Farnham Park Baseball and Softball Club has announced that the Slammers, one of the longest-running competitive A-grade co-ed slowpitch teams in the country, has joined the club and will represent them in this year’s National Softball League competition.
Farnham Park Baseball and Softball Club
The club, formerly known as Chalfont Phoenix, with three teams in the Windsor and Maidenhead League, became the resident club at Farnham Park in 2014, with a mandate to develop slowpitch, fastpitch and baseball at all levels and all age groups with support from BSUK.
Club Chairman and Development Officer Satvinder Bhandal said: “These are exciting times for us, and the addition of Slammers to our already-growing club takes us a step closer to our 10-year vision. The Farnham Park Slammers will set the standard by which all of our teams will endeavour to play and develop. It’s always important when developing any sporting programme to create an opportunity at both starter level and at the top level. The top level establishes a name and reputation for the club, while the starter and intermediate levels engage new players and expand the club into the local community.”
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The Slammers
The Slammers, formerly the Tequila Slammers, began life in the late 1980s as an All-Star Team from the London Advertising League, but soon became one of the top tournament teams in the country, winning the National Championship in 1992 and 1994 and again in 2005. A founder member of the National Softball League, Slammers finished second in the league last year, their best finish for some time, and came fifth in the Premier Nationals.
The team contains a number of players who are currently members of the GB Slowpitch Team pool.
Slammers Manager Bruce Saunders said: “Most London NSL teams are just a group of players like ourselves who get together a handful of times a year to play the sport we love, but outside of London the NSL teams are generally clubs who play mid-week and put out their strongest club side to compete at weekends. I have always thought that in many aspects we’d be stronger as a club, and this opportunity is a really exciting way of taking the Slammers forward.
“Slammers’ aim is always to finish in the top four of the NSL,” Bruce added, “and to achieve this it’s important that new players are brought in from outside but also that existing players can be promoted from lower grades within the club.”
A good model
Patrick Knock, BSUK’s South East Development Manager who is responsible for providing support for development activities at Farnham Park, said: “I’m really pleased to see this positive link-up between the Slammers and FPBSC. It is a key step towards growing as a club and shows a clear vision for development and increased community participation, which is what we will be working with them on.”
BSUK Communication Consultant Bob Fromer, a former Slammers’ player, said: “I’m thrilled to see my old team take this step. What’s happening at Farnham Park, and also with the London Mets, who are adding a junior girls’ fastpitch programme this year, is the creation of clubs on the model that you see in all the major baseball and softball countries in Europe, where baseball and softball programmes for all age groups and ability levels share the same premises, facilities and decision-making, and have a real impact and presence in their local communities as a family sports club offering something for everyone.”
For more information on Farnham Park Baseball and Softball Club and its programmes and opportunities, contact Satvinder Bhandal on: sat@costplussolutions.com.
