GEORGE TOWN: After staying away from the Asian Girls Under-19 softball championship the past eight years, the Malaysian national junior team will participate at the championship in Makassar, Indonesia, next month.
Softball Association of Malaysia (SAM) president See Kok Wooi confirmed the participation after the recently concluded national championship in Penang.
He said eight years was too long a period to stay away from a big event like the Asian championship, and since they had many talented and promising players, SAM decided to participate.
“We saw some very talented and promising players during the Malaysian Schools Under-18 championship in June and again at the national championship here in Penang.
“These prompted us to consider and decide positively to participate, which will also motivate other players to take up the sport seriously and fight for a spot in the national team.
“One good example was at the national championship where the Penang girls thrashed the Masum team which comprised mostly national players,” said See.
“We have also written to all the states to inform them of our decision to have a bigger training squad before the final team is named.”
See said competing at the Asian championship was one thing but winning was another matter as they will be up against Asian giants like China, Japan and Taiwan, who are all ranked in the world’s top 10.
Meanwhile, the selection committee has decided to appoint Penang coach Ong Lian Bee and Terengganu coach Zaimuin to handle the national Under-19 team. By K. Kandiah