Five Fiji Baseball youngsters are part of the 30th World Children’s Baseball Foundation — Fair in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
The prestigious fair, founded in 1989 runs from July 28 to August 5.
The five players, who come from strong baseball family backgrounds, are Litin Lee of Veiuto Primary, Teitiaki Randolph of Arya Samaj Primary, Sakaia Tauvoli and Isoa Toduadua of Suva Methodist
Primary, and Ronald Niubalavu, who attends Stella Maris Primary School.
Lee and Randolph are from the Eagles Baseball club in Raiwai, Tauvoli, and Toduadua are part of the Nadonumai Marines Club in Lami while Niubalavu is from the Central Hummingbirds Club.
The Fiji Islands Baseball and Softball Association (FIBSA) selected the five consistent active players from its development initiative over the years.
The youngsters take part in morning baseball clinics led by coaches selected by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, emphasising the basic skills of the game in a fun and participatory environment.
Beyond the field, the event is a celebration of cultural diversity, with children engaging in a variety of cultural and recreational activities each afternoon and evening, including a homestay experience in one of nine cities.
The development officer who travelled with the team said: “This is a unique opportunity for some of our young baseball stars and promises to be a life-changing experience. Additionally, we are thrilled with the international relationships we have built with Japanese Baseball over the years, which is arguably the top baseball country in the world.”
The mission of the organisation is to share the dream of friendship and teamwork with the children of the world and to sow the seeds of that dream through an international baseball fair, hanging out with the other kids and also developing skills and meeting like-minded people.
