OTTAWA-For the fourth consecutive year, Women’s National Team Manager André Lachance will conduct a development camp for Bantam age girls in the baseball hotbed of Cuba.
The trip is multi-purpose for players as they will have the opportunity to improve their baseball skills, learn from some top-notch coaches and play baseball in a country where the sport is number one.
For Lachance, the trip is a chance for him to see some up-and-coming talent from across the country and watch players perform in an environment that they are not used to.
“I’m looking at this trip as a chance to see young talent that we have across this country and use this as a development camp for future editions of the Women’s National Team,” said Lachance. “The experience that these young players will receive in Cuba will benefit them greatly as they prepare for the 2013 season.”
Once the 21 athletes and 4 coaches arrive on the island they will practice and be split into two teams. Each team will play 5 games against squads from Cuba and Venezuela before combining the teams on the final day of the trip to take on the Cubans.
“Splitting our group into two teams allows for more playing time which is what you want on a trip like this,” added Lachance.
Current National Team member Brittany Chan is attending the development camp in Cuba for the second consecutive year and is looking forward to the experience once again.
“Obviously, I look forward to playing the game I love the most in a country that is completely consumed and obsessed with its national sport,” she said. “Last year’s trip to Cuba was a lot of fun. It was my first international competition experience and I learned a lot from that.”
Chan, who won a bronze medal last summer at the IBAF World Cup, said that being exposed to her first international competition in Cuba last February forced her to adjust to a different type of play.
“(Last year) I had to adapt to a different style of play because the Cuban teams are more aggressive than the teams I had played against in the past,” she explained.
A key component of the trip is that it provides more than just your typical baseball travel experience. The itinerary includes a tour of historic Havana, a trip to a Cuban orphanage and cultural exchange events with Cuban Players. The off-field component is often just as much of a highlight for participants as the baseball itself.
“The cultural experience (last year), for me, was eye opening,” said Chan. “We’re not just stuck in some kind of resort. We go on trips to the City of Havana in between games and we visit an orphanage to spend time with the children there.
“We interact with locals and they teach us a lot about their country and baseball. We learn about the history of the country, the way of life, some Spanish and of course about the Cuba’s love of baseball.”
First-time participant Daphnée Gelinas is looking forward to the baseball-part of the trip and improving her overall skills as she works towards her goal of playing for the Baseball Québec Provincial Team and hopefully the National Team down the road.
“On this trip, I’m looking to see where I fit against the best players in other countries,” said Gelinas. “My career goals are to make the Québec Senior team and play with the National Team.”
Gelinas is also looking forward to meeting other girls from across Canada and coming together as a team in Cuba.
“I hope everybody comes together to create good team spirit,” she said. “We have girls from all over Canada, so it will be fun to come together as one big group.
“Oh and of course, I would like to win some games and have fun with the team!”
Please follow Baseball Canada on Twitter (www.twitter.com/baseballcanada) for regular updates from Cuba.
Schedule
February 18 - Arrival
February 19 – Practice (9am)
February 20 - 9am Canada Red vs Venezuela B.
2pm Canada White vs Cuba Red
February 21 - 9am Canada White vs Venezuela Blue.
2pm Canada Red vs Cuba Blue
February 22 - 9am Canada Red vs Cuba Red
2pm Canada White vs Venezuela A.
February 23 - 9am Canada White vs Cuba Blue
2pm Canada Red vs Venezuela A.
February 24 - 9am Canada Red vs Venezuela B
2pm Canada White Game 6 vs Cuba Red
February 25 - 9am Canada vs Cuba Blue
Departure
