Softball
Two teams will represent Nigeria at the ‘World Comes to Palm Beaches Baseball Tournament’ scheduled for Florida, United States between October and November.The two Nigerian teams for the competition organised by the Caribbean Baseball Organisation will come from Baseball Tomorrow Academy.
The Baseball Tomorrow Academy’s invitation to the championship followed its sterling performances in some recent local tournaments.According to founder and executive director of Baseball Tomorrow Academy, Peter Imonikhe John, one of the two teams will play in the Under-15 category, while the second will feature in the Open category.
“Baseball Tomorrow Academy will compete among the 23 countries featuring in the tournament. The categories are U-15 and Open players,” he said, adding that aside the tournament games, there would also be friendly exhibitions, Major League Baseball Showcase, Athletes Seminar, Lynn University Clinic for U-12 and U-15 Division, Major League Baseball Alumni skills clinic for U-18 and Open.
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According to Imonikhe, the academy’s participation would enable the teams establish international relationship with their foreign counterparts, receive high level training and key into various opportunities in baseball.
He pointed out that Baseball and Softball have been introduced to over 50 schools in some of the states, including Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the US Embassy financial assistance.
The Baseball Tomorrow Academy founder revealed that the sum of $5,000 awarded the academy for the developing baseball in the country at the grassroots level enhanced its various projects and development.
“In October 2017, Baseball Tomorrow Academy held a camp for the U-15 Youth Baseball team with Jeremy Guthrie, former Major League Player (MLB) and 60 children from Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Abuja,” adding that he traveled to the US in January this year for the Indiana State High School Baseball Coaching Clinic supported by the embassy of the United States of America.
“Baseball is unlike football. We have data where all participants are recorded to avoid any falsification.“For our players in the Open category, it will be an ample opportunity to upload them to the higher level” he added.
Source: G Sport
