Cape Coast: WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup Africa Qualifiers Underway

Cape Coast is hosting the Baseball5 Youth African Championship. The week-long event is a qualification tournament for the first-ever WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup.

President of World Baseball and Softball Confederation, Africa, Mr. Albert Frimpong urged the participating teams to give off their best in order to get two best teams to represent Africa at the world stage.

The opening ceremony attracted a host of personalities including a delegation from the Oguaa Traditional Council made up of the Tufuhen who represented the Omanhen, of the Oguaa Tradtional Council, Nana Kwame Edu VI, the Apewosika and Kokwaadohen, Nana Kweku Ennu III, the Ketse Kokwaadohen, Nana Ketse II, Special Aid to the Apewosikahen, Mr. Charles Bosomtwe and Mr. Richmond Kwofie.

Also present were the Registrar at UCC Mr. Reuben Maxwell Bannerman, the President of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation of Africa, Mr. Ernest Danso, a representative of the Minster for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, who doubles as the Director-General of the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, (I.E.P.A) at UCC-Cape Coast, Dr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom, the Chief-Director, Central Regional Coordinating Council representing the Regional Minister, Mr. Kingsley Agyei Boahene, the Regional Director of Sports for the Central Regional Mr. Alexander Tieku , Head of Department, of HPER, UCC, Dr. Edward Wilson Ansah, the Physical Education Sports Coordinator, Ghana Education Service –Central Region, Mr. Francis Kumatia, the Regional PRO-GES representing the Regional Director of Education, Madam Rebecca Quainoo, the Regional SHS/Basic School Coordinator, Rev. Emmanuel Narh Huago and the Acting Head, UCC Sports Section, Mr. Edward Nartey. The Tufuhen of the Oguaa Traditional Council, Nana Kwame Edu V welcomed all to the region and urged them to visit some tourist sites in the region.

The Director-General of the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, (I.E.P.A) at UCC-Cape Coast, Dr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom described the tournament as welcoming one for the development of the sport in the country.

The Chief-Director, Central Regional Coordinating Council representing the Regional Minister, Mr. Kingsley Agyei Boahene, promised his outfit support in growing the game in the region.

The President of the Ghana Baseball and Softball Federation, Mr. Ernest Danso thanked all who supported in making the hosting a reality. He called for more assistance from corporate Ghana and benevolent individuals to make the sports more visible.

The event which stated on Tuesday, 16 May will end on Friday, 19 May and involves seven games per day. The top four finishers will compete for the World Cup spots in the semifinals on Saturday, 20 May. The winners will qualify for the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup and compete for the African Youth Baseball5 title on Sunday, 21 May, at 3 pm local time.

Baseball5 is a relatively new sport, a shorter and simpler version of baseball and softball that can be played anywhere with minimal equipment. It is referred to as a street version of the classic games of baseball and softball. It’s a bat and ball sport played over five innings with five players per team. The ball is hit with the bare hand – so all one need is a ball and a suitable area to play. It is designed to be inclusive, and be played as a mixed-gender sport. Cape Coast is hosting the Africa Qualifiers.

Participating countries includes World No. 6 South Africa, No. 8 Tunisia, No. 24 Tanzania, No. 28 Zambia, No. 33 Ghana, No. 37 Burkina Faso, unranked Benin, Uganda and Nigeria.

Source GBCNEWS