The Structural Review Project Group

The Structural Review Project Group (SRPG) is a small group made up of representatives from the Federation boards and BSUK that is co-ordinating the Structural Review process.

John Walmsley – BSUK Chair

Picture of john WalmsleyMy first involvement in our sports started in 2004 when I joined baseball spring training with Richmond Baseball and Softball Club. In my first season I helped launch and manage the club’s fourth adult baseball team, the Richmond Riverdogs. In 2005, I took over as interim Club President and became the President the following year. In 2007, I was elected to the Board of the BBF and was asked to serve as its Secretary. I also served as a BBF-nominated Director of BSUK. In 2008, I was re-elected to the BBF Board under a redrawn Constitution.

As BBF Secretary, I represented Great Britain at both IBAF and CEB Congresses. I resigned from both the BBF and BSUK Boards in 2009, having served two-and-a-half years on each. I also resigned from my role as Richmond Baseball and Softball Club President at the end of the 2010 season.

In my five seasons as Richmond President, the club won two National Baseball Championships and were finalists in two more, won two London Tournaments and other divisional titles, launched a youth baseball and softball programme and brought women’s fastpitch softball into the club. I remain involved with the club.

I and my partner Robyn split our time between Surrey and Lancashire. I am an executive with a global consulting and technology company, where I focus on the commercial management of large-scale engagements.

Jenny Fromer – BSUK Joint-CEO and Head of Operations

Headshot_JFJenny has been with BSUK since 2002, first as Director of Baseball Operations and since 2005 as Joint-CEO and Head of Operations. Prior to joining BSUK, Jenny worked as Director of Game Development for Major League Baseball International.

She has been involved in the British softball community since 1992 and has held many volunteer positions in the sport including Director of the London Softball Federation and several roles on the Greater London Softball Mixed League (GLSML). Jenny has been captain of the SPAM co-ed softball team for over 20 years.

Stella Ackrell – British Softball Federation President

Picture of Stella AckrellI have been playing softball in the UK since 2002.  I have been involved in sports committees (badminton and softball) holding the positions of Treasurer and Secretary, and I am the current Chair of the Oxford Softball League.

As a member of the BSUK Board since 2008, I have been involved with all aspects of both fastpitch and slowpitch softball, and sit on various committees within BSUK.

Mike Jennings – BSF Executive Member

Picture of Mike JenningsI sit on the British Softball Federation Executive as a Director and Treasurer, and I am also a long-time member of the Executive Committee of the British Association of Softball Umpires (BASU).  Apart from umpiring, I act as a training tutor on a selection of BASU courses, including the main two-day BASU Qualifying Course, which I have run some 40 times over the last 10 years.

I am one of the softball-nominated BSUK Directors and I serve as chair of the Finance Committee.

I previously served for six years as President of the European Softball Federation and as a European Vice-President for the International Softball Federation, with positions on the Administration, Rules and Umpiring Commissions.

In Europe, I have been a member of the ESF Technical Commission, where I have typically inspected two venues each year in preparation for ESF competitions and have subsequently acted as Chair of the Technical Commission when these events are running.  In 2013, I have been appointed as the ESF’s Technical Director.

Chris Deacon – BBF Board Member

I had been a baseball follower from afar for a number of years before becoming an involved parent when my son stared playing aged 5. I soon took up playing the game myself having played other stick and ball games (hockey and golf) at various levels over the years.  I found that baseball was a pretty good combination of the two, requiring individual skills and outcomes yet in a team environment.

When my son joined the London Youth Baseball League (LYBL) in 2012, I joined the newly formed Daws Hill Spitfires based at the same fields and closer to home.  Since then I’ve become involved in all aspects of club life with the Spitfires and LYBL, being on both boards before taking on the role of Officials Commissioner with the BBF where I also sit on the finance and tournaments committees.  Professionally, I am a management consultant in the financial services sector.