Brooke Boswell hurls a pitch for the Tigers during the 2010 season.

Springfield, Ohio — Less than three weeks after throwing her last pitch for the Wittenberg Tiger softball team, Brooke Boswell, class of 2010 from Hamilton, Ohio, received a most appropriate graduation gift.

Upon arriving in the Netherlands in late May, she was given a bicycle. Boswell has used it to see "much of the gorgeous landscape" of the historic European nation, frequently as she heads to and from softball practices and games.

After doing it all for the Tigers for four years, Boswell has put an exclamation point on her record-setting collegiate career with a stint playing and coaching softball in a totally new environment. She gained the opportunity after Wittenberg Head Coach Becky Hall recommended Boswell to a director of the World Cup of Softball in the Netherlands after a timely call inquiring about collegiate pitching prospects in February.

"Wittenberg has prepared me for this experience in many ways," said Boswell, who capped her career in the Red & White with 2010 third-team All-Central Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). "Throughout my four years playing for Coach Hall, I learned so much and have started to pass along what I know about the game of softball.

"I also took the course 'Coaching Young Athletes' with (Professor of Health, Fitness and Sport) Linda Arena, which has helped me with the development of the younger players and also in figuring out what my coaching philosophy is."

Boswell led the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) in wins (16), innings pitched (178.2), complete games (21) and shutouts (6) in 2010 while leading the Tigers to the brink of their first NCAC Tournament title since 2003. After Boswell was injured in the competition, however, Wittenberg dropped two straight games to No. 1 seed Denison to end the season with a 19-21 overall record.

As bittersweet as that ending was, Boswell has made the most of the latest turn in her athletic career. She coaches two teams that play at the highest levels for their age groups in The Netherlands, and she is playing in a league that includes members of the Dutch National Team.

"The best part about coaching here in Holland would be the girls I am working with," said Boswell, whose 16 wins and 113 strikeouts in 2010 both rank third in program history, while her 178.2 innings pitched broke a school record. "They welcomed me to their team right away and were eager to learn the softball knowledge I have to offer them. Every night they show up to practice with big smiles on their faces, ready to work hard.

Brooke Boswell pitches for the her team in the Netherlands.

"Softball in The Netherlands is very different than in the United States. The level of play is much lower and they are not fortunate enough to have the good coaching like we have in the U.S., which comes as a challenge to me because I grew up playing very competitive softball. Luckily, they are a group of very smart girls who learn at a fast pace, so it is nice to see them growing as individual players and as a team."

For her Wittenberg career, Boswell posted 32 wins, good for third in program history. Her 2.11 career earned run average and 246 strikeouts also rank third all-time, while her 428.2 career innings pitched rank second. In addition, Boswell was an outstanding offensive player, ranking eighth in career at-bats (412), tied for first in doubles (41), tied for third in home runs (6) and eighth in runs batted in (72). She hit a team-best 15 doubles in 2010 to rank second in school history, while her four home runs in 2008 are good for No. 2.

Boswell, the Tigers' co-MVP in 2010 and a three-time All-NCAC honoree during her collegiate career, will be abroad until October. She hopes to pass along "all of my softball knowledge to the girls to carry with them throughout the rest of their seasons. Not just all the drills, but also the mentality of hard work, dedication and hustle, which is something most teams lack in Holland."

Upon her return to the U.S., Boswell is scheduled to start a job in December working for the Republican Caucus in the Ohio Statehouse. After entering Wittenberg planning to become a high school teacher, Boswell followed her passion for politics and interned on Capitol Hill multiple times. She said the experience in The Netherlands has continued her educational process.

"Not only do I get to coach and play softball every day, but I get to immerse myself in European culture and learn about their government and way of life," Boswell said. "That will also be helpful to the career path that lies ahead of me. This job in Columbus is a small stepping stone to hopefully a lifelong career in politics on either the state or federal level."

Written by: Ryan Maurer

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