The GB Senior Men’s Fastpitch Team, which will be competing in the European Men’s Fastpitch Championship this summer for the first time since 2018, has selected a 16-player squad for the tournament plus three non-travelling reserves.
Following trials on the weekend of 17-18 March at Conniburrow. plus reviewing video evidence from those unable to attend in person, an extended roster of 20 players was selected by the GB Men’s Selection Panel.
After an additional indoor training session following the cancellation of GBFL play on 1-2 April due to waterlogged fields, the 16-player selection was finalised.
The 2023 European Men’s Championship will be played in Horsholm, Denmark from 24-29 July. The squad will also be taking part in the Zeisterslot Tournament in the Netherlands in May, and many of the players will be involved in a trip to Sweden in early May for the return leg of the Sweden Series.
The players
The final GB Men’s Team squad is made up primarily of home-grown talent, with the inclusion of a small number of overseas-based players who have committed to the programme. The players selected are:
Amit Aswani
Damon Brown
Joe Coxon
Matt Eder
Ieuan Gale
Gareth Jooste
Todd Kriehn
Darren Meintjes
Trent Nash
Josh Peat
Tom Priscott
Tom Russell
Jack Scholes
Carl Sharpe
Matt Tomlin
George Young
The players chosen as non-travelling reserves, who can be called on if any of the selected players have to drop out for injury or other reasons are:
Tomos Boshoff
Bruce Candlish
Bryn Davies
The staff
The GB Men’s Team staff in 2023 consists of:
Head Coach: Robbie Robison
Team Operations Manager: Jill Russell
Assistant Coach: Chelsie Robison
Pitching Coach: Mario Hernandez
Sports Therapist: To be appointed
Newly-appointed Head Coach Robbie Robison said, “ Congratulations to the 16 players selected for the GB Men's Fastpitch Team. We had a very high number of applicants this year and the selectors had a tough job choosing the final 16 due to the quality of the players. The coaching staff is excited to be working with these players -- and all players currently in the GB Men’s programme -- as we move into the 2023 fastpitch season. This is a programme that will continue to build and redefine the culture of GB Men’s Fastpitch.”