Nigerian Starlets to Pitch at US Baseball Tournament

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Nigerian youths will compete in an international invitational U-15 baseball tournament in Palm Beach, Florida, USA between October and November this year.

The invitation is sequel to the hugely successful U-15 National Youth Baseball Tournament, which was graced by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington.

The founder of Baseball Tomorrow Academy, Peter Imonikhe John, said yesterday that the academy would present teams to represent Nigeria among the 23 countries expected in Florida for the tournament.

John, who jointly addressed the media with the Technical Director of the Academy, Auta William and the Media Officer, Steve Ayodele, said that only players within the age bracket who have passed through different coaching clinics, would be enrolled for the tournament organised by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and the Diamonds.

“We are picking them young. It’s our duty to let the world know that baseball is being played in Nigeria and the sport is a bridge for the less privileged to enjoy the benefits of playing baseball and competing with other age groups in both local and international tournaments. The players that are going for the Open category have Major League scouts on ground to select potential talents. There are scholarship for kids playing baseball in colleges but you must have good grade and good performance in terms of your skill to be picked,” John said.

William, who oversees the academy technical department, stressed that the academy had a database of all its players and their date of birth which can be assessed by the public.
In conjunction with the US Embassy, Abuja, Baseball Tomorrow Academy held the baseball kits and educational talk in Ilorin, Kwara State and the Nigerian and Diplomatic Community Softball Classic in Abuja in 2016, where $5,000 cash was awarded in support of grassroots baseball development in Nigeria.

In October 2017, it also held a camp for U-15 prospects with Jeremy Guthrie, a former Major League player and 60 children from FCT, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom States in attendance.