Great Britain’s blind baseball squad is heading to Seaton Carew this summer for crucial training sessions ahead of this year’s European Championships.
The GB squad’s visit has been facilitated through strong connections with the Hartlepool Monkeys, the town’s very own pioneering blind baseball club.
The Monkeys, who train fortnightly on Tuesday evenings at Hornby Park, have forged a link that will see the national team utilise the Seaton Carew facility.
The first taste of national action will arrive on Saturday, May 31, when the GB Blind Baseball Academy team will hold a training session at the Elizabeth Way community and sports complex.
This presents a fantastic opportunity for blind and visually impaired players from across the North-East to participate and potentially catch the eye of selectors ahead of the European Championships in Sicily on October 4-5.
Grant Mallabar, founder of the Monkeys, said: “With a couple of the region’s players having represented GB in recent years, GB are coming to hold a training session here at Hornby Park specifically to scout current and potential new players.
“The final trials day is in July in Manchester, so the coaches will be using training sessions and tournaments between now and then to identify talent.”
This first visit marks an exciting step in the GB squad’s journey towards the Euros. They will first compete in a tournament in Sheffield on May 17, providing a valuable warm-up before their Hartlepool visit.
Then the Hartlepool Monkeys will host their very first tournament at Hornby Park on Saturday, July 12.
Teams from Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool will be making the trip to the home of Seaton Carew’s cricket, football and rugby clubs for what promises to be an exciting day of competition. Spectators are invited to experience the action, with GB players expected to be involved.
Grant said: “We started the Hartlepool Monkeys in May last year. Having played blind baseball in Manchester, I wanted to bring the opportunity to the North-East when I moved back. We train every two weeks from mid-April to the end of September at Hornby Park.
“The team was created last year because there was nothing like it in the North-East.
“It’s a truly amazing and unique sport, open not only to blind and visually impaired players, who all wear blackout shades to ensure a level playing field, but also to fully sighted participants who play crucial roles within the team.
“We would love for more people to come and give it a try and we are incredibly proud to be hosting our first tournament in July at Hornby Park. It’s amazing to welcome teams from across the country to our town.”
The ball used in blind baseball contains a bell, making it accessible for visually impaired players. Each base that players run around while wearing the blackout shades emits a different audible sound. It’s the only sport for blind people where they get to run at full speed completely independently and unguided.
Monica Vaughan, trustee at Seaton Carew Community and Sports, said: “This summer promises to be an exciting one for everyone at Hornby Park with our packed events calendar.
“Along with our first festival, fun days, a charity football match and an over-60s cricket international between England and Scotland on May 30, as well as our usual activities, we are looking forward to hosting the first tournament for blind baseball in Hartlepool and the visit of the national squad. It’s a fantastic opportunity to witness an inspiring and dynamic sport and perhaps even get involved.”
*Check out hornbypark.com or Hornby Park on social media for information about what is on.