Softball to make comeback in SEA Games

Softball to make comeback in SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Softball Association urged yesterday the National Sports Council to include softball among medal events in the upcoming 19th Southeast Asian Games here next year.

Suryo Adi Prasetyo, secretary-general of the association, and training director Doedie Gambiro said in a hearing with the council that four countries support Indonesia's bid to bring the sport back into the SEA Games arena.

The supporting countries are Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.

However, Doedi said that the development of the sport in the country is far from encouraging.

"Our women's national team has is from West Java, while the men's team desperately relies on Jakarta athletes," Doedie said.

Softball made its last appearance in the SEA Games in 1991, with the Philippines sweeping the two gold medals. Indonesia finished second in both men's and women's events.

To prepare its athletes for the SEA Games, the association will send them to take part in international tournaments in New Zealand and Chinese Taipei.

"We'll also invite a foreign coach who will drill our players in pitching and hitting for about three or four months," Suryo said.

Doedie admitted that Indonesian women's and men's teams have rather unimpressive records due to a lack of international experience.

"But other Southeast Asian countries also face the same problem," he said.

The association will stage the Rimbawan national men's championship, which is usually held every even year, in Bandung, West Java, this April. The women's Rimbawati championship takes place every odd year. (05)