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Oscar for Dutch players favorite 
After winning a Golden Globe on January 17, Sandra Bullock, who is listed as favorite actress by 16 members of the Dutch National Softball Team, on March 7 also won an Academy Award and got the Oscar for Best Actress. Other player/staff-favorites were nominated for an Oscar.
More on the Oscars (Eng.) | Meer over de Oscars (Ned.)
ISF sets pools for World Championship
The International Softball Federation (ISF) has informed the federations of the participating countries of the 12th World Championship on March 2 that the two pools are set for the event to be held June 23-July 2 in Venezualan capital Caracas. Earlier, on February 22, the ISF confirmed the entry of all sixteen teams.
More on the pool-alignments (Eng.) | Meer over poule-indelingen (Ned.)
Big Softball Happening coming up in May
In the weekend of May 21-24, a big softball happening will take place at the site of Olympia Haarlem. During the 4-day event, all big league-games will be played at the same site for the first time in history, the Dutch National Softball Team and Junior Softball Team will play double-headers and a Homerun Derby will take place.
More information (Eng.) | Meer informatie (Ned.)
Try-out Dutch Cadets Team in May
On Wednesday, May 5, the Dutch Association (KNBSB) organizes the first try-out day for players born in 1995 and 1996. During this day, to be held in Nieuwegein, a first selection will be made to be followed by a second try-out day in September, leading to the selection of the Dutch Cadets Team. The players of the Dutch National Softball Team will assist during this day as instructors.
More information (Eng.) | Meer informatie (Ned.)
Dutch ends indoor games in Tulip League
The Dutch National Softball Team played its 10th and last indoor intersquad game on Friday, February 26 as it ends its indoor-season in the Tulip League. In March, the Team will conduct its Friday-practices on other locations than in Amsterdam and plans to go outside, weather permitting.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
USA Softball announces roster for Team USA
The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced the roster and schedule for 2010 for its Women's National Softball Team on February 25. Fifteen of the 17 players also played for the American squad last year. Team USA, which will defend its world title in Venezuela, will participate in four international events.
More on Team USA (Eng.) | Meer over Team USA (Ned.)
A productive day for the Orange squad
The Dutch National Softball Team continued its series of practices and ended another week on Friday February 19 with an intersquad game, the ninth played so far during the winter indoor season. In the game, the players collected 17 runs and 19 basehits, including seven extra basehits, one of them being a homerun.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Saskia Kosterink off to Italy
Saskia Kosterink practiced with the Dutch National Softball Team for the last time (for the moment) on Friday, February 12, as she flew to Italy the next day. There, she will join the team of Bollate, with whom she will play in 2010 in the Italian Softball League.
More on Saskia's last practice (Eng.) | Meer over Saskia's laatste training (Ned.)
Coach; new player join Orange Team
Assistant Coach Nancy Evans re-joined the Dutch National Softball Team on Friday, February 12 for its practice session in Amsterdam; also joining the team for the first time was infielder Anouk van den Heuvel, who was added to the active roster, as well as three players from the Dutch Junior Red Team.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Successful indoor-event in Amsterdam
Indoor-softball as a regular game returned to Sporthallen Zuid in Dutch capital Amsterdam in the weekend of February 6 and 7, as the first edition of the Right To Play Future Stars Indoor Softball Tournament was played there. It was a big success, as the event received positive reactions from everyone involved. Participating in the event were the players on the Junior-rosters.
Recap of the event (Eng.) | Verslag van het evenement (Ned.)
ESF confirms EC 2011 for Italy
During the Congress of the European Softball Federation (ESF), it was confirmed that the 17th European Championships, to be held in 2011, will take place in Italy with the three playing sites being announced. These are the same locations as where the Olympic Qualifying Tournament was held in 2007.
More on the ESF-Congress (Eng.) | Meer over het ESF-Congres (Ned.)
Player ready? Camera ready? Action!
On February 5, the Dutch National Softball Team had no game scheduled, as today, a video-session was scheduled with all players and pitchers being taped for video analyses. The next indoor game will be played February 12, but the team returns to Amsterdam coming weekend for the Right To Play Future Stars Tournament.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Another game in the books
The Dutch National Softball Team had to do without Head Coach Craig Montvidas due to sickness on Friday, January 29, but nevertheless played its second indoor intersquad game of the year in Amsterdam. Joining the National Team this time were five players from the Dutch Junior Red Team.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Ginger, Nathalie report from the USA
Dutch National Softball Team Pitcher Ginger de Weert and Catcher Nathalie Timmermans will start their American college-season in the upcoming weeks. From Arizona and Oklahoma, Ginger (who plays for Central Arizona College) and Nathalie (who plays for Oklahoma City University) report the latest on their stay in the States.
More about Ginger & Nathalie (Eng.) | Meer over Ginger & Nathalie (Ned.)
Fifth Flex Coach introduced
On Sunday, January 24, the Dutch Junior White Team with players from the Cadets-category, came together for a meeting and their first practice of the year. During the meeting, Head Coach Craig Montvidas introduced his fifth Flex Coach to complete the staff. Team Manager Paul Boonstra arrived at the meeting with his leg in a cast.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Dutch Team starts second series of indoor games
The Dutch National Softball Team on Friday, January 22 played its first game of a new series of indoor intersquad games to be played every Friday-afternoon at Sporthallen Zuid in Amsterdam through the end of March. Today, the team was joined by three players from the Dutch Junior-squad.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
21 players named to preliminary WC-roster
Head Coach Craig Montvidas named 21 players of the Dutch National Softball Team to the preliminary roster for the World Championships, to be held June 23-July 2 in Caracas (Venezuela). The announcement also meant that five players unfortunately had to be cut from the current active roster.
More on the roster-announcement (Eng.) | Meer over de roster-bekendmaking (Ned.)
Right To Play Future Stars Tournament coming up
After completion of the annual Indoor Cup Tournament, the next indoor-event is coming up, as the Right To Play Future Stars Tournament is scheduled to be played on February 6-7 in Sporthallen Zuid at Amsterdam. Participating in the event are the players on the preliminary roster of the Dutch National Junior Team, divided over four different teams.
More on the Future Stars Tournament (Eng.) | Meer over het Future Stars Tournament (Ned.)
Dutch Teams dominate in Schiedam
Three Dutch Teams, compiled from the players on the preliminary roster of the Dutch National Softball Team, dominated over the weekend in the annual Indoor Cup Tournament, taking first, second and third place, as well as three individual awards. The event followed the first practice session of the second part of the winter season, which started on Wednesday, January 13.
Coverage of the event (Eng.) | Verslag van het evenement (Ned.)
Player favs win Golden Globe
Actresses Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep, who are listed as Favorite Actress on their personal bio-page by several current and former Dutch National Softball Team/Junior Softball Team-players or staffmembers, on Sunday, January 17 won a Golden Globe. Six other favorites of the Dutch Teams were nominated.
More on the Golden Globe-winners (Eng.) | Meer over de Golden Globe-winnaars (Ned.)
ISF commemorates first World Championship with logo
To celebrate the 45th anniversary in 2010 of the first-ever Softball World Championship, the International Softball Federation (ISF) unveiled a commemorative logo on January 13. The first World Champion was held in 1965 in Melbourne (Australia) with the participation of five countries.
More on this announcement (Eng.) | Meer over deze bekendmaking (Ned.)
Awards for National Team Players
The annual Star Awards for the best players of the previous season were handed out on Saturday, January 9 at the Head Office of the Dutch Federation in Nieuwegein. Six of the eleven softball-awards were handed out to players of the Dutch National Team, including one former player. A total of 28 awards (including baseball and men softball) were handed out today.
More on the awards (Eng.) | Meer over de prijsuitreiking (Ned.)
Welcome on the updated site!
The official website of the Dutch National Softball Team has been given a major update again with all the latest news and developments of the last two months. As you have seen when you entered the site, it has been expanded with coverage of the Dutch National Junior Team. With the update, more than 780 items (including 551 new photos) of the recent activities have been added to make the site ready for 2010.
More on the site-update (Eng.) | Meer over de site-update (Ned.)
2012 World Championships to be played in Canada
On Wednesday, January 6, the International Softball Federation (ISF) announced it has awarded the organization of the 13th World Women Fastpitch Championship to Canada, where Whitehorse (Yukon) will be the hosting city.
More on this ISF-decision (Eng.) | Meer over dit ISF-besluit (Ned.)
ISF awards 2010 World Championships to Venezuela
On Monday, December 21, the International Softball Federation (ISF) awarded the organization of the 12th World Championship to Venezuela, where the event will be held in its capitol Caracas from June 23 through July 2.
More on this ISF-decision (Eng.) | Meer over dit ISF-besluit (Ned.)
Dutch Team plays last game of the year
The Dutch National Softball Team closed the first part of their winter indoor practice sessions on Friday, December 18 and also played its fifth and last indoor intersquad game of the year. The team now is off for the Christmas Holiday Season and will be back on the field early January.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Dutch Team attends Sports Gala
Tonight, Tuesday, December 15, the players of the Dutch National Softball Team attended the annual Sports Gala, organized by the NOC*NSF and the NOS. During the event, awards were handed out to the yearly Male and Female Athlete of the Year, as well as the Team of the Year.
Recap of tonight's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van de avond (Ned.)
So long, Coach Tracy
The Dutch National Softball Team added another practice session today, Sunday, December 13. It not only marked the start of the team's seventh week indoors, it also was the last day that Coach Tracy Bunge was with the team and so players and staff said goodbye to the sympathetic American coach.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Six players participate in Junior Series
The six roster-invitees, who joined the National Softball Team in October, today joined the players on the preliminary roster of the Dutch National Junior Softball Team, which played a 3-game series on Sunday, December 13 at the Diekmanhal in Enschede as part of their preparations for the 2010 season.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Dutch Team is visited by special guest
The Dutch National Softball Team continued its series of indoor practices and on Friday, December 4, got a surprise visit from a wellknown and honored guest. In the meantime, the team has entered its second month of activities as part of the preparations for the international season of 2010, which includes participation in the World Championship. But as of the beginning of December, a date and site were still unknown for the event.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Touristic day for Coach Tracy
On one of her sparse free moments during her stay in the Netherlands, Coach Tracy Bunge had the opportunity to visit some typical Dutch cities on Tuesday, December 1, as she was taken to Volendam and the windmills at the Zaanse Schans by the father of one of the players of the Dutch Junior Team.
Recap of Tracy's visits (Eng.) | Verslag van Tracy's bezoeken (Ned.)
Dutch Team adds another game
The Dutch National Softball Team completed another week of practices on Friday, November 27 with its third intersquad indoor game. Three more are scheduled for the remainder of the first part of the winter practice sessions, which ends on Sunday, December 20. The team will then resume its practices early January.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Dutch Team gives clinic and plays game
The Dutch National Softball Team on Friday, November 20 conducted a clinic for employees of the ING Bank at the Sporthallen Zuid in Amsterdam, then played its second of six scheduled intersquad indoor games in the first part of the winter practices. In the clinic, the employees were instructed in hitting, throwing and fielding, then played a game.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Dutch Team plays first game
The Dutch National Softball Team played its first game of its 'new' season. On Friday, November 13, at the Sporthallen Zuid in Amsterdam, the first of a series of intersquad games was played. Starting today, intersquad games will be played every Friday indoors at Amsterdam, including participation of umpires. Of course, these games are open to the public.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Tracy Bunge to assist Craig Montvidas
American coach Tracy Bunge, former Head Coach of the University of Kansas, will assist Head Coach Craig Montvidas the coming months during the indoor practice sessions of the Dutch National Softball Teams. Tracy Bunge is a temporary replacement for Coach Nancy Evans, who recently underwent surgery to repair a hamstring injury. Tracy Bunge joined the team on November 11.
More on Tracy Bunge (Eng.) | Meer over Tracy Bunge (Ned.)
New logo for ISF
The International Softball Federation changed its logo and presented the new version on November 10. The ISF decided to go into a new direction after new officials were elected and a new constitution was adopted during the recent Congress in Venezuela. The ISF also changed its URL for its official website, which will undergo a new look in the near future.
More on the logo-change (Eng.) | Meer over de logo-wijziging (Ned.)
New coaches introduced; Juniors start practices
The Dutch National Junior Softball Team started its series of indoor practices on Sunday, November 8. The practice session was preceeded by a meeting of the players, their parents and clubcoaches and the new staff for the national youth teams. During this, five new coaches were introduced, all former national team-players. The Dutch Juniors also will get their own pages on this site.
Recap of today's activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Team opens preparations for 2010 season
The Dutch National Softball Team opened preparations for the international season 2010 on Sunday, November 1 and added a practice three days later. With this, the team started its three days a week indoor practice sessions at Enschede, Voorthuizen and Amsterdam. On November 6-8, the team got together for a 3-day training camp at the National Sports Center Papendal.
Recap of these activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Roster invitees get try-out
The Dutch National Softball Team will start the preparations for the new season on November 1, but today, Sunday, October 25, eight roster invitees got a try-out session as Nieuwegein. The invitees will join the Dutch National Softball Team on Sunday, November 1 and will be with the team during the practice sessions in the upcoming months.
Recap of these activities (Eng.) | Verslag van deze activiteiten (Ned.)
Dates, site World Championship to change
The International Softball Federation (ISF) on November 3 announced that the dates of the upcoming World Championship in 2010 will be pushed back to a later date. Also, a new site will be named, as the global event will not take place in Oklahoma City (USA). The change of dates and site is necessary, as the earlier announced dates conflict with the Central American & Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico.
More on this decision (Eng.) | Meer over deze beslissing (Ned.)
André van Overbeek Vice-President ISF; More news
During the Congress of the International Softball Federation (ISF) at Isla Margarita (Venezuela) at the end of October, Dutch Executive André van Overbeek was elected one of two Vice-Presidents for Europe in the ISF-Council. In February 2009, Van Overbeek already was elected President of the European Softball Federation. Also during the ISF Congress, more officials were elected, tournaments were awarded and some rules were changed or adapted.
More on the elections & news (Eng.) | Meer over de verkiezingen & nieuws (Ned.)
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...In December 2008, Craig Montvidas was named to lead the Dutch National Women Softball Team the next four years.
Under his leadership, the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) entered a new chapter in the rich history of Dutch softball, which started 67 years ago in 1943.
Since then, Dutch softball evolved into a well organized sport and the Netherlands became one of the leading countries in Europe.
In 2009, the national team recaptured the European title for the first time in 19 years by staying inbeaten during the European Championships in Spain.
It was the closing of a successful international season in which the Dutch Softball Team showed its enthusiasm and also played attractive games during the Holland Tour, Canada Cup and World Cup of Softball.
A season also in which the Dutch Junior Team captured the silver medal on the first World Youth Championships under 17 in the Czech Republic.
It was a season with many highlights, but also a year in which the Dutch Softball Team became an ambassador of Right To Play.
In 2008, the Dutch National Women Softball participated in the Olympic Games in Beijing for the first time since the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
It was the crown on a year of hard work.
Unfortunately, the Olympic softball-tournament in Beijing was the last for this moment.
Softball (and baseball) is no part of the Olympic Games in 2012 in London (Great Britain), but the international softball-community is working hard for the reinstatement of the sport on the Olympic Games.
The International Softball Federation (ISF) launched the BackSoftball-campaign in 2007 and in November 2008, twelve international Athlete Ambassadors were named to support the program.
One of the players which were chosen for this unique position is Dutch national team-player Saskia Kosterink.
In 2008, to celebrate the return of the Dutch team to the Olympics, this site was created and launched, enabling everyone to follow the Dutch national team, its players and its games.
The site has proven to be a great success and attracted a lot of visitors.
In 2008 and 2009, the site was only available in the English language, but since the end of 2009, all coverage will be done in both the English and Dutch language.
Furthermore, starting in November 2009, the site expended with the coverage of the Dutch National Junior Red Team, which will participate in its European Championships in Austria in 2010.
In January of 2010, the coverage of the Dutch National Junior White Team was added.
2010 will again be an exciting and intense year for everyone involved, but it also will be another year in which experiences and new impressions will be gained.
A year in which we look back to previous years, but also look ahead and set new goals!
A year in which the Dutch Softball Team will participate in the World Championships in the Veneuelan capital Caracas.
Of course, all previous coverage of the 2008 and 2009 seasons of the Dutch National Softball Team will remain available on this site.
This site is for you all, we hope you will support us with your enthousiasm by not only attending and enjoying our games, but also stimulate everyone involved to get the best possible results.
We thank our sponsors (please visit their sites) and we hope you will enjoy this site and of course, you can always contact us.
Players & Staff Netherlands Women Softball Teams
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