The Portuguese Baseball and Softball Federation (FPBS) and Major League Baseball International (MLBI) are hosting coaches’ clinics in Abrantes, Portugal for European coaches’ levels I & II. The clinics are to be given in two parts over several weeks in February and March 2012, and are open to the international community of European Baseball & Softball coaches. A key element to the continued development of the sport in Portugal and in Europe as a whole, these clinics were developed following well-established protocols in European Union standards of coaching for all sport. These clinics will provide world-class instruction in both practical and theoretical knowledge of the sport, covering all required topics of pedagogic application for each respective level. Interested parties should contact the FPBS for more information, as spots will fill quickly.

Level I: Baseball and Softball – 41 hours – Combined clinic for Baseball and Softball coaches

Abstract:
This clinic is designed for new coaches (beginners) – coaches of young athletes ages 12 and under with accompanied supervision of higher-level coach (Level II coach or higher). It covers all aspects and knowledge of the game necessary for coaching young athletes ages 12 and under for both Baseball and Softball.

Level II: Baseball – 62 hours

Abstract:
This clinic is designed for advanced coaches – coaches for athletes of all age levels. Level II coaches are supervisors of Level I coaches and assistant coaches to those with an equal or higher-level of acquisition. The clinic covers all necessary aspects and knowledge of the game for coaching athletes of all age levels and is a continuance of Level I.

In accordance with European Union standards, the Portuguese Baseball Softball Federation has established a coaching system and development program in 2 parts: General (basic knowledge of Physical Education) and Specific (Baseball and Softball). This system aims to continue the development of Portuguese and European coaches for all 4 levels of coaching certification.

• Level I – Coaches for youth 12U teams
• Level II – Coaches for 18U teams; senior team coach for regional competition
• Level III – Senior team manager; national competition coach for all age levels
• Level IV – National team manager

Following the completion of practical and theoretical sections of this clinic, a certificate will be given to those coaches who have met the requirements of each course. This certificate will include information about level completed, the amount of hours, and will be stamped and signed by Jim Jones (International Sports Group/MLBI) and the FPBS.

More Information on Baseball and Softball Coach Clinics

For more information visit www.fibs.it

Catchers Kai Gronauer (New York Mets) and Simon Guehring (former pro with Milwaukee Brewers organization) as well as pitcher Martin Dewald (2011 Independent Leaguer in Frontier League and American Association) will take part in a so-called Minor League Camp.

Youth players up to the age of 16 can register through the DBV Academy website to take part. There will be sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Each costs €10 including lunch.

The 2012 DBV Academy will be held from January 13 to 15, 2012 at the Ahorn Sportpark in Paderborn, Germany. As speakers announced for the baseball clinic are Tom O’Connell, Reggie Smith, Tim Leveque, Greg Frady and Georg Bull. Udo Dehmel, Liliana Rossetti, Christian Lipp and Stephanie Kueppers will be there for the softball players.

Official Website

For more information contact the Swedish Baseball and Softball Federation

Speakers for the Baseball portion will be Greg Frady (German NT, Georgia State University), Dave Schuler (Colorado Rockies), Charlie Greene (Milwaukee Brewers), Tom O’Connell (ISG), Georg Bull (DBA, Mannheim Tornados) and Kai Gronauer (Minor Leaguer New York Mets, German NT). Liliana Rossetti (ISF/ESF Coach) highlights the speakers for the Softball clinic besides the coaching staff of the successful German Junior national team, Udo Dehmel, Christina Lipp and Stephanie Küpers.

Registration at DBV Academy Website
Complete Program (PDF-File)
Speakers
Official Website
Facebook

The Italian Baseball Softball Federation and the Italian Coaching Committee, in co-operation with the International Sport Group, are pleased to invite all the European Coaches to the 26th Coach Convention.

The Convention will take place on January 21-23, 2011 at the Centro Congressi Centergross, in the Bologna area.

Clinics and workshops on many aspects of the game will be held by a “lineup” of international star speakers:

• Mike Quade, manager of the Chicago Cubs
• Rick Eckstein, hitting coach of the Washington Nationals
• Jim Jones, International Sport Group, who will treat the drills for young players
• Mike and Jake Epstein, analysts and “prophets” of the rotational hitting, presented by Mine – The Italian Wood Bat
• Bobby Simpson, founder of Higher Ground Softball
• Beth Torina, head coach of the Florida International University’s Panthers
• The best Italian Instructors and National Teams Coaches will be also part of the “roster”: a detailed Convention Program will be released at the beginning of January.

How to get there

Bologna is easy to reach by train or by plane and a shuttle service will be operating between the Bologna Centrale Train Station, the “Guglielmo Marconi” Bologna Airport (BLQ) and the Centergross Congress Center and Hotel. Participants who need a transfer are asked to communicate their arrival times to convention@fibs.it by January 16, 2011 for pick up.

For those who are driving, the Centergross Congress Center and Hotel is located 2 km out of Exit “Bologna Interporto” on the A13 Bologna-Padova freeway and a number of road signs will be set in place.

Subscriptions

Individual Subscription fee is EUR 26,00 and payment must be made within January 15, 2011 by bank transfer to: c/c nr. 695015 – BNL-C.O.N.I. Ag. 6309 – ROMA. Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball –
SWIFT: BNLIITRR – IBAN: IT70 T010 0503 3090 0000 0010 101.
Reason: 2011 Coach Convention subscription.

After January 15, 2011 the fee is EUR 35,00 and payment can be made exclusively on-site.

The DBV emphasized again that there will be several seminars at the gym, where clinic attendees can participate. This is possible due to the indoor facilities in Paderborn. Speakers for the Baseball portion will be Tom O’Connell, Greg Frady, Charlie Greene, Dave Schuler, Georg Bull and Kai Gronauer. At the Softball Clinic Liliana Rosetti, Udo Dehmel, Christina Lipp and Stephanie Küpers are going to talk.

Program DBV Academy (PDF-File)

• Speakers Baseball Clinic: Greg Frady (Head Coach German National Team, Georgia State University), Georg Bull (Deutsche Baseball Akademie, Head Coach Mannheim Tornados), Tom O’Connell (ISG), Charlie Greene (former MLB Catcher, Milwaukee Brewers), Dave Schuler (Pitching Coach in Colorado Rockies Organization), Kai Gronauer (Catcher, New York Mets Organization, German National Team)

• Speakers Softball Clinic: Liliana Rossetti (FIBS, former German National Team Coach), Udo Dehmel (Head Coach German Junior National Team), Stephanie Küpers (Pitching Coach German Junior National Team), Christina Lipp (Hitting Coach, Strength and Conditioning German Junior National Team)

As already mentioned registration is open since last weekend and will be until January 9th, 2011. The Baseball Coaches Clinic at the DBV Academy costs €120 for the complete weekend, the Softball Coaches Clinic €100 (only Saturday and Sunday) and the Marketing/PR Workshop €25. Prices for the Baseball and Softball Clinics are including lunch and dinner. Organizers also offer special rates at the official hotel of the clinic, the “Best Western Premier Arosa Hotel” in Paderborn. Under the keyword “DBV” you can book double rooms for €78 per night and single rooms for €59 per night. Prices are including breakfast and Wi-Fi.

Official Website DBV Academy

Softball Back in the Olympics

Hey team!

As many of you know, there is a vote this October in Denmark to get  softball back into the Olympic games for 2016. As of now, they are planning to possibly add at least two sports and it is between us, baseball, rugby, golf, motocross and karate. We definitely have a chance. However, we need to do all that it takes to help. I am serving as an Ambassador for Back Softball which will be the group in Denmark pleading the case to the IOC.

As for American support, this list is specifically how they need our help: http://www.internationalsoftball.com/backsoftball/Flyer.pdf.  This is a digital link and I am hoping that we, as the US softball Olympians can influence and spread the word in these next critical months by having as many people as possible do as much as they can from this list. As you will see, it can be as simple as going onto their site on Facebook or watching their YouTube video to spreading the word or donating money to the campaign. We need to go into that meeting with NUMBERS, showing how many clicks YouTube and Facebook got (this is the day we live in now), showing the amount of people supporting this sport.

For those of you that have websites, feature this link on your home page (I just put “Want to get softball back in the Olympics?” and they click to get this link), so every softball fan that comes through has a way to help. Print up this list and hand it out at your clinics, email it to your teams, fans, friends and family. Coming from us will resonate a lot — plus, I think every softball fan is searching for a way to get it back, we just need to direct them to the same place.

If you have any questions, please let me know. I am also selling Back Softball merchandise at clinics to raise money and awareness for the campaign as well, if any of you are interested in that, let me know.

Thank you for your time and help with this! Hopefully we will get this back for future girls and women to experience what we have been so blessed to do!

Jessica Mendoza
Official Website of Jessica Mendoza

Flyer (pdf-file)

Join the International Softball Federation’s (ISF) efforts to get women’s fast pitch softball reinstated in 2009 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the 2016 Summer Games.

• Visit www.BackSoftball.com. Read the press release and ten-point blueprint so you’re well versed on the matter.
• Contact the media to have them give more attention to this issue
• Speak out on the matter with a posting in the “Support Olympic Softball” category on the official ISF website’s Message Board
• Keep copies of this flyer circulating between now and the IOC’s October 2009 vote to increase the chances of exposure
• Contact people that you know in other countries and encourage them to get involved so that softball can show its universality and not be labeled as “just a U.S. sport”
• Wear Back Softball merchandise Website to draw more attention to the campaign
• Attend international softball events or watch them on TV or online (a calendar of such tournaments can be found in the Events section of www.internationalsoftball.com)
• Visit Back Softball’s (and the ISF’s) page on Facebook and, while there, click on ‘Become a Fan’ (registration is free at www.facebook.com)
• Watch videos at www.youtube.com/ISFsoftball to help demonstrate the interest in  and demand for interacting with the sport
• Make a donation to the reinstatement campaign, either via the YouTube channel or the Back Softball homepage
• Tell others – friends, family, co-workers, neighbors – about the current situation with Olympic Softball, and get them to act on the above steps.

(NOTE: The ISF has determined that petitions are not appropriate for this campaign. Also, contact should not be made with IOC Members and the Olympic family.)

Quote:

Schiller says: “Many federations have contacted us saying it’s their desire to stay combined and there are probably a lot of reasons – the relationship that pre-existed, the joint use of fields and in many, many cases the economics.”

So what happens next? Schiller says: “Each federation has to do what’s in its own best interest but where it’s worked together I would hope they would stay together.

“A lot of people believe baseball and softball might do well to go into the Olympics together – men’s and women’s – but that’s up to the softball federation to agree or not.”

Many European Baseball and Softball Federations in Europe are concerned about the ISF pursuit and the discussions about the subject could heat up in the upcoming months. The European Softball Federation is collecting reactions from their members and is going to discuss it again next February in Lausanne.

IBAF.org: Star Quality suits Baseball
IBAF.org: Baseball reaches out to the World
IBAF.org: Baseball plays Europe Card

In cooperation with ISG and Hoosier bats the VBSL and LFBBS will organize a clinic for Baseball- and Softball coaches or players. The speakers for Baseball are Pete Caliendo (Caliendo sports international) and MLB All Star and Rookie of the year in 1983 Ron Kittle. For Softball Andre Prins and Toon van de Ven (both are head coaches for the Softball program in The Netherlands, respective Belgium)are going to talk.

The clinic will be held in Louvain La Neuve, not far away from Brussels.

One day clinic will cost 30 euro, two day clinic costs 50 euro. This includes lunch, coffee and handouts.

For registration, e-mail to tom@baseballsoftball.be

Check out www.baseballsoftball.be for more information.

Hope to see you there.

Eight Olympians among Athlete Ambassadors

New program will further involve athletes in reinstatement campaign

Plant City, Florida, USA; 21st November 2008: The list of softball players from around the world that have been chosen to participate in the Athlete Ambassadors program was announced today.  A list of twelve females that will complement the current efforts of the BackSoftball campaign was revealed by International Softball Federation President Don Porter.

The list shows representation from all five regions: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, and eight of the dozen athletes are Olympians.

Mr. Porter indicated that the process by which these individuals have been chosen began with nominations that were solicited in September from among the ISF’s member federations, who responded “in good numbers.”  He said, “We thank not only the national governing bodies that submitted candidates, but certainly all of these athletes that are so willing to help our efforts to get softball reinstated for the Olympics in 2016.  The Games are all about the athletes and though we’ve had some assisting with BackSoftball already, this program will formalize and more deeply involve some of the very same girls that are ambassadors of not only our sport, but of Olympic softball.”

Two-time Olympian Michele Smith (USA Softball, 1996 & 2000) will serve in a chairperson role for the group, which consists of the following:

NAME (Position) COUNTRY HIGHLIGHT
Lynn Alexander (OF) South Africa Played in 2007 Africa/Europe Olympic qualifier
Alison Bradley (OF) Canada Two-time Olympian (2004 & 2008)
Daniela Castellani (P/1B) Italy Two-time Olympian (2000 & 2004)
Luciola Figueroa (C) Puerto Rico Played in 2007 Americas Olympic qualifier
Gergana Handjiyska (IF) Bulgaria Played in 2007 Africa/Europe Olympic qualifier
Saskia Kosterink (OF) Netherlands 2008 Olympian
Jessica Mendoza (OF) USA Two-time Olympian (‘04 – gold medal, ‘08 – silver)
Chueh Ming Hui (P) Chinese Taipei 2008 Olympian
Rubilena Rojas (OF)Venezuela 2008 Olympian
Danielle Stewart (IF) Australia 2008 Olympian (bronze medalist)
Zhou Yi (OF) China Two-time Olympian (2004 & 2008)
Sibylle Züercher (P)  Switzerland Played in ‘07 European Women’s Championship B

The ISF is already underway with plans to host the Athlete Ambassadors at its world headquarters here in January, with exact dates soon to be announced.  In addition to being further educated on the BackSoftball campaign they will receive tutelage on dealing with the media, especially in relation to the Olympic reinstatement efforts.  Other guest presenters besides Michele Smith will be on-hand to speak to the attendees as well.

The Athlete Ambassadors will represent softball at different international events and be utilized to garner more support from other softball players as well as influential people in various international audiences.  Although the ISF already has an Athletes Commission that meets every other year at its Congress, this initiative is the most aggressive in putting softball players at the forefront of the steps being taken to get the International Olympic Committee, at their Session in October 2009 in Denmark, to vote to reinstate the sport to the Summer Games for 2016.

ISF Director of Competition Laurie Gouthro, herself a former softball player and coach, will oversee the Athlete Ambassadors program.

Visit the official campaign website at www.BackSoftball.com.

Van Zetten said that independent Softball federations might work in the United States and in Japan, where you have hundreds of thousands players and professional leagues, which leads logically to a separation from Baseball. But in Europe are just about 45.000 Softball players, divided among 35 countries. The two sports cooperate, which means more money from governments, more public recognition and better clubs.

Official press release International Softball Federation (ISF)

Softball underlines its Olympic credentials in compelling presentation to IOC Program Commission

ISF President – ‘Our mission is to make softball the most inclusive team sport on the planet’

Lausanne, Switzerland; 14th November 2008: The BackSoftball team today vowed to make softball the most inclusive sport on the planet, as it made its case to return to the Olympic family during a compelling presentation here to the International Olympic Committee Program Commission.

Softball has been campaigning vigorously to be reinstated to the Summer Olympic Games and the BackSoftball team highlighted why recent changes and developments sit firmly alongside the values of the Olympic movement.

ISF President Don Porter was accompanied by ISF VP/North America and co-chair of the BackSoftball Task Force Dale McMann (CAN); Ms. Low Beng Choo (MAS), the world governing body’s deputy secretary general; Donna de Varona, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and co-chair of the BackSoftball Task Force; and 2008 softball Olympians Saskia Kosterink from the Netherlands and Venezuela’s Rubilena Rojas, who each competed in their first Games three months ago.

Mr. Porter underlined the significant changes that the ISF has made since 2005 when softball was voted off the 2012 Olympic program, including increasing the number of federations to 127, improving education programs, promoting and providing coaching and equipment in under-developed areas, and making rule changes to enhance the spectator experience and add to the sport’s conduciveness to television broadcasts.

Mr. Porter told the IOC Program Commission: “The Singapore vote was a wake-up call; it was a chance, for our sport to change and improve.  And we have seized that chance with both hands.  We have already changed and will continue to change for the better.  We are constantly listening and learning.  Our mission is to make softball the most inclusive team sport on the planet.”

Ms. Kosterink and Ms. Rojas spoke passionately about the continued success softball had enjoyed throughout the hugely successful Beijing Olympic Games this summer, highlighting the sellout crowds, close nature of many games, significant positive global media coverage, and the competition’s continued record of no positive doping tests.

But Ms. Rojas went further, underlining how softball had made a difference to her life and how she believed it was acting as a force for good in society.  She said, “I found a sport that didn’t judge me; it asked no questions when it welcomed me into its family.  I found a sport that helped me set and reach ever higher targets.  Softball gave me an education and led me to coaching and to a job.  It is a sport that allowed me to become someone.  An Olympian.”

Donna de Varona explained to the Program Commission that softball’s continuing legacy sits firmly in line with the Olympic vision and values.

As well as the inaugural Youth World Cup that will be played next year in Prague, softball is working tremendously hard to help increase the number of women participating in sport as well as continuing to expand its global educational projects to help communities and promote a healthy lifestyle among young people.

Among other comments made during her portion of the presentation, Ms. De Varona said, “Softball was the key to help unlock so many injustices around the world.  Softball has been instrumental in allowing women and girls to play sport in some of the most restricted countries in the world.  Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq.  Put simply: Softball has resulted in millions more women and girls playing sport today.  The Olympic Games has been the inspiration.”

The BackSoftball delegation was given one hour – 30 minutes to speak, and another half-hour for questions and answers – to make its presentation to the IOC Program Commission, which is chaired by Franco Carraro and includes Frank Fredericks, Craig Reedie, and Sam Ramsamy among its 17 members.

Softball is competing for a place in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, with two sports set to be added to the current roster of 26 when the IOC meets in Copenhagen in October next year.

Softball was first featured in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and this year’s competition in Beijing, which was won by Japan, was hugely successful with a total attendance close to 180,000 and a continuation of the sport’s excellent record of no positive drug tests in major competitions.

Further information is available in the OTHER DOCUMENTS section of www.BackSoftball.com.

Instead to go side by side with the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), the move by the ISF looks like a last desperate attempt to get back into the Olympics at the 2009 IOC congress in Copenhagen. They could have started a combined concept to ensure a reinstatement into the Olympics. Now they are going into a complete different direction. The IOC is probably not happy about this new development.

The ISF, which is mostly influenced by the American Softball Federation, doesn’t see the necessity of European Softball to stay connected with Baseball. In most eyes on the old continent these sports aren’t two different ones. Softball clubs share their finances, playing fields, coaches, umpires and sometimes even players with Baseball. This isn’t perfect by all means, but most of the time this is working. Besides some teams in the Netherlands and in Italy, they have to go side by side or there wouldn’t be any Softball on a higher competitive level.

In North America or in Japan, this proposed concept might work, but they have much more money and tradition to live separately from Baseball. However they are not alone and if they want Softball to grow in Europe, they need their brother with the smaller ball. Of course, the ISF says, it will support these countries in the separation process, but for how long?

The complete press release by the International Softball Federation from October 30:

ISF announces landmark plans for all national softball federations to attain total independence

ISF President – ‘This is a vital step in the BackSoftball campaign’

Lausanne, Switzerland; 30th October 2008: The International Softball Federation (ISF) has today launched sweeping plans to ensure complete independence for all 131 national softball federations around the world.

This is seen as a crucial action in softball’s campaign to be reinstated onto the Olympic Program in 2016 after such a hugely successful Beijing Olympic Games this summer.

Legislation enacted at the ISF Congress decreed that ISF members (national federations) may not be constitutionally linked to a national federation of any other sport.  The ISF has now set a timeline for
complete separation with a program offering assistance to help national softball federations achieve compliance within two years.

Currently, 35 of the 131 national federations around the world are aligned to other sports.  This move is set to confirm the growing reputation of softball as a stand-alone sport of great stature across the globe.  The move will also help eradicate any confusion in the Olympic Movement; it will clarify once and for all that softball is a fully independent international sport federation with independent national federations.

While here for the Beijing Olympic Games Debriefing for international federations, ISF President Don Porter said, “This is a vital step in the BackSoftball campaign.  It is of fundamental importance that softball federations have complete autonomy in their territories in order to best ensure the sport continues to grow and maximize its potential.  We’re confident that all our national federations are strong enough to stand on their own, and we will, of course, help ease them through the transition period.

“This move will also prevent some of the confusion that exists surrounding softball’s links with other sports.  We will also provide comprehensive support to ensure this process runs smoothly.”

The ISF believes these plans are vital to the future development and growth of softball for adult women and men, youth development, and other disciplines of the sport, including Wheelchair, Beach, and Arena (indoor) Softball.

Softball was first featured in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and this year’s competition in Beijing, which was won by Japan, was hugely successful with a total attendance close to 180,000 and a continuation of the sport’s excellent record of no positive drug tests in major competitions.

The International Softball Federation is reaching out to photographers and softball fans around the world to gather some compelling imagery to portray the action, emotion, and passion of softball for the BackSoftball campaign.

Being launched just prior to the Beijing 2008 Olympic softball competition (August 12-21), the contest’s winning photographs will be used throughout this next year of the campaign to illustrate the desire for reinstatement on the Olympic Program in 2016.

ISF President Don Porter remarked, “Another positive and productive initiative in support of the Back Softball campaign, good photographs make good stories better.”

The ISF receives numerous correspondences from softball players, coaches, parents, umpires, and fans asking how to get involved and help towards the reinstatement of the sport on the 2016 Olympic Program. This contest is the chance to capture that perfect picture that will ‘tell a thousand words’ and, in turn, help depict softball’s universal appeal.

The ISF is looking for photos that tell the story of the smiles, tears, joy, anger, wholesomeness, fair play, universality, and competitive rivalry that are all part of the essence of softball.

The Overall Grand Champion will win USD$1000 Cash, the Overall Color Photo Champion will receive a miniature bat, and the Overall Black-And-White Photo Champion will receive a golden souvenir medal. Other prizes include 2008 Olympic softballs; softball bats; softball fielder’s gloves; participation diplomas, and BackSoftball pins.

The contest will be held from now until November 1, 2008 and cover a series of categories: a) Pitching, b) Hitting/Batting, c) Fielding, d) Sliding/Base Stealing, e) Crowd/Fan shots, f) Miscellaneous Player shots.  Photos must be taken between January 1, 2007 and October 31, 2008 and up to three images may be submitted per category.  Winners will be announced December 1, 2008.

Entry forms, rules, the prize list, and other contest-related information can be found online at
http://www.internationalsoftball.com/english/latest_news/photo_contest.asp.