THE Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil) has tapped former Major League baseball player Steven Figueroa as head coach of its national women’s team that seeks to compete against the best in the planet.
“Coach Steven is a driving force. He doesn’t just hone individual talent, he’s implementing a system that elevates the entire sport of softball across the country,” said Asaphil President Jean Henri Lhuillier.
“Under his visionary direction, I am convinced that he can take Philippine softball to even greater heights, setting new benchmarks for success,” he added.
Mr. Figueroa, who played for the Atlanta Braves, had actually conducted a two-day softball clinic in January this year alongside another elite coach Skylynne Ellazar but eventually got the nod to handle the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls.
And Mr. Figueroa likes what he sees in the team, which is also preparing for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand late this year.
“This group has the discipline, the heart, and now, the structure to compete fiercely with the world’s best. We’re not just preparing for tournaments, we are forging a world-class softball program,” he said. — Joey Villar
