june2006

One of the teams from Europe at the ISC; Denmark (DD'S)

June 8, 2006

Denmark

DENMARK 

 

 The following is a short write up about one of the European teams participating at the ISC in Kitchener in August 2006.

 

The Danish Team is an “all star” team from the Danish 1st division, witch is the top devisionin Danish fastball.  

The Danish Dynamite (DD’s) is the name that has been chosen for the “all star” team from the Danish 1st division. The Danish National men’s fastball league is made up of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd division. The 1st division has 7 teams, while the 2nd and 3rd division have 5 teams each. Teams have the opportunity to play them selves into a better division. By winning the division title in a lower division, this gives them the right to play the last place team of the division higher up. For example the winner of the 2nd division plays the last team in the 1st division. The winner wins the right to move in to the higher division or to stay in the same division. The winner of the 1st division wins the Danish National Title and the right to play in the European Cup the following year. The 2nd and 3rd divisions are more recreational league level, while the 1st division has some of the best teams in Europe. Two different Danish teams have won 2 of the last 3 European Cups.

  The Danish league started having import players in 2000. Each team is only allowed 2 non-EU residents on the field at the same time. This year there are 10 non-residents playing in the Danish 1st division. Over the years most of these players have been from New Zealand and Canada, but there has also been players from other countries like the US, Australia, Argentina and the Czech Republic. This is players that come to Denmark for the sole purpose of playing fastball and does not include the other non-Danes that are in Denmark for other purposes.

  In Denmark, men’s fastball is the main “ball” sport. There are 3 times as many men that play fastball then there are women. There is a junior under 14 league and a junior 17 league for boys. Baseball is almost non-existent; there is only 1 team that plays in the Swedish league. Denmark is doing what it can to keep that great game of men’s fastball alive.

Gilles Fournier and Patrick McCarron started the Danish Dynamite concept in 2002. At the time both were involved with the Danish National team (Coach and assistant coach). The team has played in the 2 “money” tournaments in Europe. The Guernsey tournament witch they won in 2002 and the Tournament in Prague, Czech Republic, where the DD’s have finished 2nd.

The concept was meant to be a supplement to the national team activities. This is important, especially now that a very large part of the funding from the State as been removed from most of the smaller sports associations in Denmark incl. fastball, volleyball and basketball. The national team activities have been greatly reduced because of this. The DD’s are an extra incentive for the guys that put in the hard work. This gives them the opportunity of playing for the “all star” team of the best division of men’s fastball in Denmark, and the possibility of playing in the big tournaments, like the ISC, witch is regarded her as the most prestigious event in men’s fastball. The team has been totally self-funded, in other words, the guys have to pay them selves and help to find sponsors.

The Team will be participating in the ISC this year in Kitchener,  Ontario in August. The team this year:

 

# 20 Jesper Panduro (Odense Giants, pitcher): Jesper is the most travelled and one of the most experienced Danish players. Jesper has played fastball for teams in Holland, Venezuela and New Zealand, but has been back in Denmark for the past 2 seasons.  He has played for the National team for many years and has been to 3 ISF world Championships.

# 99 Kim Hansen (Stenløse Bulls, pitcher): Kim is a young pitcher and rising star in Denmark. He played on the junior (under 19) national team that won, for the first time in Danish history, the European Championship 2 years ago. Kim also helped his Danish team in winning the Danish National title for the 1st time last year.

# 29 Rasmus Sørensen (Allerrød Penguins, pitcher/outfielder): Rasmus has played on the national team for 6 -7 years now and has played in 1 ISF world championship in South Africa. Besides pitching, he has been a stable outfielder and he adds a good stick to the line up. Rasmus played in the ISC last year for the Allerød Penguins.

# 5 Thomas Hansen (Hørsholm Hurricanes, catcher): Thomas is a young catcher that started playing for his club team at the junior level. He has been on the national team for the last 2 years. Thomas has also played a couple of seasons for club teams in New Zealand.

# 08 Patrick McCarron (Ballerup Vandals, infielder/catcher): Pat is originally from Prince George, BC, Canada. He has been in Denmark since 2002, were he was the assistant coach for the Danish National team for 2 years and he was Head Coach last year. He has played for the Vancouver Grey Sox in Canada. In Denmark he has played for the Ballerup Vandals witch have won 7 national titles in the last 9 years and 2 European Cups.

# 24 Gilles Fournier  (Ballerup Vandals, infielder) Gilles grew up with fastball back in Canada (Ottawa area) and he thought that the days of softball were over when he moved to Denmark with his Danish wife 12 years ago. But new life was actually put in to it and he found out the he could combine his career as an MD and fastball. He coached the National team for 8 years and he is in his 12th season with the Ballerup Vandals.

# 19 Alexander Brewerton (Ballerup Vandals, shortstop) Alex has been on the National team for 6 years now; witch is quite impressive considering that he is only 24 years of age. He has played 1 season in Vancouver and 2 seasons I New Zealand for Porirua. He has been a member of the Ballerup Vandals for 4 seasons now. Quick shortstop with a good arm. His bat has improved a lot in the last couple of years and he is a good lead off batter.

# 35 Jacob Heller (Allerød Penguins, 1. base) Jacob moves quickly for a big guy. Stable and dependable 1. baseman. Good stick in the middle of the line up. His love and passion for the game is never in question. Jacob has been on the National team for 4 years and has played the last 2 seasons for the Allerød Penguins.

# 21 Dennis Kihlgast (Hørsholm Hurricanes, outfielder/utility). Dennis is a young player with a lot of natural talent. Especially his batting has improved in the last couple of seasons. He has played a couple of seasons in New Zealand and he is planning on retuning next season together with Thomas.

# 10 Frederik Terkelsen (Hørsholm Hurricanes, 1.baseman/outfielder). Frederik has literally grown up with fastball in Denmark. He has played 2 seasons in New Zealand all ready at the age of 18 and was on the National team at the age of 16. His talent is so obvious, that he might not be able to come with us to the ISC this year. He has been invited to participate in a Major League Baseball academy for 18’s and under in Italy for 3 weeks, and this coincides with the ISC. This is quite impressive when you consider that Frederik has never played baseball!

Jason McCarron  (Allerød Penguins, catcher/utility). Jason came to Denmark with his brother Patrick, in 2002 and played 1 season for the Allerød Penguins.He played with the DD’s in the tournament they won in Guernsey. He is a solid and dependable player with lots of experience in fastball.

Simon Rogers / Ziggy  (Ballerup Vandals, 1. baseman/catcher). Ziggy is from New Zealand and he has played several seasons for Porirua. He was in Denmark for a short period last year and played some games with the Ballerup Vandals and in the Bill Jeffrey’s Tournament in Holland.

# 44 Jens Terkelsen (Hørsholm Hurricanes, coach/utility). Jens is the person that started fastball in Denmark in the late 70’s early 80’s. He was a player on the National team for many years, including the first time that a Danish team participated in the ISF world tournament in 1988 in Saskatoon, Canada and the last time a Danish team participated in 2000 in South Africa. Jens is still a pillar for Danish softball and he is now also coach for the under 19 Danish National Team.

 

As previously mentioned the DD’s are totally self funded, so we are still working on taking 2 other players to the ISC, but they can not commit as of yet for financial reasons.

 

Cheers

 

Gilles Fournier

Danish Dynamite (DD’s)

Denmark
gilleslfournier@hotmail.com

  

 

OUR SPONSORS

TRENDING NOW
@alsfastball
FRIENDS OF AL'S FASTBALL
AU Sable AFP Fastpitch Fastpitch West International Softball Congress Men’s Fastpitch SA North American Fastpitch Association Ontario Amateur Softball Association

Ontario Masters Fastball sports betting site betway Shooters Fastpitch League Softball Canada Softball New Zealand WBSC