The Attnang-Puchheim Athletics have started infrastructure improvements that will make the club’s facilities among the best in Europe. Credit: Haywood Photos.
The four-time Austrian champion Attnang-Puchheim ASAK Athletics have started a series of infrastructure improvements that will upgrade the lighting on the club’s two fields and improve its facilities more broadly, with an eye to eventually hosting official international competitions. The Upper Austrian club, located roughly 75 kilometers northeast of Salzburg, has been planning the upgrades for more than 10 years, and once the work is completed, the Athletics’ facilities will count among the best in Austria, and Europe more widely.
With the financial support of the local municipality, the state government, parent club, and sponsors, LED lighting will be installed on both the baseball and youth / softball fields, with the work expected to completed by early summer. In addition, the storage and sanitary facilities at the youth / softball field will be improved and the spectator seating will be upgraded as well.
In addition to bidding for CEB and WBSC international tournaments, the club’s management expects the infrastructure improvements to make the club’s long-term plans to establish a youth academy a more feasible endeavor. Austria’s national academy has already begun to bear fruits at the elite talent level.
The Athletics are known far beyond Austria’s borders as hosts of the Finkstonball baseball and softball festival and the Summerball youth summer camp.
The club has won four Austrian championships, all since 2008, including, most recently, back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. The Athletics are currently 6-8 and in second place in the Austrian Bundeslig’s West division.