Season: 2019 - 2020
Brian Connolly
Brian Connolly joined the Fastpitch programme at its inception, assisting Coach Melanie in the organisation and running of the training sessions. Brian has been ever present with the programme since its humble beginning in 2014, travelling with the team to the 2015 European Championships and 2016 World Championships. Brian continues to assist with the organisaiton and delivery of the High Performance Programme training sessions and as an organiser in creating the National Fastpitch League.
Brian has been involved in Baseball and Softball in Ireland since 1991. Brian is one a handul of dual internationals, representing Ireland in both Softball and Baseball and winning medals at a number of European Champioships. Brian has represented Europe at the Slowpitch Border Battle. Brian is a future European Softball hall of famer and is at or close to the centre of most things good in Irish Softball.
Domestically, Brian has won countless league and tournament titles and in 2009 won the European Cup Co-Ed Slowpitch Championship with Dodder Dynamoes.
Brian is a Tournament Commissioner with Softball Europe.
Marcel Wetser
Marcel formally joined the Team Ireland Coaching staff in 2017 but has been part of the family since 2015. Has coached for a number of years in the Dutch leagues and brings a calming influence to the team.
We look forward to welcoming Marcel back to greeting our runners on 1B following the COVID shut down!
Christine Campbell
Christine Campbell joined the Irish coaching team in 2019 as an Assistant and Pitching Coach. Christine is currently Assistant Coach at Lehigh University her alma mater and prior to this coached with Robert Morris in NCAA Division 1 Softball.
Originally from San Diego, Christine had an impressive four-year career in Lehigh, where she amassed a 69-24 record and had a 2.17 ERA. Christine was a three-time All-Patriot League honoree, earning first team honors in 2015. Christine’s 69 victories rank second in the Lehigh programme.
Christine qualified to represent Ireland through her grandfather and made her international debut at the 2017 European Championships posting a 3-3 record with a 2.88 ERA. Christine threw complete game shutouts against Lithuania and Croatia. Christine was also part of a history making game at the tournament pitching for 13 innings in an 8-7 extra innings win against Slovakia. The game against Slovakia set many records including being the longest game in European Championship history.
Though we hope to get Christine on the mound in green again in the future, we are delighted and proud that Christine is willing to give back as a Coach with Team Ireland.
Martin De Lange
Martin originally from South Africa joined the coaching team as an Assistant Coach in 2019.
Eithne Walsh
“In the beginning of time, it was dark. Then suddenly there was light. Eithne has been born”
Eithne is the Fastpitch Irleand Natonal Teams Operations Manager responsible for supporting the delivery of National Team operations including, but not limited to programme operations and team logistics (scheduling, programme needs). In addition to the operations role, Eithne also is the creative force of the programme creating hype and highlight videos whilst also maintaining our social medial accounts.
Eithne is however more than an Operations Manager and is the true heart of the team representing everything great about our programme. Eithne is loved and respected by management, coaches, players and supporters and keeps a smile on everyone’s faces even on the toughest days.
Eithne started her softball journey as a transition year student in St. Anne’s Killaloe under the wathcful eye of teacher and former international player Grace Kearney. Eithne has represented Ireland at the 2017 U19 World Cup, 2018 U19 European Championships (silver medalist) and 2018 U22 European Championships (bronze medalist).
Eithne is currently studying at the National University of Ireland Galway.