As the WBSC confirmed that the Women’s Baseball World Cup Qualifiers would be held in Tianan, the Great Britain Women’s National Team travelled to the Netherlands for their spring training camp at the Amsterdam Pirates Baseball Complex.
GB were joined by members of the Quebec Women’s Baseball Academy for a week that combined skill development, competitive fixtures, and detailed performance analysis. Head Coach Pietro Sollecito and his staff used the opportunity to assess players closely ahead of naming the 26-player extended roster for the World Cup Qualifiers in August.
What made the trip particularly significant was the inclusion of members of the Women’s National Team (WNT) Development Squad, who were invited to experience the demands and expectations of an elite high-performance environment. The initiative reflects the programme’s ongoing commitment to building depth and preparing the next generation of GB players.
One of those development players, Erin Hart, highlighted the value of training alongside senior internationals, crediting the experience with improving both her technical skills and her understanding of the game.
“The week was intense, with six days of high-level training and competitive games…” Erin said. “The coaching staff created a challenging but supportive environment, helping each player grow in confidence and ability. The experience pushed us as individuals and as a team, allowing us to learn from both successes and setbacks while building strong connections on and off the field.”
Development Team coach Dani Briggs echoed those sentiments, emphasising the progress made by the emerging players.
“The Development Team has taken a significant step into the high-performance environment of elite baseball training,” she said. “I am proud of the way they conducted themselves throughout Spring Training, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to learning and a willingness to embrace every challenge and opportunity presented to them.”
For GB Women’s National Team Head Coach Pietro Sollecito, the training camp marked an ideal start to a crucial year for the programme.
“Spring Training in Amsterdam delivered on just about every part of our objectives in the most consequential year in GB Women’s baseball history,” said Sollecito. “From my perspective, we could not have asked for more. The lessons, repetitions and data gathered set us up perfectly for a successful 2026 campaign.”
Following the camp, the 26-player extended roster was announced, with 20 athletes set to be selected for the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Qualifiers in Tianan this August.
Extended Roster:
Laura Bailes
Dani Briggs
Bethany Casson
Billie Ciuffini
Becky Cottrell
Lhiez Dela Paz
Saskia Davies
Grace Dunaj
Caitlin Frank
Katherine Golik
Jess Hastings
Ella Henson
Artie Herbert
Laura Hirai
Rebecca Longman
Darier Minika Malone
Samiya Rahman
Natasha Romoff
Megan Rollins
Gabriella Sassoli
Claury Rashel Scatliffe
Amanda Taylor
Amy Trask
Jess Vernon
Stella Veski
Oona Ylinen
Attention now turns to the next stage of preparations, with the GB squad set to compete in the Battle of Britain Tournament at the end of May in Kent, an important opportunity to build momentum ahead of August’s qualifiers.
The GB Women’s Baseball Programme is self-funded. If you would like to support the team, donations can be made via the programme’s crowdfunder. For sponsorship enquiries, please contact marketing@britishbaseball.org.uk.