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Lovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
AMERICAN baseball coach Bart Bratcher is in the country to hold coaching clinics in schools in a development aimed at equipping teachers, coaches and senior players with modern techniques.
The American came at the invitation of the Zimbabwe Baseball Association (ZBA) with the support of JET Baseball Foundation, the organisation which is funding the exercise.

Bratcher has so far held coaching clinics in Harare, Bulawayo, Chegutu and in Gweru where he held a one-day exercise at Mambo High School.
He will round up his countrywide tour with coaching clinics at Mutendi High School in Masvingo before winding up in Mutare.

He said he is impressed by the talent in the country.
“There are very talented and skilled baseball players in this country but the problem is that they are inexperienced so we are hoping to inspire more competitions.
“So we are here to motivate the ZBA to come up with more fixtures for the sport by at least coming up with leagues in the provinces where the sport is being played,” he said.

The baseball trainer said lack of financial support in the sport was hindering its development in Zimbabwe which he said was in sharp contrast with the situation in America where the game was one of the highest paying.

“I am disappointed with the lack of corporate sponsorship in the sport and I want to urge the local association to spread the game in most schools which will generate interest amongst people,” he said.

Bratcher encouraged the government to invest in sporting infrastructure.
He played university baseball for Baylor University in Texas between 1968 and 1972 and he is teaching the sport at Round Rock Westwood High School in Texas.
He holds a masters degree in physical education.

ZBA board member Winmore Mubariri said seven provinces are playing competitive baseball and the association has embarked on a drive to spread the sport to other provinces.