The Great Britain Women's Fastpitch Team Programme includes the following teams:
- GB Senior Women's Team
- GB Under-22 Women's Team
- GB Under-18 Women's Team
- GB Under-15 Women's Team
- GB Cubs Under-13 Girls' Team
GB Senior Women's Fastpitch Team
Founded: 1985. The team has played in European Championship competitions since the early 1990s.
Head Coach: Rachael Watkeys
Team Manager: Simon Mortimer
Assistant Coach: Liz Knight
Hitting Coach: Linda Derk
Pitching Coach: Jessica Moore
Sports Therapist: Kim Hannessen
Current European Ranking: 3rd
Ranking at 2018 World Championship: 11th
Ranking at 2019 Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifier: 2nd
Last Official Competition: The 2019 WBSC Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where the team reached the final but lost to Italy. The team had to withdraw from the 2021 European Women's Championship due to Covid issues.
Next Official Competition: The next European Women's Championship, a Qualifier for the group stage of the next WBSC Women's World Cup, will be played in Sant Boi, Spain from 24-30 July 2022.
GB Under-22 Women's Fastpitch Team
Founded: 2018. The team played in its first European Under-22 Women's Championship in the year it was founded.
Head Coach: Johanna Malisani
Team Manager: Whitney Hollis
Hitting Coach: Gina Carbonatto
Pitching Coach: Windy Thees
Sports Therapist: Edwin Lam
Current European Ranking: 4th
Last Official Competition: The 2018 European Under-22 Women's Championship in Trnava, Slovakia, where the team lost to Ireland in the bronze medal game and finished fourth. The 2020 European Under-22 Women's Championship was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.
Next Official Competition: The 2022 European Under-22 Women's Championship in Kunovice in the Czech Republic from 27 June-2 July.
GB Under-18 Women's Fastpitch Team
Founded: 1997 (formerly the GB U-19 Women's Fastpitch Team)
Head Coach: Kathleen Laster
Team Manager: David Morris
Hitting Coach: Tara Tembey
Pitching Coach: Kate Mayfield
Assistant Coach: Alexis Markham-Hill
Sports Therapist: Sarah Cormack
Last Official Competition: The 2018 European Junior Championship in Staranzano, Italy, where the team finished sixth. In 2016, the team had won the European Junior Championship in Sant Boi, Spain, going undefeated in 10 games to win Great Britain's first-ever European fastpitch gold medal at any age level. In 2019 the team competed in the Futures Gold Division at the Canada Cup. After 2018, this age group was changed from Under-19 to Under-18. The team had to withdraw from the 2021 European Under-18 Women's Championship due to Covid issues.
Next Official Competition: The next European Championship for this age group is scheduled for 2023. A date and venue have yet to be confirmed.
GB Under-15 Women's Fastpitch Team
Founded: 2001 (formerly the GB Under-16 Women's Fastpitch Team)
Head Coach: Johanna Malisani
Associate Head Coach: Alexis Markham-Hill
Team Manager: Mary Murray
Assistant Coaches: Felicity West and Sian Wigington
Sports Therapist: Natasha Furnell
Current European Ranking: TBD
Last Official Competition: The 2017 European Cadette (Under-16) Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where the team finished fifth but was one game away from a medal. The team was unable to compete in the 2019 European Cadette Championship due to a lack of available players. This age group has now transitioned to Under-15.
Next Official Competition: The European Under-15 Women's Championship in 2022 (date TBD) in Enschede in The Netherlands.
GB Cubs Under-13 Girls' Fastpitch Team
Founded: 2004
Head Coach and Sports Therapist: Jodie Rushin
Team Manager: Julie Spittle
Assistant Coaches: Nadya Pavlova, Elysee Enness-Laporte
Pitching Coach: Dawne Edwards
Current European Ranking: 2nd (Sport Division)
Last Official Competition: The Massimo Romeo Youth Trophy (formerly the European Minime Championships), held in Collecchio, Italy near Parma, in August 2019, where the team posted its best-ever result, winning the Silver Medal in the more competitive Sport Division. The 2021 Massimo Romeo Youth Tournament was cancelled by Softball Europe because of the Covid pandemic.
Next Official Competition: The GB Cubs plan to attend the next European Massimo Romeo Youth Trophy in Collecchio, Italy from 10-13 August 2022.
Tryout Information
Players based in the UK or overseas who wish to try out for one or more of the teams above should start the process by completing and submitting a Women's Fastpitch Athlete Application Form on this link: https://forms.gle/zzkJSDNGy7nidobV7.
For trial and selection enquiries please email gbselections@britishsoftball.org.