Following trials for the full GB Men’s Fastpitch programme on Sunday 20 March at Farnham Park, selections have been announced for the GB Senior and 
GB Under-23 Men’s Fastpitch competition squads for 2022.
Selections for the GB Under-18 Men’s Team, which does not have an official competition this year, will be announced at a later date.
The trials were a great day of softball, with than 30 players across all age groups taking part. Testing and drill work in the morning was followed by scrimmage games in the afternoon, with coaches trying out different combinations of players.
A selection meeting was then held the following week, with the Selection Committee for both squads consisting of Senior Men’s Team Head Coach Colin Barrett, Under-23 Men’s Team Head Coach Richard Brown, Under-18 Men’s Team Head Coach Ian Tomlin, Senior Men’s Team Assistant Coach Gareth Purchase and GB Under-18 Women’s Team Operations Manager David Morris as an Independent Observer.
GB Under-23 Men’s Team
The GB Under-23 Men’s squad has been selected to compete in the inaugural European Under-23 Men’s Fastpitch Championship in Sezimovo Usti, Czech Republic, from 6-9 July.
The tournament will also be a Qualifier for the inaugural WBSC Under-23 Men’s Fastpitch World Cup, to be held in Argentina in October 2022.
With only four countries – the Czech Republic, Denmark, Israel and GB – entered in the European Championship, and with two places available for Europe in the World Cup, the GB Team will have a major target to aim for.
The squad is:
Bruce Candlish
Bryn Davies
Matt Eder
Max Fagan
Olly Howley
Edan Lord
Kai Owens
Lucas PreFontaine
Harvey Robinson
Tom Russell
Jack Scholes
Josh Smith
Josh Stanley
Dom Stephenson
Ben Tomlin
The following players have been named as Non-Travelling Reserves:
Owen Randall
Reuben Verity
The squad will be supported by the following staff:
Head Coach -- Richard Brown
Team Operations Manager – Jill Russell
Assistant Coach – Trent Nash
Pitching Coach – Damon Brown
Prior to the European Championship, the team will play a match against the Swedish Senior Men’s Team on the weekend of 28-29 May when Sweden travel to Farnham Park for an international series of games against the GB Seniors, the GB Under-23s and an invitational team.
The GB Under-23 Men will also be playing together this season in the Great Britain Fastpitch League (GBFL) as the Eagles to help with their preparations for the European Championship.
GB Senior Men’s Team
As there is no European Championship for the GB Senior Men’s Fastpitch Team in 2022, the team will be hosting Sweden on 28-29 May at Farnham Park. The squad selected, which includes six players from the GB Under-23 team, is:
Amit Aswani
Damon Brown
Bruce Candlish
Bryn Davies
Ieuan Gale
Olly Howley
Gareth Jooste
Darren Meintjes
Trent Nash
Josh Peat
Tom Russell
Carl Sharpe
Josh Stanley
Ben Tomlin
Matt Tomlin
The following players have been named as Reserves:
Josh Smith
Tyler Gibbons
Tom Priscott
This squad will be supported by the following staff:
Head Coach – Colin Barrett
Team Operations Manager – Lars Looijen
Assistant Coach – Gareth Purchase
Pitching Coach – Alyson Spinas-Valainis
Consultant Coach – Marielle Vleugels
Sports Therapist – Ryan Clarke
Players within the squad will also be taking part in the GBFL across a number of teams in the Men’s Division.