Softball national team gets Canadian coach

Women World Softball Championships
Surrey Canada,
July 15-24

The Uganda National Softball team is receiving a last minute professional touch from a highly reputable Canadian softball ambassador as it prepares to fly out on July 9 for the World Softball championships starting July 10-15th in Canada.

Joni Frei, a softball ambassador and coach is in the country to basically help in honing the national team that will be making its first appearance at the biggest world softball championships.

"This project is the beginning of something special for Uganda since by participating in the championships, one increases their chances of making it to the Olympics" Joni Frei said.

The championships will be used as a qualifier for the Olympics after the sport was added to the Olympic programme. Softball was scraped off the Olympic programme in 2008 but it has now been recalled.

 Joni Frei, a softball ambassador and coach

Joni Frei comes in as relief to Allan Otim, the National Softball head coach, and Catharina Rauch who handle the technical and tactical aspects on the team.

On Uganda's chances at the Championships, Joni Frei who has been studying the Ugandan team for quite some time, believes the team has the potential of gaining something big out of the tournament.

"I can guarantee that the team will finish at a very minimum of second place every game atleast," she said.

She adds that qualifying alone is a momentous step for the team as its only Uganda and Kenya from Africa participating in the championships and the former carries more weight than the latter.