A strong squad of players from the GB Women and Under-19 Women player pools, plus two guest pitchers from the Netherlands, has been chosen to make up a GB Select Team that will compete in the annual Indoor Cup in Schiedam, near Rotterdam, on 14-15 January 2017.
This is the first of a number of tournaments in 2017 to which the GB Softball programme hopes to send development teams, at different age levels, to provide GB-based players with more competition experience.
The Indoor Cup has been running for more than 20 years in two adjacent sports halls in Schiedam, and always hosts a number of American teams as well as club and national teams from Holland and Europe.
In 2017, along with the GB Select Team, the 2017 Indoor Cup will feature several club teams from the Netherlands, a top club team from the Czech Republic, a number of 18 Gold travel ball teams from the United States, the Irish National Team and the Dutch Under-22 National Team.
Last year, a GB Select Team made up of a mixture of experienced and inexperienced Under-19 and adult players won two games and finished 12th out of 16 teams. This year, with a stronger squad, the British team will look to do better.
The players
The GB Select squad for the 2017 Indoor Cup will be:
Anna Be Bartels (Pitcher/Netherlands)
Saskia Davies
Lauren Gillott
Laura Hirai
Chiya Louie
Lindsey Meadows (Pitcher/Netherlands)
Steph Pearce
Hannah Pitman
Chelsie Robison
Amy Wells
Sian Wigington
Three reserve players have also been selected:
Marianna Casal
Theo Longboy
Annecy Stevens
GB Women and Under-19 Women’s Head Coach Rachael Watkeys will coach at the Indoor Cup, assisted by Robbie Robison, who is joining the GB Under-19 Women’s staff this year. Rachael will also be available as a player if needed.
The Team Manager will be Simon Mortimer.