Softball Europe and the European Softball Coaches Association (ESCA) will introduce a new Coach Panel discussion on Facebook Live on Saturday 30 May featuring GB (10).jpg)
Women’s Team Head Coach Rachael Watkeys.
The broadcast will start at 8.00 pm Central European Time (7.00 pm in the UK) and will have three guests, two moderators and two main topics.
Coaches Craig Montvidas, Rachael Watkeys, and Jeroen Swers, along with moderators Ami Baran and Corey Vyner, will talk about smart base running and the virtues of aggressive hitting as opposed to going deep into counts.
The coaches
Craig Montvidas, born and raised in the United States, is the Coordinator for the European Softball Coaches Association’s October training camps and a member of the International Coaches Commission of the WBSC and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. He started coaching in the Netherlands in 1981 and has gathered years of experience by coaching in Italy, the USA, China, Japan, Botswana, the Bahamas, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden. He has been the Head Coach for the national women's teams in the Netherlands, Greece and Great Britain.
Rachael Watkeys played softball in Australia and Great Britain for over 30 years and has coached both in Australia and in the United Kingdom for over 20 years. Rachael has been the Head Coach of the GB Women’s Team since 2016 after four years as Head Coach of the GB Under-19 Women's Team.
Jeroen Swers played men's fastpitch softball in Belgium and the Netherlands, and was a key component of the Belgian Men’s National Team for many years. He has been a coach for almost 10 years in Belgium, France and Sweden and is currently coaching the successful women's fastpitch club team Roef! in the Netherlands. Jeroen has also coached the Belgian Under-19 Women Team and has participated as a coach and instructor at ESCA camps.
The three panelists will be guided through the questions by ESF Secretary-General Ami Baran and by Corey Vyner, a Canadian professional softball player for over 30 years and former coach with a number of Israeli national teams.
Details
Questions for the coaches can be submitted via social media posts before and during the broadcast.
To link to the live broadcast or to watch it later on demand, click here.