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Young Palau team all set for MBC
Palau players and officials are joined by Micronesian Baseball Classic Organizing Committee officials, 2015 Liberation Queen Zolenska Yaroitemal, and the 2016 Liberation Queen candidates for a group photo taken at the arrival area of Saipan International Airport yesterday. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Palau is fielding a young squad in the Inaugural Micronesian Baseball Classic that will kick off this Friday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.
Team coordinator Atley Kazuma said their players are in the 17 to 33 age range and majority of them are competing in an off-island tournament for the first time. Kazuma and the 21 members of the Palau team arrived on Saipan in batches yesterday in time for the start of the MBC this weekend.
“Actually, this group is one of our two teams. Our other squad is in Korea for a separate tournament. We have a lot of young guys on this team, which also has four of our national players. This MBC is a good exposure for our young players,” said Kazuma, who is Palau’s baseball development officer.
Kazuma added that Palau players seeing action in the MBC came from the teams participating in their own baseball league.
Asked about the team’s chances in the tournament, Kazuma said Palau players will do their best in every game.
“Our players will go all out every match. We will take it one game at a time and see how are we going to adjust with the games of the other teams,” he said.
Palau will be up against the host CNMI, Kosrae, and Guam. Kosrae delegates also arrived on Saipan in batches with the first making it to the island last Tuesday night and the second early yesterday morning. Guam will plane in today.
MBC Organizing Committee chair Ross Igitol welcomed Kosrae and Palau players officials and were joined at the arrival area of the Saipan International Airport by other committee officers/members, 2015 Liberation Queen Zolenska Yaroitemal and the 2016 Liberation Queen candidates.
“Welcome to Saipan and we’re excited to have these players compete in the first-ever MBC. We’re expecting good games from our visiting teams and of course from our CNMI team. We’re inviting the community to come to the field and support the participating teams,” Igitol said.
She added that the organizing committee and other volunteers/officials are in the final touches of their preparations for the opening of the competition.
“Our grounds crew members are working very hard to get the Tan Ko field ready and soon teams will be allowed to practice at the facility,” Igitol said.
