2020 in Review: WBSC Athletes Commission stays active, reviews game amid COVID-19 pandemic
21/12/2020 3 Minute Read

2020 in Review: WBSC Athletes Commission stays active, reviews game amid COVID-19 pandemic

The WBSC Athletes Commission is a regular voice in the discussion of new WBSC projects, while having a seat on the organisation’s decision table.

“It has been an amazingly challenging time for athletes around the world, with baseball and softball extremely disrupted this year,” said WBSC Athletes Commission co-chair Justin Huber, reviewing the unprecedented year 2020 where the COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges for everyone, especially the athletes.

"If there has been a silver lining in the midst of all the devastation, it is that sport continues to contribute to an enormous amount of hope throughout our diverse communities," Huber added. "I feel privileged to be part of this and can't wait to bring that hope to life in 2021, especially in a much-awaited Olympic year!”

With sports events and training camps suspended because of the pandemic, athletes had to find new ways to stay active, fit and healthy. And in this case, the WBSC Athletes Commission, which aims to represent the best interests and voice of baseball and softball players at the executive level of the world governing body, has been a source of inspiration for athletes around the world.

Co-chaired by former Olympians Justin Huber (Australia) and Maria Soto (Venezuela), the Athletes Commission has five members, including Bruno Motroni (Argentina), Randolph Oduber (Aruba), Erika Polidori (Canada), Pauline Prade (France) and Ashley Stephenson (Canada). 

"Overcome any situation as we do on the field of play every time," is WBSC Athletes Commission co-chair Maria Soto’s advice to athletes. "I know athletes in baseball/softball will find ways to make positive things out of this year. Stay active, stay positive and strong and exercise at least three times a week to keep your mind and body in good shape. The first three months of the pandemic were really hard because I never thought it was going to be this long. But I set my mind to go ahead and exercise and stay active.”

“Challenge yourself to find the one extra thing you can do today, to be better than you were yesterday," Huber added. 

Staying Active

The WBSC Athletes Commission held several virtual meetings throughout 2020, working on diverse activities under the commission’s umbrella, and is a regular voice in the discussion of new WBSC projects, while having a seat on the decision table.

Athletes participated in the main projects of the organisation in 2020 including the Baseball, Softball, Baseball5 working groups and the creation of the recently announced new baseball/softball discipline, E-Sports.

The commission will oversee educational programmes and materials covering pertinent topics and issues relating to baseball and softball players. Live webinars are to be made in the near future, combining this learning experience with the WBSC Academy, the new online self-learning platform.

Another goal for 2020/2021 is to be present at WBSC events to provide guidance for the competing athletes and also serve as a Safeguarding Officer. In this regard, the Athletes Commission will work closely with the newly created WBSC Integrity Unit, which seeks to enhance fair play and transparency, protect athletes’ rights and promote inclusiveness, and further enhance governance.

Staying Active

The outbreak of COVID-19 disrupted the sports world in 2020, and social media was a powerful way for athletes to stay connected with their teams, teammates, trainers and fans. Softball teams and players found a way to remain together in times of social distancing, while baseball players also discovered a way to stay positive during the first months of the pandemic.  

“Social media is the way our generation communicates and our platform is worldwide,” commented Huber. ”It is so important that the influence you have as an athlete speaks to your character and your message for the next generation.”

Soto agrees: “Social media has become the primary tool to stay connected to the world, and sport doesn’t escape from it. So I will encourage athletes to always think that somebody is looking at you because you are a role model in everything you do.”

Amid the pandemic, Soto sent an encouragement message to all baseball and softball athletes to #StayHealthy, #StayStrong, and #StayActive, as inspired by the International Olympic Committee’s #StayStrong campaign.

Staying Healthy

“I have discovered the true meaning of positive self-talk," said Huber. "Being so isolated, has given me such an amazing amount of time in my own head that I now truly understand that to be successful the loudest voice needs to be the positive one. Focus on the little things, because they will help you with the big things in 2021.”

“Keep working hard, sport is a side of life that will give you so much gratefulness and reward to be happy,” Soto concluded.

End of Year Review series

2020 - End-of-the-year message from WBSC President to the global Baseball Softball community
2020 - Baseball 5 - Baseball5 takes the sport to communities never reached before
2020 - Softball: Olympic Softball architect Don Porter passes away; U-18 Men only World Cup played in disrupted year
2020 - Baseball: An international baseball season like no other
2020 - U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup: Japan wins lone global baseball/softball event in 2020
2020 - Development: Global baseball-softball development doesn’t stop amid global pandemic
2019 WBSC Congress one-year progress report: An unforgettable year in many ways
2019: Year in Review