2009 World Cup Set for Europe
Youth Event to Coincide with Climax of Olympic Reinstatement Campaign
Plant City, Florida (USA); 6th October 2008: The city of Prague will play host to the girls’ 16-and-under fast pitch tournament that was announced in China following this year’s Olympic softball competition. International Softball Federation President Don Porter today followed up his August 22nd press conference at the Main Press Center in Beijing by revealing the location, dates, and title sponsor for next year’s event.
In addition to the Czech Republic being the host site, the ISF president said today that the tournament will be called the Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup. The event will take place from August 9-16, meaning it will conclude just over six weeks before the International Olympic Committee votes on the programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.
“We’re excited to showcase the youth in our game at this event next year,” Mr. Porter said. “We’re very confident in Prague as a host site and are most thankful to the Easton Foundation for their participation.”
The ISF president said the event will consist of ten teams, with a possibility of that number increasing to twelve.
“We’re very pleased to be involved with this initiative,” Mr. Jim Easton said on behalf of the Easton Foundation. “The tournament will surely help further develop youth in the sport of softball in many countries, and we are strong advocates of new opportunities for young boys and girls.”
Prague last year successfully hosted the first-ever Men’s Fastpitch World Cup and had been the site of the Prague Softball Cup in 2004. The 2007 men’s event had significant national TV coverage, and there have been several national tournaments in the host softball venue as well.
“The Czech Softball Association is honored to host the ISF Youth World Cup 2009 at Prague's Softball Center,” said CSA President Gabriel Waage. “This will be the major event next year for the CSA. It will be hosted at the best softball facilities that the Czech Republic has to offer. This event will surely be well organized and the Czech softball community, and I personally, will do our best to make this a successful tournament.”
The Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup will be an invitational event and all five regions are expected to be represented (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania).
The ISF has been proactive in their youth efforts, having staged a Jr. Women’s World Championship (19-and-under) every four years since 1981, as well as a similar Jr. Men’s event. They also have a successful Softball in the Schools program that has been implemented by approximately half of their 131 member national federations.
Further information on the Olympic reinstatement campaign is available in the OTHER DOCUMENTS section of www.BackSoftball.com.
About the ISF
The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 131 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.
About the Easton Foundation
The Easton Foundation provides funding for the development and expansion of training, education and facilities for the support of archery, baseball, women’s softball, ice hockey and cycling competitions and programs that introduce and develop athletes in these sports.
For more information please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com or +1 813 864 0100 (office) or +1 813 453 8762 (cell).
Plant City, Florida (USA); 6th October 2008: The city of Prague will play host to the girls’ 16-and-under fast pitch tournament that was announced in China following this year’s Olympic softball competition. International Softball Federation President Don Porter today followed up his August 22nd press conference at the Main Press Center in Beijing by revealing the location, dates, and title sponsor for next year’s event.
In addition to the Czech Republic being the host site, the ISF president said today that the tournament will be called the Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup. The event will take place from August 9-16, meaning it will conclude just over six weeks before the International Olympic Committee votes on the programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.
“We’re excited to showcase the youth in our game at this event next year,” Mr. Porter said. “We’re very confident in Prague as a host site and are most thankful to the Easton Foundation for their participation.”
The ISF president said the event will consist of ten teams, with a possibility of that number increasing to twelve.
“We’re very pleased to be involved with this initiative,” Mr. Jim Easton said on behalf of the Easton Foundation. “The tournament will surely help further develop youth in the sport of softball in many countries, and we are strong advocates of new opportunities for young boys and girls.”
Prague last year successfully hosted the first-ever Men’s Fastpitch World Cup and had been the site of the Prague Softball Cup in 2004. The 2007 men’s event had significant national TV coverage, and there have been several national tournaments in the host softball venue as well.
“The Czech Softball Association is honored to host the ISF Youth World Cup 2009 at Prague's Softball Center,” said CSA President Gabriel Waage. “This will be the major event next year for the CSA. It will be hosted at the best softball facilities that the Czech Republic has to offer. This event will surely be well organized and the Czech softball community, and I personally, will do our best to make this a successful tournament.”
The Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup will be an invitational event and all five regions are expected to be represented (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania).
The ISF has been proactive in their youth efforts, having staged a Jr. Women’s World Championship (19-and-under) every four years since 1981, as well as a similar Jr. Men’s event. They also have a successful Softball in the Schools program that has been implemented by approximately half of their 131 member national federations.
Further information on the Olympic reinstatement campaign is available in the OTHER DOCUMENTS section of www.BackSoftball.com.
About the ISF
The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 131 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.
About the Easton Foundation
The Easton Foundation provides funding for the development and expansion of training, education and facilities for the support of archery, baseball, women’s softball, ice hockey and cycling competitions and programs that introduce and develop athletes in these sports.
For more information please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com or +1 813 864 0100 (office) or +1 813 453 8762 (cell).