On the occasion of the arrival of the holidays, I would like to extend my heartfelt wishes for a Merry Christmas and a peaceful 2026 to the entire Italian baseball and softball movement – athletes, coaches, managers, clubs and volunteers.
This first year of presidency has been intense, demanding and at the same time full of great sporting and emotional satisfactions, which confirm the quality of the path undertaken.
On the front of National Elitesil Softball was reconfirmed as European champion at the end of an extraordinary tournament, which saw our girls as the absolute protagonists in terms of technical quality, character and team spirit. A result that makes us proud and which testifies to the solidity of a movement that continues to be a point of reference at a continental level.
As for the Baseballafter the disappointing ninth place at the 2023 European Championship, we have decided to start a new project, focusing on our young people, all athletes who play in the Italian championships. Manager Francisco Cervelli has carried out extensive work, touring Italy to identify the players most suited to this path. The second place achieved at the European Championship is already something incredible in itself, but what matters most is having seen with how much passion, dedication and love for the blue shirt these boys represented our country.
A particular emotion was experiencing the success of the Magnificent Boys and of Magnificent BXC Girlswinners of the European Championship: being present at that triumph was truly unforgettable.
Also the Baseball5 showed great value: Maurizio Balla and his boys achieved an excellent fifth place at the European Championship. Our goal is to be able to find the resources necessary to increase activity and bridge the gap that separates us from those nations that invested in this discipline long before us.
Great attention was also paid to Youth selectionswho fought hard both at European and world level, obtaining both valuable placings and a lot of experience for the tournaments to come. Furthermore, for the first time we were able to carry out athletic tests on all the national youth teams: a fundamental step that represents the first real step in the process of building and developing the “athletic machine” of our young athletes.
It was important to start the project of Pitching School Softball e Baseballespecially thanks to the excellent work done by the two managers Greta Cecchetti e Alessandro Masters, capable of tackling such an important topic for the training of technicians (and also of the kids obviously) necessary to be able to work specifically during the winter and thus arrive ready at the start of the season. This is a first step that has attracted interest and success and will be implemented and disseminated in 2026.
In terms of communication, in addition to the great growth of our social channels, a further significant achievement was the return of Baseball and Softball on RAIwith the finals broadcast on Rai Sport and Rai Play: an important signal for the visibility of our disciplines and for the growth of the entire movement, as also demonstrated by the positive feedback obtained so many years after the last time.
Looking to the future, we know that one of the main challenges will be improve our systems and the services offered. We live in a context of great competition with other sports and we must be increasingly attractive to families, young people and new practitioners. More functional, welcoming and safe systems mean offering a better experience to those who choose our disciplines.
I am fully aware that companies do not always have the possibility to support economic investments in structures. Precisely for this reason I believe that even greater attention, care and daily maintenance of the systems – often achievable with commitment, organization and community spirit – can make a big difference in the perception and quality of the experience offered.
We also strongly believe in the value of synergy between companies: networking, sharing good practices and collaborating between clubs, so that the experience gained by each can become the common heritage of the entire movement and be a fundamental lever for growing together and making all projects more sustainable.
Next year will be even busier with important events awaiting Elite national teams – including the World Baseball Classic and the qualification al Softball World Cup. We will also strengthen our work with the national youth teams, we will focus on training and promotion, with the aim of building a solid and sustainable future for all our disciplines.
With the hope that these holidays will be a time of rest and sharing, I renew to all of you my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a new year full of health, satisfaction and sporting successes.
Marco Mazzieri
The cover photo is by Corrado Benedetti – Oldmanagency.
