"PLAYBALL" EUROPE
"Playball" Europe is the first professional Baseball Academy in Europe. Instead of flying to Florida, it is now possible to take the bus or train to visit a baseball-school with professional coaches. By bringing Major and Minor instructors to Europe the American dream will be reality. "Playball" Europe organizes camps and clinics in several European countries. When clubs are looking for American players and/or coaches for their European based teams, our "Playbank" department can help them to search for free. The founder of "Playball'' Europe is Karel 'Charly' Crouwel. Karel started playing baseball (catcher) in Amsterdam with the Cats (OVVO) when he was 9 years old .When he was 16 years old he was selected for the Dutch National Team. He also played for the Haarlem Nicols and his last team was Kinheim also in Haarlem. He finished his career as Manager Coach and won the National Championship in 1978. In 1977 Karel and Rob Muller invited Hank Aaron to Holland. In a 4 days tour he showed Hank the tourist places (pictures in Old Dutch National dress), planned a big press conference and the last night of his stay we organized a homerun contest and game in a fully packed Haarlem stadium. Hank acted 4 innings as guest player in the Dutch National Team against a team of American players who played in the Dutch competition. Karel also worked 10 years with the Dutch National Ice Hockey Team. Highlights were; become World Champion in the final game against former East Germany in 1979, Olympic Winter Games Lake Placid 1980 and playing the “A” Poule in Sweden 1981. In his busy sports career Karel also worked 3 years as manager/trainer for a top division basketball team. So, it was just 1 step to go and Karel started his dream "Playball" Europe in 1996.

   Karel Crouwel        

Since 2000, Markus Torenstra joins the "Playball" Europe staff. He started in 1998 as trainee during the summer camp in Amsterdam. Markus desist from playing as outfielder to spend more time for his study physical education. After this study he specialised him selves and now a days he is Top sport coordinator in Amsterdam and works with professional athletes during their injured period and bring them back to maximum level. In 2006 Markus started as one of the owners of Amsterdams leading fytness centers.

   Markus Torenstra

"PLAYBALL" and MLB
"Playball" Europe is associated with a few MLB organizations in the USA. Every year professional Instructors from abroad will visit the "Playball" Academy in Europe. In the past, some players who joint the "Playball" Europe Academy, signed a professional contract for playing in one of the major organizations. One of the first Instructors who visit "Playball" Europe was Randy Kierce, 1996 and 1997. Randy worked before as ass. scout for the Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins. "He was the Instructor, Rick van de Hurk said in a interview, who advised me to change position from catcher in to be Pitcher". And that was for Rick (MLB Marlins) the best advice ever.                                   

    Randy Kierce