Having just formed a strategic partnership to have the Steel Sports Coaching System, named The Lasorda Way, integrated into all levels of the Italian national baseball and softball programs, Team Italy baseball and softball will undoubtedly benefit from this cutting edge program. FIBS will launch the implementation of the training for coaches and players in 2024.
FIBS President Andrea Marcon was kind enough to answer some questions after the conclusion of the 2023 European Baseball Championship in the Czech Republic. He said bluntly: “It was a European Championship with a disastrous result…a burning lesson that must be understood, elaborated and used as a further stimulus to create something new. The national teams that were in the Czech Republic, from the most ambitious ones to those without too many ambitions, were all created on projects that saw the integration of local, European players, with others who came from the North American professional world. These athletes not only brought refined technical skills on the field, but also offered their respective teams a new approach, mentality and culture to make the whole group grow."
When asked if the Azzurri arrived at the competition without enough preparation, FIBS President Andrea Marcon replied: “I have read that the cause of the defeat lies in an 'untraining' championship with too many teams and too few game, too many 'foreigners' and too few innings and so on and so forth. It seems clear to me that it was not possible to continue with a league of three teams and that a path had to be taken that would allow other teams to structure themselves to compete with Fortitudo (Bologna), San Marino and Parma. Equally evident is that the conditions are being created to think about a transition. Furthermore, within the European Federation, Italy has taken on a main role in searching for a new format to replace the existing Baseball European Baseball Champions Cup with the European Baseball Champions League to provide more competition at a higher level. However, I would like to point out that the failure in this European competition was essentially born from one game and in particular the inability to recover from a huge deficit against Sweden. I don't think anyone would think that the Swedish had superior training or even the British for that matter. Furthermore, I would like to highlight that many of the players who did well at the European Championship, some very well, come from Serie A. Several of the Azzurri themselves had a batting average above .350, if we want to use it as a parameter in a tournament of so few games. Of course, it is objectively very complicated to bring home the desired result when you give up a lot of runs to your opponents, but blaming anybody is pointless: only those who nevere competed in any discipline are incapable to process defeat, that is just a motiviation to do better."
When questioned what his solution was for Team Italy to return to the top in Europe, FIBS President Andrea Marcon commented: "To think about competing for the top today, it is essential to prepare the athletes, the young talents, starting form the youth categories, using all the techniques, technologies, digital and otherwise, the structures and the most advanced methodologies, and collaborating with those who practice our disciplines at the highest levels. And above all, create more opportunities to play against the best. This is the path we have started and it cannot be a tournament, an episode, however painful and frustrating, that can call into question a path that must necessarily look forward and open up to the outside. All the Federations know this well too who in recent days have come forward to start a collaboration with us. We must think outside the box, because it is clear that the ones from twenty years ago, not to mention thirty or fifty, no longer work.”
Forza #Italia!
by Marco Landi and Roberto Angotti
(Photo of FIBS President Andrea Marcon congratulating the Azzurri after an exhibition game prior to the start of the 2023 European Baseball Championship by Corrado Benedetti DUCK FOTO PRESS)
