Italy has the top blind baseball league in the world. Still, the Italian Baseball Softball Federation (FIBS) and the Blind Baseball Association (AIBxC, a WBSC Associate Member) are willing to add to the 11 participating teams.
FIBS Executive Board member Barbara Menoni coordinated two open days in Paternò, in the Sicilian province of Catania. "We held a course, aimed at developing sighted assistants," she told the local press.
"Assistants, particularly those with baseball/softball experience, are instrumental to developing blind baseball," added coach Lorenzo DeRegny, who also noted, "the event was perfectly hosted by the local club Paternò Red Sox."
Coaches from Messina, Reggio Calabria and Catania participated in the course held by instructor Fabio Azzaro.
The University of Messina and the University of Catania are building blind baseball teams. Players took the field for a demonstration that attracted the interest of the Mayor of Paternò Antonino Naso.
"I believe this discipline demonstrates that there's no limit to what one can achieve through a strong will," said Michele Bonaccorso, the FIBS Commissioner in Sicily.
