Softball Asia (SA) had their Executive Committee (EXCO) Meeting this morning (01 December 2020) online chaired by president Beng Choo, Low.
Below is a brief of what transpired at the meeting for your kind attention.
The detailed report will be posted in due time.
The SA EXCO thanks the following for their commitment – both had to get up about 3.00 am due to time difference:
1.1 WBSC ED Michael Schmdit for attending and participating in the meeting; and
1.2 WBSC Executive Aki Huang for assisting with the technical set-up and monitoring the smooth running of the meeting.
The EXCO received an update on the SA-JSA Joint Coaching Webinars set to be kickstarted early December 2020:
2.1 This series of Coaching Webinars is a follow-up to the WBSC-SA Coaching Seminar-Course that was held in Penang-Malaysia in January 2020. Due to the Covid19 pandemic and many restrictions on international travels and mandatory quarantine, a physical seminar-course is not as yet possible. Thus, the online Webinars.
2.2 The Webinars will comprise of 20 video footages, each 30 minutes, and available online through a dedicated link.
2.3 The coaching team would be led by Mr. Yutake Miyake, the Chair of the SA Coaching Committee (and JSA President), and he will be assisted by 3 other coaches, Mr. Toshihiro Kuriyama, Mr. Hirotaka Kadomatsu, and Mr. Subaru Takahashi, and supported by JSA staff and volunteers. All the 4 coaches were the team from JSA that conducted the January Coaching Seminar-course in Penang-Malaysia together with the coaches from WBSC Coaching Committee.
2.4 The 1st video on “Pitching – Basic 1” has been completed and will be made available early December 2020.
The SA EXCO supports the WBSC Softball Working Group’s proposal to change the WBSC World Cups to a 4-year cycle and to run the Men and Women’s as well as the U18 Women World Cups in a 2-tier format.
The SA members welcome the postponement of the WBSC World Cup U18 Women Softball to be held in Lima, Peru, to 28 August – 5 September 2020.
The SA is looking at the following Asia Cups to be held in 2021:
5.1 The Asia Cup Asian Universities Women Softball in mid-2021 in Bangkok, Thailand.
5.2 The Asia Cup U23 Men Softball in 2021 to qualify the teams from Asia to participate in the WBSC World Cup U23 Men Softball 2021.
5.3 The Asia Cups for Baseball5.
5.4 The Asia Cup Men Softball in the later part of 2021, to qualify the teams from Asia to participate in the WBSC World Cup Men Softball 2022.
The SA EXCO Members are requesting for WBSC to share best practices and protocols for the safe return of Baseball-Softball events and activities in Asia.
The preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games 2022 are progressing well, with construction works on the new competition venues for Baseball and Softball moving forward – starting, first with that for Baseball, and to be followed later by that for Softball. The Chinese Softball Association representatives have been meeting and communicating closely with the Organizing Committee, with a meeting for “Sports Presentation” having been recently held.
WBSC ED Michael briefed the SA EXCO of some of the WBSC projects, such as:
8.1 The WBSC Academy (with the Webinars available, such as for Baseball5 and Coaching (Grassroots level). Aki Huang informed that the Baseball5 Webinars have been uploaded and available online, and that the first batch of participants having already participated.
8.2 The importance of the establishment of the WBSC Integrity Unit and its ongoing work.
8.3 The National Federation survey and the importance of data collection and sharing.
8.4 The restructuring of the WBSC to better serve and support the athletes and WBSC members.
8.5 The WBSC’s work on para Baseball and Softball, such as Baseball for the Blind and Wheelchair Softball.
NOTE: The 25th Softball Asia Congress 2020 will be held online (Video Conference) on 15th December 2020 (Sunday) @ 2.00pm (Malaysian Time)