PESHAWAR, Dec 22 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Baseball Association and Peshawar Model School System signed a MoU to collaborate for the promotion and development of baseball in all across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the grassroots level and establish baseball academies through a annually based Talent Hunt Program.
President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Baseball Association Dr. Nouman Ul Haq, a remained a student of Peshawar Model School System in 90s, and Director Sports Peshawar Model School System Faizan Nadeem signed a two pages MoU.
President KP Olympic Association and former Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah, Secretary General Pakistan Archery Federation Muhammad Wisal Khan who actually introduced the game of baseball to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa initially, Director PMSS Sanan Sethi, Principal of PMSS Branch-4 Ms. Mehreen Zeb, a good numbers of students in the age of Under-14, Under-17 and Under-19, both boys and girls were also present during the colourful signing ceremony.
Director Sports PMSS Faizan Nadeem said that in the first phase it was decided that a Talent Hunt Program in three different age groups comprising Under-14, Under-17 and Under-19 would be introduced in all 18 branches, 10 of boys and 8 of female of PMSS of playing baseball.
He said, in the second phase out of these short-listed players five baseball developmental teams would be established including three for boys and two for female which would be coached and training in the Baseball Academies to be established in the premises of PMSS.
In the third phase, he disclosed that Inter-School Girls and Boys League would be organized on regular annual basis and during the Academy training and coaching transport, accommodation and food would also be provided to the players. The talent players would also be eligible for academy scholarship so that to ensure maximum participation, he said.
Dr. Nouman Ul Haq on this occasion disclosed that KP Baseball Association would provide all coaching and training facilities to the players. He said teams would be selected out of these academies for national junior and senior championships besides ensuring due facilities to the players to represent Pakistan at national and international level.
In his speech, Syed Aqil Shah lauded the MoU between PMSS which has almost 45000 students in 18 different branches. He said, baseball was widely recognized as the national sport of the United States. Baseball got recognition in Pakistan in 90s and Pakistan has produced good players of baseball at international levels. He said involving school and colleges students would produce good result in future.
Earlier, Dr. Nouman Ul Haq and Faizan Nadeem signed the MoU for baseball development in KP.