The President of the Nigeria Baseball and Softball Association (NBSA), retired Major- General Ishola Williams has appealed to state associations to develop the sports at the grassroots.

Speaking yesterday at a summit organised by the association at the University of Lagos to restructure the sports, Williams said the state associations should be involved in discovering talents by initiating grassroots programmes in their respective states.

He said the state associations needed to come up with programmes to reposition the sports at the grassroots.
“State associations must have good structures for NBSA to be strong. The associations should go to the schools and popularise the sports.

“If players are not identified and nurtured at the grassroots, the NBSA will not be able to organise regular national competitions where states can compete.

“So, a lot still needs to be done by the states to strengthen and restructure the sports in the country,” he said.
He commended Rivers and Lagos states for introducing baseball and softball leagues in 2013, saying that it will go a long way to increase the popularity of the game.

Williams, who is also the President of the Africa Baseball and Softball Association, urged all stakeholders to be more committed to the development of the sports.