With this expanded agreement, work will continue to promote youth baseball in Cuba.
Photo taken from Prensa Latina
Havana, August 19 (RHC)-- U.S. sports authorities and the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation (FCBS) signed on Saturday in the city of Williamsport, U.S., an agreement that ratifies the commitment to the development of Little League in the largest Antillean Island.
The affiliation extension agreement until 2025 was signed by Stephen D. Keener, president and CEO of Little League, and Juan Reinaldo Pérez, president of the FCBS, prior to the second game of the Caribbean country in the World Series that will take place until August 27 in that Pennsylvania city.
"In the four years since we signed our initial agreement with the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation, we have been continually impressed and inspired by Cuba's commitment," said Keener.
"We are pleased to be able to extend our agreement and look forward to an exciting future as we continue to grow the game across the country and work to motivate and inspire thousands of children each year," he said.
With this extended agreement, work will continue to push youth baseball in Cuba, with the hope of extending opportunities to the teen divisions and the possible establishment and development of Little League Softball programs.
Photo taken from PL
In March 2023, the Bayamo Little League team made history as the first from Cuba to qualify for the Little League World Series (Llbws) by defeating its similar team from Habana del Este in the national championship.
Participation in this 2023 event makes it the 29th country to earn a spot in the Llbws and will once again qualify for direct entry in 2024 as part of the international rotation.
The U.S. federator traveled to Cuba in January of this year accompanied by Carlos Pagán, director of his entity for Latin America, and Pete Cacheiro, member of the board of directors.
At that time, the agenda included exchanges with executives of the Cuban Baseball Federation, the Cuban Olympic Committee and the National Institute of Sports and Recreation, as well as the signing of a new memorandum of understanding, continuity of the one achieved in 2019.
