USA Pride Softball

In mid-January, Wayland Union High School junior Shelby VanHouten had the opportunity to play for the USA Pride softball team in an international softball tournament held in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Michelle Brander, the head softball coach for Hope College, played in the tournament herself when she was younger. She now has the opportunity to coach the USA Pride team. Coach Brander personally selects ten local softball players to represent the U.S. and travel to Europe to compete against professional European softball programs.

While reminiscing about her time abroad, Shelby stated, “being able to play among some of the greatest softball players in the world opened my eyes to just how big the love of the game really is. While experiencing another culture and competing in high-level play, the friendships and the bonds I created with my new teammates are something that will last forever.”

Team USA Pride went 4-2 in the tournament, playing against teams from the Netherlands, Great Britain, Czech Republic, and the United States. Ultimately, team Roef! from the Netherlands took home the championship title.

Shelby would like to acknowledge “God for the ability he has given me to play softball, Coach Brander and Coach Dani for this wonderful opportunity, my parents, my teammates, and Coach Pete, Coach Dave, and Coach Ritz for their endless support. I can’t wait for The Cup 2026, as I graciously accepted the opportunity to return and play for the USA Pride team again next January.”

Wayland Union Schools is thrilled to see our students thrive both on and off school grounds. We can’t wait to watch Shelby participate in the tournament next season!