SLCA, PALS Engage 150 Participants on Softball and Baseball.

To bolster the work of batsmen and to improve overall cricket performance, the Sierra Leone Cricket Association (SLCA) partnered with the Philadelphia Adults League Softball (PALS) to engage over one hundred and fifty participants drawn from different backgrounds and age brackets on the basics of softball and baseball.

Early this week at the Kingtom Oval, the SLCA received 18 officials from PALS of which 15 come from America and 3 from Bolivia to conduct joint training on softball and baseball.

The delegation donated cricket equipment to SLCA to enhance the Association’s preparation ahead of four cross-border tournaments and to strengthen the existing ties between the two institutions.

Speaking during the training, the Chairman of SLCA, Francis Trevor Samura, said holding exercises on the basics of softball and baseball serves to introduce a new sport in Sierra Leone. “And for us in cricket, the baseball is very important. Once one is able to play baseball, one should be able to be a better batsman. The difference between the cricket bat and that of the baseball bat is that the baseball bat is round whilst the cricket one is flat, so one needs high concentration, timing and good sight to hit the baseball. Once one is able to get these skills right, one should be able to be a better cricketer,” he explained.

Thrilled by its novelty and its skill-packed movements, the enthralled attendees vowed to keep the games playing even after the departure of the strangers.

Addressing participants, PALS Directors, Kelly O’ Connor and Steve O’Connor, promise to give their all to see Softball and Baseball play in order to contribute positively to the development and empowerment of youths in the country.

“ We run a Softball league in the United States, and we are here partnering with different organizations to roll out the Softball and Baseball programmes for young people to first get involved by having fun trying a new sport and learning something new, but also to teach them more about Softball and Baseball. The goal is to have it as a long term programme, so we are working with the Sierra Leone Cricket Association and some football clubs. We will be providing training resources and equipment so that these programmes will be sustainable, “ Kelly O’Connor said.

The programme climaxed with donations of cricket equipment and school materials for kids.