By Chelsie Robison
Sofia, Bulgaria: 10 July – The 2017 GB Slowpitch Team, as a collective, have set themselves a high target for this year’s European Slowpitch Championship, which will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria from 11-15 July: to prove they are worthy of an 11th gold medal.
However, despite the fact that GB has won every European Slowpitch Championship ever played over the past 20 years, the title won’t just be given to them. Six teams will compete in the tournament, and five will be gunning to take the title from the returning champs.
2017’s team is composed of returning players and newbies, with a range of skill and personality that will contribute to the team’s journey to get the gold, from Duncan Waugh’s electric energy on and off the field to Kirstie Leach’s 15 years of experience playing GB Softball.
While this team has the depth of talent to take them all the way, they will face plenty of challenges.
The challenges
The obvious challenge will be the opposing teams that GB will face over the course of the week, all hoping to be the one that knocks the British off the top spot.
Teams like Germany and Slovenia are returning to the Championship eager to show Great Britain that they are a force to be reckoned with, while the Czech Republic seems to have been labelled the dark horse of the tournament, a team to watch.
Head Coach Stephen Patterson encourages his team ‘to want it more than they do, have the desire to return home with number 11.”
However, the team has other challenges to face, the big one being the heat here in Bulgaria. With temperatures not dropping below 30 degrees all week, hydration will be the key to making sure players survive the conditions.
Along with the heat, the players will have to battle the bumps and lumps that make up the playing fields. With short hops not staying true to their bounce, the ball kicking up at the last minute and the trench-like dip that looms around the centre and right field fences, players will have to be on extreme alert during the games.
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Training
The majority of the team arrived in Sofia on Sunday 9 July, and the journey for gold began at 3:45 pm as the players collected on Field One to start pre-tournament training. You could tell this was a “get all the cobwebs out” session, with lack of sleep and the heat affecting the players’ abilities.
Today, Team GB had two training sessions, which began to show why they have won those 10 gold medals. The batting and fielding was of an exceptional calibre throughout the team, both men and women.
Tash Humphris and Neil Selvester showed why it doesn’t mean anything to be a newbie, wearing the GB shirt proudly and crushing the ball. There were amazing pick-ups at third base from newcomers Nicole Ratel and Kimberly Dubovec Miller.
One thing shouted out loud and clear from Team GB to any of the other teams watching -- that GB are here for their 11th gold medal, and come hell or high water they’re going to get it.
The action will begin tomorrow, 11 July, when GB will take on Slovenia at 9.00 am and Ireland at 3.00 pm, with the Opening Ceremony to follow at 6.30.