South African Baseball is thrilled to announce the upcoming WBSC Africa Youth Baseball5 Southern Region Championship (Region 5). This prestigious event, scheduled to take place from 08-13 August 2024, will be hosted in Limpopo, Polokwane, at the Ngoako Ramahlodi Community Hall.
The championship is a fantastic opportunity for South Africa to showcase Baseball5, drawing participants from countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and of course, South Africa. The event is under the custodianship of the Limpopo Baseball Federation, with President Thabang Letsoalo leading the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) in extensive planning and preparation.
South African Baseball is proud to have been appointed as the host for this event by WBSC Africa. This recognition highlights South Africa’s strong presence in the Baseball5 community, both in Africa and globally. The South African senior team won the first Baseball5 Africa Championships in 2022 and secured second place in the Africa Championships in Cape Verde earlier this year.
Mr. Marc Moreau, President of South African Baseball, expressed his enthusiasm: “South African Baseball is looking forward to the opportunity to again showcase South Africa as the leading Baseball structure on the continent. This event is another opportunity to highlight that Baseball5 is an Olympic code and will see Baseball5 in the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in 2026.”
Not only does the event provide youth with the opportunity to participate in the Baseball5 championship, but it also offers the local organizing committee valuable experience in event management. Behind the scenes, the umpires and officials are diligently working to ensure the championship’s success. An advanced administration team of umpires and officials is being assembled, with numerous online courses being rolled out to enhance their skills and readiness for the event.