The Italian American Baseball Foundation (IABF) and Federation of Italian Baseball and Softball (FIBS) have developed a baseball portal for international talent to apply for visibility with Italian clubs and an opportunity to play or coach professional baseball and softball in Italy.
After players or coaches apply, their information is stored in a protected database accessible by FIBS, the Italian Baseball and Softball clubs, and IABF officials. To be clear, this does not guarantee players or coaches the opportunity to play or work in Italy; it opens the opportunity for exposure, communication, and the potential to be considered by the clubs. This portal, which is available at IABF.Foundation/PlayerPortal is open to people with or without Italian heritage from any country.
There is a $250 application fee. All revenue generated by the application fee will help support annual college baseball showcases, which is part of both organizations’ commitment to youth and program development. Additionally, players and coaches who are officially selected to be part of teams in Italy are expected to help conduct youth baseball and softball clinics in Italy or America with the help of FIBS and IABF.
“One of the core principles of the IABF is to bridge gaps between Italy and America through baseball and softball, and this agreement would continue building that bridge,” said IABF President/Co-Founder Joe Quagliano.
“While the cooperation between FIBS and IABF continues to grow with the main goal of developing talent and opportunities for young players, this initiative combines this task with providing Italian clubs with access to profiles of players and coaches wishing to apply for a location in Italy,” commented FIBS President Andrea Marcon. “There are many who write to the Federation every year, and we are certain that among them, there are professionals who will be able to contribute to the growth of the whole movement.”
How does it work?
ABOUT IABF: The Italian American Baseball Foundation works to bridge the gap between Italy and the United States through baseball and softball. IABF’s mission is to grow the game and provide opportunities for youth development through education. The core functions of the foundation are to build a pipeline of baseball and softball players from Italy to the United States through college scholarships and showcases, support the Italian National Teams as American partners and promote heritage and pride for Italian Americans in baseball from high school to the Major Leagues.
ABOUT FIBS: The Italian Baseball Softball Federation is the governing body of organization and promotion of baseball and softball in Italy. It is a federation affiliated with CONI. It organizes all levels of Italian baseball leagues, the league for the blind, and all softball leagues, both men and women.
Important Disclaimer: Paying the application fee does not guarantee coaching, a playing spot, or even communication from a club. If a player or coach is chosen to work in Italy, all travel, expenses, logistics, and anything beyond the application and initial point of communication are up to the individual and their prospective team, not IABF or FIBS.
