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 Operations Manager: Simon Mortimer
Assistant Coach: Liz Knight
Hitting Coach: Linda Derk
Battery Coach: Mark Rigg
Sports Therapist: Kim Hannessen
Current European Ranking: 2nd
Ranking at 2018 World Championship: 11th
Ranking at 2019 Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifier: 2nd
WBSC World Ranking: 12th
Last Official Competition: The 2022 European Women's Championship,played from 24-30 July in and around Sant Boi, Spain, which was also a Qualifier for the Group Stage for the next WBSC Women's World Cup. The GB Women's Team finished second and qualified for one of the World Cup Group Stage tournaments in 2023.
Next Official Competition: The GB Women's Team will play in one of three World Cup Group Stage tournaments in 2023, to be played in Ireland, Spain and Italy (dates to be announced), which will qualify teams from around the world for the 2024 World Cup finals.
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 Operations Manager: Whitney Hollis
Hitting Coach: Gina Carbonatto
Pitching Coach: Windy Thees
Sports Therapist: Edwin Lam
Current European Ranking: 9th
Last Official Competition: The 2022 European Under-22 Women's Championship in Kunovice, Czech Republic, played from 27 June-2 July. The team just missed out on qualifying for Championship playoffs from the first round-robin phase, then won all of their remaining games to finish ninth.
Next Official Competition: The 2024 European Under-22 Women's Championship (dates and venue to be determined).
GB Under-18 Women's Fastpitch Team
Founded: 1997 (formerly the GB U-19 Women's Fastpitch Team)
Head Coach: Tara Tembey
Team Manager: David Morris
Pitching Consultant: Mary Karen Wheat
Assistant Coach: Brandi Macias
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. Dates and a 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
Co-Head Coach: Alexis Markham-Hill
Team Operations Manager: Mary Murray
Assistant Coach: Felicity West
Pitching Coach: Amie Hutchison
Sports Therapist: Natasha Furnell
Current European Ranking: TBD
Last Official Competition: The 2022 European Under-15 Women's Championship from 18-23 July 2022 in Enschede in The Netherlands. Unfortunately, due to administrative errors by the British Softball Federation in registering players, the team was allowed to play all its games in the competition, but results were not officially counted. Officially, the GB Team was 0-8 for the tournament and finished in ninth place, but their actual record was 3-5, which would have meant a seventh-place finish.
Next Official Competition: The 2024 European Under-15 Women's Championship. Dates and a venue have yet to be confirmed.
GB Cubs Under-13 Girls' Fastpitch Team
Founded: 2004
Head Coach and Sports Therapist: Jodie Rushin
Team Operations Manager: Julie Spittle
Assistant Coaches: Elysee Enness-Laporte, Hannah Edwards
Pitching Coach: Dawne Edwards
Current European Ranking: 4th (Sport Division)
Last Official Competition: The European Massimo Romeo Youth Trophy (EMRYT), formerly the European Minime Championships, held in Collecchio, Italy near Parma, from 10-13 August. The team finished fourth in the more competitive Sport Division.
Next Official Competition: The 2023 European Massimo Romeo Youth Trophy in Collecchio, Italy, to be held from 9-12 August.
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://bit.ly/3nooYuv
For trial and selection enquiries please email gbselections@britishsoftball.org.