WASHINGTON, Penn. – The Pennsylvania Rebellion of the National Pro Fastpitch League announced Craig Montvidas has been named manager of the Rebellion for the 2015 season.
Montvidas, the current head coach of the Netherlands Women National Softball Team, brings an extensive softball coaching resume to the Rebellion.
“I consider it a prestigious honor that the Rebellion has asked me to coach its team this season,” Montvidas said. “The past two summers, I had the opportunity to have see several NPF games. The talent level is extremely high, and the athletes are extremely dedicated both on and off the field. The Rebellion ownership has already shown me their professionalism during our numerous meetings. I am very impressed and eager to get started.”
The American born and raised ballplayer graduated from the University of Hartford in Connecticut. After his senior year in Connecticut, he traveled the Netherlands to play international baseball for eight years (1975-1984).
In 1981, Montvidas debuted as a softball coach for a team in Bussum of the Netherlands. He spent seven seasons as head coach for the international team known as HCAW. He guided the team to three Dutch national championships.
Following his final season in 1988, he moved onto a club team in Bussolengo, Italy. After one season, he left Italy and accepted a managerial position with the Twins of the Dutch Big Leagues where he remained for five seasons (1990-1995).
Montvidas was named head coach of the Netherlands National Team following the completion of the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. He continued to coach the Netherlands for three years.
In 2000, he moved to Greece where he led the Greek national team for two seasons, followed by a five year appointment as the head coach of the Great Britain national team (2003-2007).
Montvidas was appointed to lead the Netherlands National Team again in December 2008. In his first full season in 2009, he guided the Orange to their first European Championship title in 19 years with a shutout victory over Montvidas’s former team, Great Britain.. Following the 2009 season, Montvidas was promoted to become the supervisor of the entire Netherlands Softball program. In his past six seasons as the Netherlands National Team leader, the two-time Coach of the Year award winner (2011-2012), piloted the team to three European Championship Titles–2009, 2011 and 2013.
Additionally, he has experience in organizing and operating numerous softball clinics around the world in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand as well.
“We are thrilled to have Craig as the head coach of the Pennsylvania Rebellion. We looked at a myriad of candidates to take the position of head coach, and we did a thorough search of candidates in the softball community both internationally and nationally,” General Manager Steven Zavacky said. “We believe the international experience Montvidas brings makes him the perfect candidate. He has established himself as one of the top international coaches in the world today, and we know he’ll guide this team to be the best possible competitors each day.”
Montvidas and his squad open their 48-game schedule on Friday, May 29th against the Chicago Bandits. For more information on the 2015 schedule visit www.pennsylvaniarebellion.com, like the team on Facebook, www.facebook.com/PARebellion and follow them on Twitter @PARebellion.
— Courtesy of the NPF