I

n a one-day coaching clinic held by Japanese construction company Ohama Group and the Indonesian Baseball and Softball Association (Perbasasi) on Wednesday, the country’s baseball and softball players, including its junior squad, had the opportunity to train with Fukuoka Softbank Hawks star players Keizo Kawashima and Shuhei Fukuda at Gelora Bung Karno sports complex in Jakarta.

Around 100 athletes, ranging from the 11 years old to senior players, took part in the coaching clinic, which was divided into four divisions. The athletes, who came from various regions in the country such as Bandung, Jakarta and Lampung, got the opportunity to train directly with players from the club that won the Japanese series last year.

Ohama Group director Tetsuya Ohama said the program was part of its corporate social responsibility program. He said his company carried out a similar CSR program last year, which saw Japanese baseball players purchasing baseball equipment with their own money and sending them off to Indonesia, as they were aware such equipment was hard to find in the country.

Perbasasi baseball division deputy chairman Leo Agus Chayono noted the challenges faced by the association in developing the sport, such as lack of competition and the mindset that baseball and softball were expensive sports.