Head coaches discuss expectations for U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup

Before the pre-tournament press conference held on Friday at Salon Mayo in Parana, Argentina, the managers of the U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup teams talked about their expectations for the tournament.

Japan head coach Masakazu Yokota clearly expressed the team's mission. “Our goal is just one, to get the gold medal," he said.

Australia head coach David Metekingi knows what it takes to win a medal at a World Cup, as he helped his nation win the Men’s Softball World Championship in 2009. “I’m expecting us to be in the top three. We have great hitting, great speed, and obviously great pitching, so I think we’re going to be a contender for the title. But as you know, anything can happen.”

World No. 1 and hosts Argentina are confident about their chances. “We have high expectations. We have a great team that has been training for a long time, so we hope to finish on top at the World Cup,” said head coach Kevin Bolzan. 

“Our coaching staff’s expectations is obviously to go as deep as we can in the tournament and perform well, but the language our players use is just control what we can control,” said Steven Deans, New Zealand head coach. “Ultimately, it comes under execution, offensively and defensively.”

Czechia wants to compete and advance to the Super Round. “We want to be in the top six of the tournament. Once we get there, we’re going to start setting our next goals,” said Dusan Snelly. 

Singapore did well in the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup under the helm of head coach Farhan Bin Amirudin. They aim to keep building their program and raise the sport's profile in their country. “The boys have been training for this for a few years. We’re here to compete, hopefully to do well and increase the profile of our sport in Singapore,” he said.

Team WBSC stunned the world with a historic sixth-place finish in the U-18 World Cup in 2020, managed by head coach Julio Albizures. And he wants to repeat that performance. “We’re here to give our best. The first goal is to qualify to the Super Round and the second is to finish as high as possible,” he said.

Canada head coach Doug Allin trusts that the effort put by the team will pay dividends. “Based on our hard work and our efforts, we expect to make it to the Super Round, and hopefully compete for a medal if things fall in our way,” he said.

“We want to advance to the Super Round, that’s what we’ve trained for,” said Mexico head coach Carlos Parra. “We want to have a good championship.”

“I just want my boys to perform well, since we’ve prepared well,” said Samson Rakgoale, head coach of South Africa. “We’ve had a little bit of rest the last few days, so I think they will give us good game.”