By Baseball Softball UK, www.baseballsoftballuk.com
BaseballSoftballUK has appointed Sam Haslam to a new post of Events and Facilities Manager.
Sam took up the position on 13 March, joining the organisation’s growing commercial team whose remit includes business development, marketing, events and facilities to help reduce reliance on Sport England funding.
His role will include developing and delivering an annual events strategy for the organisation, centered around high-quality indoor and outdoor competition events, and day-to-day management of BSUK’s National Baseball and Softball Complex at Farnham Park near Slough, the UK’s only fully purpose-built baseball and softball facility with four diamonds and more than 18,000 users per season.
Background
Originally from Stirling in Scotland, Sam Haslam earned a Masters degree at the University of Stirling and then worked for various organisations in Scotland, including Tennis Scotland, Falkirk Football Club and the Sportscotland Institute of Sport.
In 2012, he relocated to Surrey, where he has worked until recently with British Water Ski & Wakeboard, the national governing body for these sports, initially as Coaching and Training Programme Coordinator and then as Head of Business Development.
In those roles, Sam brought in record amounts of income for events at British Water Ski & Wakeboard, designed new site accreditation facility standards for the organisation and launched a Coaching Conference that attracted numerous sponsors and exhibitors and exceeded targets for delegate and club numbers.
Comment
Sam said, “I am extremely pleased to be given the opportunity to join the team at BaseballSoftballUK and to work with such a strong and forward-thinking organisation at what is a very exciting time for the sports. Over the years, I have enjoyed taking part in many different sports, including tennis, rugby, running, etc, and I’m an ex-British Team athlete in the sport of tournament water skiing and still continue to take part today. Now I’m looking forward to applying my experience to the growth of baseball/softball at a pivotal time for the sports.”
Joëlle Watkins, BSUK Head of Commercial, said “Sam’s extensive commercial and events-related experience within sports will go far towards delivering critical new and existing projects for BaseballSoftballUK. You can expect to see lots more of Sam at Farnham Park over the outdoor playing season!”