On Thursday the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) announced that Tjerk Smeets will serve as marketing manager, starting November 1st. The 30-year-old ended his active career at the end of the 2010 season, having won the Hoofdklasse title with Corendon Kinheim in 2006 and 2007, as well as the European Championship with the Dutch National Team in 2005 and 2007. The former catcher still is going to coach the RCH Pinguins next year.
Since this year Smeets is also part of the coaching staff of the Dutch National Team and will accompany the team during the upcoming Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan. He studied International Sports Marketing at the Johan Cruyff University, where he graduated in 2005. Afterwards he worked as European Marketing Coordinator for Under Armour. In his position as marketing manager he is supposed to find new sponsors and partners for the Dutch Baseball and Softball programs.