Costa Rica Baseball Federation
1. Recap the basic history of your National Federation and the origins of baseball in your country
In 2023, the Costa Rica Baseball Federation turned 100 years old and we will celebrate it in December.
Its beginnings are in Puerto Limon and the South Zone, this is due to the North American banana plantations that influenced the beginning of the sport in these areas and soon spread throughout the country.
Today, thanks to the strong influence of Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, baseball is in a good position in the Costa Rican market. Baseball is practiced in the metro zone, northern zone (border with Nicaragua), Caribbean zone and Pacific zone, with increasing participation of children, and Costa Rican leaders who adopt baseball as a social tool for their community.
2. Describe your National Team programmes
The national team is the main focus, which unites the country as a whole. Our federation receives an average of $75,000 per year from the Government for all the national team commitments.
For 2019, we appointed a director of junior and senior national teams.
We knew the importance of starting from the bottom, and we started activating and supporting all processes.
We participated in the 1st Pan American U-8, U-12, U-15 and we organized a U-10 tournament in 2019, which helped us involve children, parents and new leaders in several news areas of our organisation.
During the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 we took advantage of friendly games for the U-23 and senior teams, having good results and discovering new talent.
In 2022 and 2023 we also activated teams at U-12, U-14, U-16, U-23 and senior level to continue our positive growth and development.
Four years ago we were ranked 89th in the WBSC Men's Baseball World Ranking and today we are 58th, while a couple of months ago we were 50th, being at that time the highest ever position for our country.
In 2024 we will be restructuring thanks to the private contribution of companies.
3. Describe your top-level competition (teams, cities involved, format).
Categories: U-12, U-15, U-19 (Local Tournaments, Regional Tournaments and National Finals) 1st division (National Tournament)
U-12: There are two teams in each region. Total: Eight teams.
U-15: There are two teams in each region. Total: Eight teams.
U-19: There are two teams in each region. Total: Eight teams.
1st Division: There is one team in each region. Total: Four teams.
These tournaments are played with a maximum of three foreigners on the field.
Major Regional: There are eight teams in each region. Total: 32 teams.
The tournament is open in age and nationalities.
Regional final stages
Metropolitan - three teams
North - three teams
Caribbean - one team
Pacific - one team
4. Give an estimate of how many people play baseball in your country
5,000 players
5. What do you hope to achieve by participating in the WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series?
To have a discipline that will add more fans, knowledge and interest in baseball.
6. How will your presence at the WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series benefit your baseball and softball communities?
New markets, more fans, it will serve as a celebration of our anniversary, and it will be one more discipline of our sport, baseball. By 2024 we will be including it in the school program.
7. What eBASEBALL™ skills do you think will transfer to real baseball?
Knowledge of the game and ability to read and act on the field.
8. How does your participation in the WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series align with your federation's overall strategy or mission?
Aligning and adapting to the overall objectives of the WBSC and growth and development of the sport.
9. What benefits do you think you can bring to the WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series?
Popularization, development, and economy.
10. What are you most looking forward to regarding the WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series?
We look forward to develop eBASEBALL in Costa Rica, beginning with the first 100th Anniversary Tournament, and looking forward to seeing the development of the discipline at schools, associations with tournament participations, and with graphics and names of our athletes. And eventually become a discipline that generates economic resources.
