A central focus is on working with the national teams. While earlier phases were often heavily characterized by individual initiatives, today work is much more structured and long-term. Weller describes this change: “We now have a program, and that is extremely important. We used to have good players, but not this continuous structure around the national teams.”
This approach is effective. The men’s national team recently reached ninth place at the European Championships, a result that also reflects a new self-image. The appearance of the U23 national team in 2025 was particularly emotional for Weller: “The win against Germany was an extremely important milestone for us. As a little brother, it was a clear confirmation that our development is real.”
The sporting development is supported by a closely interlinked coaching setup. With Anthony Bennett as head coach for the men and Hiroyuki Sakanashi in the U23 area, we are consciously working on a consistent concept. “We are simply better prepared today – in terms of coaching, but also mentally. We know that we can compete with almost any team in Europe.”
However, the clubs remain the foundation of the positive development: the quality in the Austrian Bundesliga has increased, which is primarily due to increased investments in coaching, organization and youth work. At the same time, Weller speaks openly about the existing challenges: “Our league is good in terms of sport, but seven teams are actually not enough. We need two or three more clubs at this level.” It is crucial that development occurs from within and not through short-term solutions: “Without work at club level, there can be no successful national teams. Our players learn their baseball here – in our clubs.”
An important signal for the future is that for the first time several Austrian players such as Jan Raunigger and Dan Kawanishi are specifically making their way into North American college baseball. The association sees this as a clear added value for the entire system. Weller emphasizes: “When young players are truly immersed in a baseball culture, it makes a big difference in the long term – for themselves, but also for our entire system.”
More visibility as the key to success
In parallel to the sporting development, the ABF is working intensively to make baseball more visible and accessible in Austria. State-supported school programs enable clubs to bring baseball into the classroom in a structured manner and reach significantly more children than before. “We reach an incredible number of children through these programs. In our club alone (note: Schwechat Blue Bats | Weller is the club president) there were around a thousand students in one year,” says Weller. The media presence is also being specifically expanded, for example through summaries of Bundesliga games on national television. “It’s not just about showing games, but about highlighting baseball and softball as a whole,” he explains.
One of the biggest structural challenges remains the training situation in winter. Hall capacities are limited, but new initiatives and club-sponsored projects are ensuring movement in this area. “Winter training is one of our biggest challenges. But we are currently seeing that something is moving here,” says Weller, referring to new indoor solutions that have already been implemented in individual regions.
With clear objectives, coordinated programs and close cooperation between associations, clubs and national teams, framework conditions are created that enable sustainable growth. The Austrian Baseball Softball Federation consistently pursues the goal of promoting sporting quality, structural development and visibility in equal measure – and thus creating the conditions so that baseball in Austria can continue to develop positively in the coming years.
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