in Nieuwegein
Nadine Marinus playing at first base with Annemiek van Riessen running
Britt Vonk hits a grounder. Doing the catching is Solange Starrenburg
Still making the calls, as he did the entire day, is umpire Henk Geenen
Areke Spel is coaching at first base on this photo
Karin Tuk is ready to make contact
Virginie Anneveld playing at third base
Chantal Versluis steals second base, sliding passed a tagging Petra van Heijst
Pitchers Dagmar Bloeming, Rebecca Soumeru, Ginger de Weert and Daisy Verstappen
during an after-game meeting with Conditioning Specialist Patrick van Balkom
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