The Italian U-18 Women’s National Softball Team recently gathered 28 of the nation's top players in Bologna to play an intrasquad game. The youth team is looking ahead to the 2021 WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup and the U-18 European Softball Championship.
After the conclusion of the recent Summer Softball Challenge, which saw the Italian squad lose four out of five games against the Czech Republic, the Italian Baseball Softball Federation (FIBS) organised a 28-player U-18 training camp, with the athletes split into two teams to play a game in front of the coaching staff. The full list of national team candidates can be seen here.
"These opportunities for competition are very important because we have the chance to follow the growth of the girls...we were able to meet some players we had never seen and every indication from these matches is of great value for us" said Andrea Longagnani, Italy’s head coach.
This meeting marked the end of a particular summer season for this group of players, shortened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "In a year conditioned by the pandemic, there were also positive aspects,” reflected Longagnani. “Many girls who were present here today have accumulated important experiences this year, with the Summer Softball Challenge in August and also playing in high-level leagues such as Serie A1".
Italy is one of 12 qualified teams for the inaugural WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup 2021, postponed from 2020, which will be held in Lima, Peru. For Italy, it will be the ninth overall participation in a junior women’s softball world cup, and the fourth in a row. Their best position has been a ninth place finish (1987, 1995 and 2015). Italy’s last performance was an 11th-place finish in the WBSC U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup 2019 in Irvine, California, USA.
The U-18 Italian national squad will also play in the European Championship next July in Prague, Czech Republic, which serves as a qualifier event for the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup 2022.
