New WBSC Academy opens first online courses in push to further globalise baseball, softball

Press release World Baseball Softball Confederation

PULLY, Switzerland; 30 October 2020 — The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today announced that the WBSC Academy, a global development initiative, will officially begin courses on 2 November.

The WBSC Academy will help facilitate athletes, coaches, officials and National Federations to conduct efficient self-learning of the various topics related to Baseball, Softball and Baseball5. Courses initially will be open to WBSC registered affiliates, who will have access to all content, learning courses and sessions available on the WBSC Academy platform.

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said: “This new online learning platform adds another powerful tool to further develop our sport globally, particularly in new and emerging baseball/softball territories.

“Whilst the pandemic has accelerated our need to create online e-learning tools for our Member Federations, the WBSC Academy is also part of our goal to reduce our carbon footprint across all of our activities.

“It is also important that we continue adapting to the new norm and that we find new ways to support our community at a time when COVID-19 continues to restrict peoples’ movements.”

The WBSC Academy courses will be instructed by specialists in each particular subject and will serve as a platform for the transfer of knowledge with expert training and sharing of technical advice. It is hoped the WBSC Academy will help to provide the development tools necessary to further expand the sports’ popularity and practice in both traditional as well as new and emerging baseball/softball countries and territories.

The first online courses in November will be open to National Federations personnel and will cover three areas: Baseball5, Coaches and Baseball for the Blind.

Dates for webinars on additional subjects, such as baseball and softball courses for technical commissioners, baseball umpiring, softball umpiring and scoring, will be announced at a later stage. As well as other topics such as anti-doping, safeguarding, communications and administration support for National Federations.

“I want to thank all the WBSC Commissions and staff involved in developing this useful tool for their continuous efforts to add value for our Member Federations, so together we can continue to evolve and globalise our sport, even under challenging circumstances,” Fraccari concluded.

For more information, contact academy@wbsc.org.