The Dutch Baseball and Softball Federation (KNBSB) announced that they have completed the coaching staff for the National Team. They have hired the 38-year-old Steve Janssen (right picture) to serve as pitching coach and the 29-year-old Tjerk Smeets (left picture) as bullpen coach. The staff of new head coach Jim Stoeckel also will include Ben Thijssen and third base coach Wim Martinus.
Janssen is from Belgium and the current head coach of the reigning Dutch champion DOOR Neptunus. It is going to be his second stint with the Netherlands national team. Between 2002 and 2005 he already was the pitching coach for manager Robert Eenhoorn. He later worked as technical director of the Belgian Federation before going to Rotterdam, where he won the coach of the year award last season.
Smeets recently took part in a special coaching course reserved for (former) internationals, which was organized by the KNBSB and the national Olympic committee NOC*NSF. The former national teamer is still an active player, being the catcher for the Dutch Hoofdklasse club Corendon Kinheim.
The two main events for the Dutch National Team this year will be the European Championship in Stuttgart, Heidenheim and Neuenburg, Germany and the Haarlemse Honkbalweek. Both tournaments are scheduled for July.
Photo: © Ron Wickert, www.eott.nl
Correction: An earlier version of this article falsely stated that Wim Martinus will not be back as third base coach. This was not correct. He will remain on the coaching staff.