The British Softball Federation is excited to announce the squad that has been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2024 Co-Ed Slowpitch European Championship. Recently appointed Head Coach Dan Spinks has chosen an exciting blend of youth and experience for this tournament, with several players making their debuts for GB.
This squad was selected after a weekend of tryouts, scrimmages, and competition at the national softball facility at Farnham Park. The conditions on the weekend were challenging to say the least at times, but they provided an excellent opportunity for the coaching staff to see what was on offer from all the trialists.
Head Coach Dan Spinks would like to take a moment to thank the volunteers, umpires, and friends who helped this event run so smoothly and efficiently, particularly considering the poor weather.
This will be a new chapter in the GB Slowpitch program’s successful history. This is the first competition with the new coaching staff in place after Stephen Patterson stepped down in January after 12 successful years leading the program. Dan is excited about this new chapter and was encouraged by the depth of talent on display during the try-out weekend. He said, “I’m looking forward to seeing how the team interacts together and performs during the championships. The team selected offers an excellent balance of experience, skill, and opportunity.”
Assistant coaches Luis Arrevillagas and Jenny Ball are also very excited about what lies ahead for this team. Luis said, “We had tough decisions to make but we’re confident we’re taking a strong and balanced team. It’s exciting to get to the point where we can fully focus on travelling and the competition ahead now.”
Jenny is excited by the variety of backgrounds from those selected this year, “I am excited to continue developing our experienced GB squad members and to welcome new talent from the National Softball League (NSL) and university leagues. The team we have selected represents a strategic blend of diverse skills, speed, and power. I am looking forward to working with this group and am confident in their abilities going into international competition.”
Eight different NSL teams are represented in this year’s selections, a testament to the breadth of talent at the top of British competition these days. The squad selected is as follows, with their club teams noted alongside:
| Selected Player | NSL Team |
|---|---|
| Josh Smith | Pioneers |
| Tom Russell | Camels |
| Steve Hazard | Pioneers |
| Joe Grantham | H2O |
| Duncan Waugh | London Legends |
| Mike MacDowell | H2O |
| Chris Yoxall | London Legends |
| Roger Grooms | H2O |
| Robbie Studholme | H2O |
| Charlotte Brown | Tigers |
| Chelsie Robison | H2O |
| Crista Reed-Thomas | London Legends |
| Katie Jessop | Travelling Dodgers |
| Kimberley Miller | Windsor Knights |
| Kirstie Leach | H2O |
| Tash Humphris | London Legends |
| Izzie Keeley | The Mob |
| Zoe Le Roux | Camels |
Head Coach Dan Spinks would like to take this moment to thank all those who tried out but did not make the side this year and encourage them to not lose hope, to work hard and enjoy this season. The next try-out dates will be announced as soon as they are confirmed, so players can show their skills and prove to the coaching staff that they should be selected to represent Great Britain next summer.
The BSF and the Coaching Staff would like to congratulate all those selected and urge our wider community to support the team during the competition and in the build-up before departure.