The Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) has handed out this year’s STAR Awards in Baseball and Softball this weekend during the ceremony at the European Coach Clinic in Rotterdam. Hensley Meulens, hitting coach of the San Francisco Giants and manager of the Netherlands during the 2013 World Baseball Classic, got named coach of the year in baseball. Marco Molleman of the Hotel Ambassador Terrasvogels was named coach of the year in softball, having dethroned heavy favorite Oolders Omaco Sparks Haarlem in the Holland Series. Bas de Jong (L&D Amsterdam) and Leigh Godfrey (Sparks Haarlem) were named Most Valuable Players.
All prize winners:
Softball:
- Nol Houtkamp Award: Annie Hekker (Roef)
- Riet Vermaat Trofee (Best Youth Pitcher): Shanna te Vrede (HCAW)
- Bep van Beijmerwerdt Trofee (Best Youth Player): Damishah Charles (Twins)
- Egbert van der Sluis Memorial (Best U23 Player): Dinet Oosting (Oympia Haarlem)
- Homerun Queen: Karin Tuk (Sparks Haarlem)
- Best Batter: Leigh Godfrey (Sparks Haarlem)
- Best Pitcher: Rebecca Soumeru (Sparks Haarlem)
- Most Stolen Bases: Chantal Versluis (Sparks Haarlem)
- Coach of the Year Marco Molleman (Terrasvogels)
- MVP Holland Series: Monica Perry (Terrasvogels)
- MVP 2013: Leigh Godfrey (Sparks Haarlem)
Baseball:
- Leen Volkerijk Award: Gijs Selderijk (KNBSB)
- Roel de Mon Award (Best Youth Pitcher): Misja Harcksen (Rotterdam Unicorns)
- Ron Fraser Award (Best Youth Player): Max Draijer (APPM Rabbits)
- Guus van der Heijden Memorial (Best U23 Player): Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox)
- Homerun King: Bryan Engelhardt (Corendon Kinheim)
- Best Batter: Bas de Jong (L&D Amsterdam)
- Best Pitcher: Rob Cordemans (L&D Amsterdam)
- Most Stolen Bases: Roelie Henrique (L&D Amsterdam)
- Bill Arce Award (Most Promising Coach): Jim Shuster (o.a. Future Stars)
- Coach of the Year: Hensley Meulens (Netherlands)
- MVP Holland Series: Benjamin Dille (DOOR Neptunus)
- MVP 2013: Bas de Jong (L&D Amsterdam)
Photos by Rob Jelsma