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I can hardly wait to see them take the field!
I can hardly wait to hear their National Anthem performed during the Opening Ceremonies of the 2005 International Softball Congress World Tournament when the curtain goes up in Eau Claire , Wisconsin , on Friday, August 12.
They thrilled the large crowds who watched them when they performed in the 2002 World Tournament in Kitchener , Ontario .
And now “They're Back!!”
The ‘they' is the Czech National Men's Fastball team - - - and they are set to bring their brand of the sport of fastball to the U.S. (and to the entire world) in the 2005 ISC World Tournament.
They will bring a team which finished in 7 th place in the 2004 ISF World Championships.
And they will bring such international stars as the 2003 European Championship's Most Valuable Player (Lubomir Vrbensky) and the Best Hitter award winner from that competition (Lubos Prochazka). The 36 year old pitcher Vrbensky, from Club Team VS Chomutov, and the 34 year old outfielder Prochazka from Club Team Krc Altron, will be the headliners of Head Coach Honza Cermak's team. The Czech team will range in age from their youngest, 19 year old infielder Vaclav Svoboda of Club Team VS Chomutov, to the veteran hurler Vrbensky.
They will be battle-tested against the best competition that Europe can throw at them when they arrive in Wisconsin to battle with 39 other world class teams for the ultimate title - - - INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL CONGRESS WORLD CHAMPIONS!!
They will compete in the Hasler Cup competition from June 22 – 25 in Prague , Czech Republic , and from there will have moved directly to Nijemgen , Netherlands for the European Championships to be contested from June 26 through July 2. In the latter competition, they will attempt to regain the European title which they lost in the finals of the 2003 competition to Netherlands in Chocen , Czech Republic . In the latter competition, they will battle against national teams from the Netherlands , Great Britain , Denmark , Belgium , Slovakia , Israel , and Croatia .
And they will be pitted against the Aurora Shamrocks and other local teams, including another Czech team, in contests on August 8, 9, and 11 th leading up to their first 2005 taste of ISC competition in Eau Claire on August 12.
This assortment of top Czech athletes is no stranger to championship play, having captured the European championship three times (1997, 1999, and 2001) to go with their 6 th and 7 th place finishes in ISF competition in 2000 and 2004.
The modern history of fastball in the Czech Republic began in 1963 in Prague when several teams playing the game arranged a meeting to establish the department of softball under the Czech Association of Sports. This led to the creation of a system of regular in-season competition under the leadership of Chairman of Softball Mr. Ales Hrabe.
Due to political isolation, Czech softball (fastball) did not begin to participate in international competition until 1985. The Czech Softball Association then began to send its best players to countries which led in the development of the sport and to invite successful world-class coaches like Mike Stapleton, Kevin Henderson. Linda O'Cain, Guillermo Spotorno, Rhonda Revelle, and Peter Cameron to develop Czech players.
This led to the Czech Softball Association's gaining respect in Europe and by the 1990's the nation was ready to take its place among the strongest national programs in Europe .
During the past 14 years, the Czechs have organized more than 20 tournaments under the supervision of the European Softball Federation and realized the goal of presenting international fastball to the Czech people. Prague has hosted the European Softball Federation Congress three times (1992, 1996, and 2005) for the primary purpose of introducing the sport as it expands through the whole of Europe .
Due to major changes in the sports organizations nationally between 1989 and 1992, the sports of baseball and softball were separated and in 1993 the Czech Softball (Fastball) Association was established. After the political revolution which freed the nation from Soviet domination, a major boom in the game emerged. By the mid-1990's over 7,000 players were involved with the sport!
Currently the Czech program is the proud possessor of one of the finest stadiums in all of Europe with three fastball diamonds and two baseball diamonds. Highlights include a clay-sand classic infield, a grass outfield, roofed dugouts, eight dressing rooms, shower rooms, an office, a shop with baseball and fastball equipment, and a snack bar. This National Softball and Baseball Stadium is located in Krc, Prague 4. Many tournaments, including European championships in men's, women's, and junior's as well as the ISF Prague Softball Cup have been held in the National Stadium in Krc.
The roster of the Czech National Team under the direction of Head Coach Honza Cermak and Assistant Coach and Manager Martin Brummel include:
Name & Position
Matej Biza - Catcher
Marek Cermak - Outfield
Alex Jetmar - Pitcher
Patrik Kolkus - Infield/Outfield
Kamil Koukolik - Infield
Jan Kryspin - Shortstop
Jonas Mach - Pitcher
Jindrich Majer - Shortstop
Roman Matuska - Pitcher/Outfield
David Mertl - Catcher
Vaclav Mudra - Secondbase/Outfield
Lubos Prochazka - Outfield
Jan Pribyl - Catcher
Martin Svoboda - Pitcher/Thirdbase
Vaclav Svoboda - Secondbase
Petr Vacha - Infield/Outfield
Lubomir Vrbensky - Pitcher
Lukas Holub - Catcher
Marek Lapcik - Pitcher
Pavel Moravec - Pitcher
Martin Zeman - Infield
SEE YOU IN EAU CLAIRE !!!!! And fasten your seat belts for this one.
June 1, 2005
By: Gordon Wise
ISC Information Officer
www.iscfastpitch
sgwise@woh.rr.com
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