GB Slowpitch Team Head Coach Stephen Patterson has announced the players that will compete in the 2016 WBSC Slowpitch World Cup in Plant City, Florida from 17-20 November, plus the staff members that will accompany them.
This will be the third consecutive year that the Slowpitch World Cup has been held by the WBSC Softball Division. Great Britain finished second in 2014 to an American team and fourth last year at a tournament ultimately won by the Bahamas.
Previous Slowpitch World Cups had been held in 2002 and 2005, and GB’s only win in the competition came in 2002.
There had been hopes that this year’s tournament would be a full World Slowpitch Championship rather than a Cup competition, but that remains an aspiration for the future.
Players and staff​
The GB team selected for the 2016 Slowpitch World Cup will consist of the following players:
WOMEN
Michelle Collier
Katherine Golik
Natasha Humphries
Sherry Kenyon
Kirstie Leach
Hannah Pitman
Claudine Snape
MEN
David Grey
Roger Grooms
Kelvin Harrison
Mike McDowell
Aaron Thomas
Matt Tomlin
Chris Yoxall
The team will also have a new-look coaching staff this year. Although Stephen Patterson remains as Head Coach, Kellie Whitaker will be taking the team to her first overseas tournament as Team Manager, while David Lee transitions from player to coach in 2016.
Stephen Patterson said: “It was a goal of the staff to blend a mix of players of varying experience. I believe we have achieved this. Talent runs deep in the GB Squad that will be participating in the World Cup next month and we are excited to get going.”
Plans and opposition
The majority of Team GB will travel to Florida on 12 November for training and scrimmage games before the tournament begins on the 17th.
One goal will be for the players to familiarise themselves with the fields at the Randy Larson Complex in Plant City where the tournament will be played, including the main stadium, formerly the Spring Training home of the Cincinnati Reds.
GB’s opposition at the World Cup is expected to include teams from the USA, Canada, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, Curacao, Bulgaria, France and Germany.
Reports from all games at the 2016 Slowpitch World Cup will be posted on the BSF website.