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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Under-18 baseball coach Shepherd Sibanda says there can be no shortcut to improving standards of the game except investing in junior structures.
Sibanda was supposed to lead the national side on a tour of Cape Tow, South Africa, in March, but that trip was cancelled due to the Covid-19 lockdown. This was also the first time that Zimbabwe had assembled an Under-18 baseball side.
The team had already started preparations for the tour by holding a camp at Hamilton High School, before that was abandoned after all sports were suspended virtually worldwide.
There has been no communication whether the tour will be rescheduled or not, but Sibanda believes the selected squad shouldn’t be disbanded.
“As for now we do not know what stance will be taken regarding the tournament, but what is important is to keep our squad together for future games. As it is, the boys are staying fit at their homes so that when this is over we don’t necessarily have to start all over again,” said Sibanda.
“What is key for baseball in the country is to invest in these youngsters. We want to catch them young so that they grow in the sport. Our players need to grow in the sport to understand the system. This will also aid in instilling passion for the game in the players.”
He said tracking players from a very young age plays a big role in monitoring their improvement.
Other teams outside the country have players that start the game at the age of four years.
The national junior side was meant to face South African provincial sides at an annual baseball event.
South Africa plays elite baseball, which Zimbabwe is moving towards, and this tournament was set to provide them with an opportunity to measure their level of competition on the international stage.
@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter