The European Baseball Federation (CEB) has announced that the Israel Association of Baseball (IAB) will host the 2016 European Championship Under 21 tournament in Israel.  The tournament will be held from August 1 to 6 at the Baptist Village in Petah Tikva.  European teams have until January 1 to apply to play for the tournament, which is an open tournament with no qualifier required.  

Israel will be represented for the most part by the IAB Academy Team (pictured right), which has played and practiced together for two years, coached by Nate Fish, Israel’s National Team Head coach, and longtime Israel national team coach David Schenker. 

This is the first European tournament awarded to Israel since the European Championship in 2011, and is a sign of Israel’s strong standing in European baseball. Last year CEB decided not to award a tournament to Israel due to the security situation after last summer’s Gaza war. This year Israel once again campaigned to have this tournament here next year, and this determination was rewarded. 

“We are all very excited to be hosting this tournament in Israel,” says Peter Kurz, First Vice President of CEB and the President of the IAB. “The top teams in Europe will play in Israel, and Israel will have a very strong squad.  I hope that all fans of Israel baseball will attend and the game will continue to grow in this country, as it has over the last three years.” 

Looking further ahead to the future, Kurz say, “we hope that in 2017 we can host more European tournaments in the new facility we will be building in Bet Shemesh, with the help of the municipality, JNF Project Baseball and the Copeland family.”

With the announcement that Israel will host this tournament, 2016 has quickly turned into a busy year for Israel baseball. The month after the European Championship takes place in Israel, Team Israel will be playing in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier to be held in Brooklyn, NY from September 22 to 25, and seeking to secure a place in the 2017 WBC tournament. 

The Israel Association of Baseball has launched a baseball program at the Bialik Rogozin School in South Tel Aviv. The school is attended by the children of about 80,000 workers from Asia and Africa who live around the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv and have come to Israel to seek work. 

Bialik Rogozin is a unique school with a special learning environment.  The kids come from dozens of countries and speak different languages. Many have traveled to Israel on foot and some have lost parents and siblings on the way. But thanks to a committed staff and a creative approach to education, the Bialik Rogozin School is widely recognized as great success despite the challenges they face. It is a place of hope where nearly 1,200 kids come together each day to play and learn.

"We are very excited to add baseball to the list of activities we offer the kids," says Eli Nechama, principle of Bialik Rogozin. Ophir Katz, Israel National Team player and professional educator, will run the baseball program at Rogozin. "I am looking forward to the opportunity to teach the kids about baseball and give them an athletic opportunity they otherwise would not have," Ophir says.  The program was established in memory of Rabbi Paul Laderman z"l, father of Zev Laderman, who is a father of a player in Tel Aviv. "My father was a loving humanitarian all his life, so this project is the perfect fit," says Zev. "He loved baseball and was very proud that his grandson played baseball in Israel among the diverse communities here. In his memory we are helping to spread baseball to all communities in Israel."

Israel Senior National Team player Noam Calisar represented Israel Baseball with great pride last week at the MLB Academies Fall Tournament in Regensburg, Germany. Noam was one of 100 of the top European players under the age of 18 invited to take part in the tournament.

The players were divided into four teams: The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Czech Republic. Noam played for the Czech team. He played in seven of the eight games and had an outstanding batting average of 500. Noam’s excellent performance in the tournament, which included a triple and two doubles, secured him a place in the top 40 players of the tournament. From this group, 25 players will be selected to represent Europe in a tournament in the US next year.

“For me, it was a great honor to represent Israel baseball at a tournament of this high caliber organized by the MLB, so that people get to know about Israel baseball and how it’s developing,” says Noam. “It was a great opportunity for me to show my capabilities and talents to scouts, coaches and players in Europe. I met a lot of new coaches and players and learned a lot from them. I hope to participate in many more such tournaments and MLB events so that I can keep improving and impress everyone.”

The National Enrichment Program for Juveniles, Cadets and Juniors of the Israel Association of Baseball begins next week on Wednesday, October 14 at the Baptist Village. 

The program is a chance for players to get an extra day of baseball, work with great coaches, and be seen by Israel National Team and Israel Baseball Academy coaches. The coaches will identify potential national team players during the program. Last year’s program was exceptionally successful.

DETAILS

Juveniles
The program runs weekly from October 14 until the end of January from 17:30-19:30. It includes the National team tryouts, which will be held throughout January. Players who only want to come to the tryouts will be able to do so.

Cost: 700 shekels (including tryouts); Only national team tryouts in January (4 sessions) - 250 shekels

Cadets
The program runs weekly from October 14 until the end of December from 19:00-21:00. It includes National Team tryouts.

Please note: There is NO OPTION of trying out for the Cadets National Team separately. Cadets who want to try out for the National Team must participate in the full Enrichment Program.

Cost: 500 shekels (Enrichment program and tryouts for the national team).

Juniors
The program runs weekly from October 14 until the middle of January from 19:00-21:00. There will be two tryout sessions in January. Players who only want to come to the tryouts will be able to do so.

Cost: 600 shekels (including tryouts); only national team tryouts in January (2 sessions) - 125 shekels. 

The Enrichment Program is only open to registered IAB members. Advance registration and payment on our website. 

It’s almost time for the 3rd Annual IAB Succot Baseball Clinics. This year, the IAB is offering 4 separate one-day baseball clinics at 4 locations. The program is free for all registered members of the IAB. National Director Nate Fish and an All-Star staff of coaches will run the sessions. Players will have chance to work on fundamentals, and get valuable repetitions and tips from some of the best coaches in the country. 

All IAB players and coaches are invited to attend one or all sessions. The Succot Baseball Clinics are free for any IAB registered member. 

Dates and Locations

Tuesday, September 29 – Bet Shemesh, Aviezer Field
9:00-11:00 - Minors and Juveniles
11:00-13:00 - Cadets and Juniors

Wednesday, September 30 – Jerusalem, Kraft Field
10:00-12:00 - Minors and Juveniles
12:00-14:00 - Cadets and Juniors

Thursday, October 1 – Kibbutz Gezer
9:00-11:00 - Minors and Juveniles
11:00-13:00 - Cadets and Juniors

Friday October 2, 2015 - Tel Mond, Soccer Field
9:00-11:00, Minors and Juveniles
11:00-13:00 Cadets and Juniors

Sunday Oct 4, 2015 - Tel Aviv, Sportek
9:00-11:00, Minors and Juveniles
11:00-13:00 Cadets and Juniors

Last year the Succot clinics were a great success, so don't miss out this year. Just come along - pre-registration is not required.

For more info, please contact me -