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

Thu Jun 8 19:42:17 EDT 2006

Received: 6/8/06 3:49:36 PM 
From:  "Gilles Fournier" <gilleslfournier(at)hotmail.com> 

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

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DENMARK

Hi All

 The following is a short write up about one of the European
teams participating at the ISC in Kitchener/Waterloo 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-Waterloo
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(at)hotmail.com

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