News Archive
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 |12:23 |Age: 2 yrs
CEB Coach assignment Kania at Israel
Category: 
Many people were surprised by the tough competition the Great Britain had to go through in the European Qualifier this year and by the resistance and level of play of the Israeli National Team.
I have been working as an envoy coach to Israel for four consecutive years in the CEB envoy program. I guess I can see the progress that this country has made. Israel maybe small by size but is big by effort in promoting baseball and it is an honor to contribute to this. My mission starts with a camp for kids – the first year in 2008 we started with about 30 kids and three coaches, 20 of them were the Juvenile National Team and the rest was co called the “Sporting Group” this year we had 35 kids without the National Team and six coaches!
(Below team picture was taken the very last day when some kids had already left)
The kids were exposed to a lot of baseball in Gezer during the first two weeks in July. Practices went on form 9 o’clock till 12:30 and then the kids went to swimming pool. Four coaches (Nate Fish, Alon Leichman, Richard Kania and Richard Kania Jr.) then went to another afternoon practice with the Senior National Team. The players that were more developed in years work hard every day. Later and closer to the qualifier we even had to force them not to practice and have some rest!
Our head coach Pat Doyle arrived after the camp, but he gave clinics all around the country (Misgav, Akko, Tel Aviv etc.) and I had the privilege to be his driver and co-worker. I can say that during my baseball career I have met a lot of coaches and many of them were excellent, but working with Pat and learning about Positive Coaching Alliance was awesome.
Well, you probably know that we didn’t make it to the European Championship, but that is just a result on scoreboard, but the scoreboard doesn’t show the effort and great experience we all (players, coaches and the unsung people behind the scene) had. We have learned from each other about our beautiful and heartbreaking game and made a long term friendship. And that is more important than just winning.
