Ghana to host inaugural Koshien Baseball Championship at Labone SHS

Ghana is set to host the inaugural Koshien Baseball Championship between August 31 and September 1 at the Labone Senior High School (SHS) field, marking a milestone for the development of the sport in the country.

The event was announced by Mr. Shinya Tomonari, founder of the Japanese Baseball Softball Foundation (J-ABS) and former manager of Ghana’s national baseball team, the Rising Stars, during a ceremony on August 8, 2024, at the Ministry of Youth & Sports. 

The championship is part of a broader initiative, the Baseballership Educational Programme, which aims to foster character development and life skills through baseball. 

The programme's curriculum is built around 55 core principles designed to enrich the lives of participants.

Ten volunteer coaches from Japan’s Keio University will collaborate with ten Ghanaian coaches to implement the Baseball Education Programme across selected schools and communities. 

Following three weeks of intensive training, the most promising athletes will be selected to form regional teams, with the best players advancing to the Koshien Championship in Accra.

To evaluate the impact of the Baseballership programme, a research partnership between Keio University and the University of Ghana has been established. The study will track 100 participants, assessing the programme's influence on academic performance, social behaviour, and overall development.

Mr. Ernest Danso, President of Ghana Baseball, highlighted the potential for the Baseballership concept to benefit other sports federations within the country. Prof. Takaaki Kato, leader of the Japanese delegation, and Mr. Tomonari presented baseball equipment to the Ghana Baseball Softball Federation (GBSF), expressing hope that Ghana will produce top players in the future, similar to Keio University's track record.

Mr. Albert K. Frimpong, President of African Baseball, pledged to expand the Baseballership initiative across the continent. The Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Ghana Office, Ms. Suzuki Momoko, also attended the event.

Later, the delegation met with the Deputy Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Alhaji Abdul Majeed Bawah, who called for further technical research to enhance NSA's involvement in GBSF activities.