New GB Slowpitch Team Head Coach Steve Patterson and his staff have selected 13 men and eight women to the GB Slowpitch Development Squad for 2012 following trials at Finsbury Park on the weekend of April 21-22.
The Development Team will hold a number of training sessions throughout the year and will compete in the Softball World Series in September. Other competition opportunities for the squad are being explored.
Selections
Players selected for the 2012 GB Slowpitch Development Team are:
MEN
Russell Bradley-Cook
Richie Browne
Stewart Butcher
Adam Cole
Lee Cornwall
Charlie Everitt
Ian Herrington
Ian Kulka
Mark Lidgett
Jake Ramey
Ben Taylor
Ed Watkinson
Michael Williams
WOMEN
Belinda Alker
Netty Covey
Areej Elmaazi
Kim Hendry
Gelske Huyer
Chiya Louie
Beverley Neal
Claudine Snape
Building success
GB Head Coach Steve Patterson told the successful triallists, “I am looking forward to training sessions and getting started on building towards future successes. This is only the first step.”
Steve also had a message for those who were unsuccessful at the trials: “For those of you who have not been selected, the door does not close. Please take on board the feedback, hone your skills, and continue to develop on your individual teams. I will attempt to get around to see players throughout the summer and will be happy to give you my observations.”
With no official European competition this year, both the GB Development and Main Squad players will be looking forward to European Championships in the Czech Republic in 2013 and to a possible ISF Slowpitch World Cup in 2014.
The newly-selected Development Squad will play together in the Softball World Series in September and other competitive opportunities for this season are being investigated.
In the 2012-13 winter season the Development Squad will have at least one training session to themselves and as a programme, the GB Slowpitch Team is looking to train once a month between November 2012 and April 2013 in readiness for the Europeans Championships.
Innovations
There will be other changes in the GB Slowpitch Team programme under Steve Patterson, who will shortly be appointing new staff coaches.
There will also be a “buddy system” introduced whereby Main Squad players will be matched with Development Squad players.
Beyond helping the full squad to mesh and bond as a whole, the aim is to match those who can best support each other in working towards targeted goals. Paired players can meet at tournaments and discuss how they are progressing.