The Boucaniers de La Rochelle are now a well-established club in D1, boasting an enviable field. Let’s review the 2023 season with club President Pascal Regnier.
BTVF: How was the year for the club and all the teams?
A mixed season. Our young players are progressing well: the 15U are champions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and competed in the French championship. However, our player pool is too small to allow for proper level selections. We’ll need to intensify our recruitment and promotion efforts in the coming years.
Our D2 team was relegated, which is a failure but also logical, as our player pool was too small. We’ll rebuild and bounce back.
Our co-ed softball team is doing well. We also aim for a 100% female team.
BTVF: Regarding D1, a rollercoaster season and a fight to avoid relegation, what’s your take?
A roster too thin, which also had to be shared with D2. Poor recruitment choices. A tight budget. However, we set ourselves a five-year goal to be able to compete with any D1 team, and we’ve achieved that. Now, we’ll bring stability over the next five years. The championship was very tight. And 2024, with the introduction of the JFL, will bring its own surprises.
BTVF: Speaking of the JFL, what are your thoughts?
It’s good to refocus on training players formed in France.
We were more than on board here in La Rochelle regarding the development of French pitchers.
We’re curious to see what this will concretely bring in terms of results, level of play for this first 2024 season. But it was necessary, so we’re eager for the season to start and let the JFL take over.
BTVF: A single 8-team division, what’s your take?
It’s good too. But we should financially support the clubs. More matches, more travel, more spectacle, more playing time for JFL players. It’s good, but we’ll need to find a way to financially support the clubs, who are always asked to do more to support the development of French players.
BTVF: Regarding infrastructure and events organized in 2023, what’s your assessment?
We’re developing the event and festive environment around the matches. Our container bar and its terrace are already a must. The only way to bring people to the stadium, and thus the only way to try to develop real marketing around the matches. Matches must bring spectacle, otherwise we’ll always remain small, practicing a niche sport.
BTVF: What do you wish for 2024?
To have fun together.
