adminFungayi Munyoro Mutare Correspondent
BASEBALL coach-cum-player Colleen Gando became the fifth Zimbabwean to attend a Major League Baseball Coaching Development Programme when he completed a week-long clinic in Uganda recently.
Gando, the only representative from this country was among 28 participants from the continent.
The course ran from August 13-20.
The instructors for the course included old hands in the game Gath Org and Ricky Knapp from United States, Orlando Marcado and Lebron Eduardo from Porto Rico.
Gando said he learnt a lot on his trip.
“It was a wonderful experience. I now know how to conduct coaching clinics and how to conduct training sessions properly. I am very grateful to the Zimbabwe Baseball Federation for the opportunity.
“We have a lot to do in terms of spreading the game across the country,” he said.
Gando’s participation in the course was facilitated by Major League Baseball.
MLB have numerous baseball developmental projects worldwide as well as programmes to scout for talent.
Baseball coach and administrator Innocent Moyosvi said it was a landmark development.
“It is really a positive development in as far as baseball development is concerned and a success for us as a federation. Our efforts in being competitive regionally and internationally are finally paying off.
“Over the years, we have sent three coaches from Harare, one coach from Bulawayo and this time around we have sent Colleen Gando from Manicaland.
“We believe the knowledge he has acquired will help improve our play and he will impart the same knowledge to other coaches.
“He is now illegible to coach anywhere in Africa because he was awarded a world-class certificate and it is an achievement for us as a federation,” he said.
Online Reporter