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Fall Ball Abroad in Amsterdam
Play Baseball and Softball in Amsterdam!
Calling all student-athletes! Starting in Fall 2022, IES Abroad is partnering with Old World Baseball to offer students the chance to study abroad for a semester while preparing for their spring baseball and softball season. Fall Ball Abroad – Amsterdam provides college baseball and softball players high-quality coaching and access to world-class training facilities.
Fall Ball Abroad is an add-on to our existing IES Abroad Amsterdam Programs. Students who wish to participate will apply to an IES Abroad Amsterdam program, and once accepted, choose the baseball or softball add-on.
We know how important it is to your sports performance to continue working and improving in the offseason. Why not work with international coaches and get stronger in Amsterdam?
How it Works
- College softball and baseball players study abroad for the fall semester in Amsterdam and participate in high-quality practices and workouts with international coaches and players
- Practice plans will be individually designed, accommodating student class schedules
- Includes flexible weekly practice times, two organized weekend excursions, as well as independent sports facility access
- Fall Ball Abroad – Amsterdam is intentionally offered in the fall semester so softball and baseball student-athletes can improve during their offseason and return to their home campuses prepared for their seasons
- Fall Ball Abroad abides by all NCAA rules and regulations. As such, game competition is not included
Benefits
- Study abroad while preparing for your spring baseball/softball season
- Work with an experienced international coaching staff
- Meet and practice with like-minded European and U.S. athletes
- Utilize modern sport-specific and strength/fitness facilities
- Watch international baseball and softball games
- Participate in professional development seminars with international sports leaders
- Attend Dutch university classes with local students
- International academic immersion and opportunity for a 2-credit intro to Dutch language and culture course
Cost
- The Fall Ball Abroad add-on costs $2,950, inclusive of the following:
- Practice sessions, independent facility access, equipment use and trainer consultation
- Two excursions (examples below) with travel, accommodation, specific meals, baseball/softball integrated practices and group tourism
- Professional development seminars with international sports figures
All training plans are designed around and dependent upon academic schedules. Training plans can also be made more or less intensive based on individual preferences. The example below can be used as a rough guide.
September-October
- Mon 4-6 p.m. – Coach-supervised practice integrated with local players
- Tues 4-6 p.m. – Trainer/coach-supervised strength and agility training
- Thurs 3-6 p.m. – Coach-supervised practice integrated with local players and trainer/coach-supervised strength and agility training
- Daily - Independent access to batting cages, strength facilities
November-December
- 2x/week – Trainer/coach-supervised strength/agility training sessions
- Daily - Independent access to batting cages, strength facilities
Throughout the Semester
- Professional development seminars with international sports figures
- Overnight excursion to international city and integrated sports experience
- Daytrip excursion for sports viewing, social and tourism experience
Fall Ball Abroad – Amsterdam includes two excursions outside Amsterdam, including one overnight international fieldtrip and one daytrip within the Netherlands. Transportation, lodging, scheduled activities, and specified meals will be provided. Below are sample schedules of these excursions.
London Overnight
- Friday: afternoon departure, practice with Great Britain national team coach, independent evening.
- Saturday: walking tour of London, attend Premier League soccer game, independent evening.
- Sunday: practice integrated with local players, traditional Sunday pub roast lunch, return travel.
Antwerp/Ghent Overnight
- Friday: afternoon departure, integrated practice with Belgian players, post-workout group BBQ, independent evening in Antwerp.
- Saturday: free morning, train to Ghent, walking/cycling tour, independent evening in Ghent.
- Sunday: free morning, afternoon practice with local players, return travel.
Rotterdam Day Trip
- Train to/from Rotterdam, practice integrated with Netherlands national team players, Feyenoord soccer game and/or Neptunus baseball game, city center exploration.
IES Abroad is proud to partner with Old World Baseball, whose founders were both college baseball players that studied abroad. Stephan Rapaglia (Amherst College ’92), and Tom Gillespie (Macalester College ’00), have led high-class baseball trips to Europe for the last 10 years, and both have been heavily involved in European baseball for decades. In addition to his U.S. collegiate/professional playing and coaching career, Stephan played a season at the top level in the Netherlands, was a coach-player at the top level in Germany, and spent seven years as the head coach of the Great Britain national team (leading GB to the silver medal at the 2007 European Championships). Tom has lived in Europe since 2001, working 10 years in the MLB London office and coaching the Great Britain and Germany national teams, while also playing for top-level teams in England, Germany, and Sweden. Tom and Stephan will organize and lead Fall Ball Abroad. Learn more about the coaches and the program in the Fall Ball Amsterdam introduction video.
In addition, regular practice sessions will be led by current or former Netherlands baseball and softball national team coaches. For example (but subject to change):
- Robin van Doornspeek – Netherlands national team pitching coach, national academy director. 2004 Olympics as player. Multiple European Championships as player and coach
- Saskia Kosterink – Talent coach for Netherlands softball, national academy hitting coach. 2008 Olympics as a player. Played college softball in the US
