by International Baseball Federation, www.ibaf.org
The International Baseball Federation’s push to grow the game of baseball globally is starting to find momentum as development programs commence.
Following the recent Global Youth Summit initiated by President Fraccari and his executive in Taichung, Chinese Taipei the IBAF has announced a series of equipment packages are to be sent to countries in need of baseball assistance. Nations included in the first round of shipments include Bulgaria, Pakistan, Romania, Mongolia, India, Nigeria, Tunisia, Iran, Iraq, Georgia, Thailand, Cameroon, Lithuania, Serbia, and Thailand.
“It is exciting to see the energy in these nations and their desire to improve. There is no doubt that these nations will grow into tomorrow’s champions at the elite level, and we are happy to play a role in that,” stated President Fraccari.
The packages include Balls, Helmets, Catchers Gear, Baseball Cleats, Batting Tees, Gloves, and Bats. The IBAF plans to extend the program in 2011 to include starter kits to further develop the game at the grass roots level.
The project is a part of a wider plan that will form a crucial part of President Fraccari’s 2nd year in office, set to include a closer relationship with all global baseball stakeholders including professional baseball such as MLB, NPB, KBO and CPBL, as well as youth baseball stakeholders such as Little League, Babe Ruth Baseball and Pony League.
The development plan will expand beyond equipment distributions and also focus on baseball comprehension, with the implementation of Umpire, Scoring and Coaching Clinics, which will be aimed at reinforcing and strengthening the sport’s foundation through these important support structures.
Development through Sport will also be a major focus, with President Fraccari and 3rd Vice President Antonio Castro recently attending the “Peace and Sport” conference in Monaco. The IBAF is investigating opportunities with the organization to allow the game of baseball to play a bigger role in developing communities around the globe.