Japan-Africa Baseball & Softball Foundation to launch National Baseball Tournament in Ghana
The tournament will follow a period of intensive training under the instruction of Keio University volunteers. After Tanzania and Kenya, Ghana will become the third African country to hold Koshien-style baseball tournaments. Nigeria, South Sudan, Benin, Cameroon, and Zambia will follow soon.
The Japan-Africa Baseball and Softball Association (J-ABS) will co-host the inaugural Ghana Koshien Tournament, the first national baseball tournament in Ghana, in collaboration with the Ghana Baseball and Softball Federation. The event is scheduled for August 31 and September 1 in the capital city of Accra.
Ten representatives of the Keio University Baseball Team reached Ghana on August 6 and will work on the ground as J-ABS short-term volunteers until September 6.
The J-ABS official website stated: "We plan to teach baseball to junior and senior high school students in four cities in three states."
The Association has developed its own educational method aimed at fostering a "spirit of discipline, respect, and justice through baseball".
The programme includes training courses for coaches.
The Ghana Koshien Tournament will give the students involved a chance to showcase what they learned and is aimed at providing a goal to the youth approaching baseball in Ghana.
The initiative is part of the J-ABS Africa 55 Koshien Project, intending to develop baseball in 54 countries.
Koshien-style tournaments have already been held in Tanzania (11 times) and Kenya (twice). Nigeria, South Sudan, Benin, Cameroon, and Zambia plan to launch their championships soon.
