The GB Under-16 Girls' Fastpitch Team will be holding a Fastpitch Softball Fitness and Skills Training Day on 27 September from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm at Farnham Park near Slough.
According to GB Under-16 Head Coach Jeremy Thomas, “The objective of the day is to help all current Under-16s and all who will qualify as Under-16s in 2015 to identify where they stand right now with their fitness levels and softball skills, so we can develop plans for individuals during the autumn and winter months.”
However, the day will also be open to players who have aged out of the Under-16 age group, to help them with the transition to play at Under-19 level, and to players with little or no previous fastpitch experience.
Aims and objectives
The day will be open to players of all nationalities, not just those who hold British passports, and has a number of aims:
- To develop each individual's capability to play and enjoy softball.
- To start building a capable Great Britain squad that can play in the 2015 European Cadette Championships in Italy. There are now less than 300 days to the start of the tournament.
- To allow the GB Under-16s to enter at least two competitive teams, the Pumas and Panthers in the Great Britain Fastpitch League (GBFL) in 2015. The GB Under-16s won Division 2 in the GBFL in 2013, against adult teams.
- To provide a platform for a mixed-nationality team to play in future European-based tournaments.
What will happen on the day?
Jeremy Thomas said: “We have developed an initial set of tests that we will run on 27 September to look at where each player is at right now and help put a plan together on how players can improve between training sessions. A lot of the day will be videoed, so that current mechanics can be analysed. We will then provide guidance to the individual player on what to work on and some drills to carry out at home. Videos will be also be compared over time, to provide a platform for continuous development.”
The day will be free to all players who want to attend, except for transport costs to get to Farnham Park. Players should bring suitable sportswear, layers of clothing, astros, cleats or football boots, snacks and drinks. Some wet weather gear is advised in case of rain.
Current players should bring their glove, bat and helmet, but these can be supplied for any players that don't have them.
To confirm attendance, players or parents should let Jeremy Thomas know (j_thomas1@sky.com) and provide a contact name and telephone number.
Making the GB Under-16 Team
Players in the Under-16 age group who are unable to attend on 27 September can still be selected for next year's European Championship team, but as Jeremy Thomas said, “The earlier we see you and get a plan in place, the better your chance of making the squad.”
The main training option for Under-16 players apart from team practices is Academy Softball, run by BSUK, which is an ideal way for players to learn and consolidate their skills. To attend the Academy, players need to register online. The first Academy Softball date will be Saturday 4 October, also at Farnham Park. For more details, please see: http://www.baseballsoftballuk.com/news/view/bsuk-announces-key-dates-for-the-academy-and-high-performance-academy-for-2.
BSUK is also expanding its High Performance Academy (HPA) in 2014-15. This ran on a weekly basis last spring and is open to selected players aged 14 or over. Trials for the HPA will be held on 5 October, again at Farnham Park.
Following the event on 27 September, the GB Under-16s will be running additional dates for training that will be open to older players as well. For more information, contact Jeremy Thomas.