The last few seasons have not been kind to the Templiers de Sénart. In 2024, the club came close to relegation with a worrying 7th place out of 8 and 18 defeats. A year later, there was a slight improvement in the standings – 6th position – but without any real change in the dynamic.
The 2024 off-season had, however, suggested a renewed ambition. Taking advantage of Montigny’s relegation, Sénart recruited three major players from the championship: Brazilian receiver Gabriel Do Carmo, pitcher Yorfranck Lopez and the athletic Dylan Mayeux. On paper, a major reinforcement. On the field, an unfulfilled promise. Their season came to an early end, marked by tensions and disciplinary sanctions for inappropriate comments towards the umpiring team.
In this unstable context, Japanese technician Hiroki Ijima, called in 2025 to impulse a new dynamic, quickly finds himself deprived of two key elements of his battery. A major handicap that will weigh heavily in the results.
In 2026, a new chapter opens – again. Théo Brelle takes the helm, marking a third coaching change in as many seasons. A sign of chronic instability, even as the club desperately seeks a direction. Due to a lack of official communication, his intentions remain, for the time being, unknown.
On the scene of the French Challenge, the assessment is just as severe. In 2024, Sénart is stopped in the semi-finals by Montpellier. In 2025, the Templars do not even get out of the group stage, dominated once again by the Héraultais. A persistent glass ceiling.
The potential is there. The club plays in one of the most beautiful ballparks in France, now equipped for night games, like Chartres or Toulouse. On the field, not everything is to be thrown away: the Sénart defense is among the strongest in the championship, particularly in the art of double play – a sector where it ranks just behind Rouen.
But the offensive numbers remind us of the size of the project: with a batting average of .214 in 2025 and a collective ERA of over 5, the team sorely lacks impact. The reinforcement of pitcher Anderson Vera, from Montpellier (ERA of 2.71), could however bring stability to the bullpen.
The unknown factor for the 2026 roster remains. Rumors of a return, such as that of Ilya Sladzinski, and a lack of visibility on the roster mean that there is a lot of uncertainty. In this context, the young French generation will have to take responsibility: Emile Brelle, Matteo Doyen, Thomas Gras, Lucas Landry and Tanguy Meurant embody this hope for renewal.
Sénart is therefore advancing on a tightrope. Between heritage, uncertainties and a desire to rebound, the Templiers are approaching 2026 with a question hanging in the air: will they be able to find the soul and consistency necessary to become a stronghold of French baseball again?
D.C.
