Minot Honeybees Unveil Craig Montvidas as Head Coach
New Softball Team Begins Building Their Inaugural Season Roster
MINOT, ND – MARCH 13, 2024 – Excitement is abuzz in Minot as the Minot Honeybees proudly announce Craig Montvidas as the head coach for the upcoming inaugural Northwoods League Softball season. Montvidas, boasting a remarkable coaching career spanning over 40 years and a reputation for globalizing the game, brings a wealth of experience to the hive.
As the strategic mind behind successful teams including the now-defunct Pennsylvania Rebellion of the National Pro Fastpitch League, and the Netherlands National Team, Montvidas eagerly anticipates the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in Minot. His first challenge? Building a team.
With a keen eye for talent, he is actively recruiting top players from colleges across the country to fill the 16 spots on his roster. Montvidas emphasizes resilience, stating, “The game’s a rollercoaster, right? One day you’re a star, next day you’re 0 for 4 and making errors. I’m looking for someone who’s gonna get back up.”
Montvidas is no stranger to wild rides. He moved to the Netherlands after college, where he began what was supposed to be a one year journey playing baseball. Instead, Montvidas built a life and career for himself in Europe. He’s coached for the Dutch, Greek and British softball national teams and been supervisor of the Dutch softball team. He has also coached a softball team in Italy and ran clinics in China, Italy, Japan, the Czech Republic and Botswana.
Throughout his career Montvidas’ has been able to assist in expanding women’s sporting opportunities to all corners of the globe, but his admiration for female athletes is home-grown. “It started with my sister who‘s five years older. I’d get to tag along all the time when she played sports. She was a great athlete and she just didn’t have the opportunities that I had. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that really stuck with me.”
General Manager Monica Hocking shares Montvidas’s enthusiasm, expressing her excitement about his wealth of experience and global perspective. She calls on the community to rally behind the Honeybees, saying, “This is a golden opportunity for Minot, and we’re counting on the community to get behind the Honeybees with some serious pep.”
While Montvidas’s impressive resume speaks volumes, he prefers to divert the spotlight to his team. When asked about his hopes for his time in Minot, he looks forward to connecting with fans and the community, stating, “I hope they don’t know much about me. Let them know about the team and our vibe.”
Minot, prepare for an epic season of Northwoods League Softball! The Minot Honeybees, under the guidance of Craig Montvidas, promise a blend of talent, tenacity, and loads of fun at the home opener on June 25th at Minot’s Corbett Field. Save the date, and join us for an unforgettable experience!
For additional information, go to honeybeessoftball.com. Get ready to swarm the stands and support your Minot Honeybees!
