12 basic schools to benefit from baseball education programme

 Ten volunteer coaches from Japan’s Keio University Base­ball Club through the Japan-Africa Baseball and Softball Foundation (J-ABS) have arrived in Ghana to roll out a Baseballership Education Programme across 12 basic schools and communities in the Great­er Accra, Eastern, and Central regions.

It is a collaborative effort between the Ghana Baseball and Softball Federation (GHABSF) and J-ABS.

In May 2022, the two outfits struck a three-year partnership with the aim of elevating baseball in Ghana, which GHABSF is already benefiting from a donation of over 1,000 balls, 97 bats, 329 gloves, 211 helmets, and 15 catcher-gear sets.

The equipment came through the Smile Programme in Japan with the support of the Japan Interna­tional Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Founder of J-ABS and former manager of Ghana’s Rising Stars baseball team, Mr Shinya To­monari, said the three-week com­prehensive training programme will have the volunteer coaches focus

 on character development and life skills through baseball, with a cur­riculum built on 55 core principles.

“At the end of the training programme, the most promising athletes will advance to regional teams, culminating in the inaugural Ghana Koshien Championship in Accra.”

He revealed that to measure the impact of the programme, a research partnership between KEIO University and the Universi­ty of Ghana was underway, where 100 participants will be studied to assess the programme’s influence on academic performance, social behaviour, and overall develop­ment.

MrTomonari announced that to showcase the talent devel­oped through the Baseballership programme and inspire future generations of baseball players, the Labone Secondary School baseball field will host the Ghana Koshien Championship between August 31 and September 1 to crown it all.

The flagship event, he noted, will be expanded to have five regions taking part in the champi­onships.

On his part, the president of the GHABSF, Mr Ernest Dan­so, indicated that his outfit was committed to using baseball as a catalyst for positive change and believes that investing in youth development through the Basebal­lership programme was crucial for the growth of the sport in Ghana.

He expressed appreciation to key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), Ghana Education Service (GES), National Sports Authority (NSA), and JICA, for the roles they have played to make the initiative possible.

MrTomonari presented balls, bats, gloves, helmets, and catch­er-gear sets to the GHABSF to help in their developmental agenda.

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