The Grenoble Grizzlys, a top-tier softball club, opened their doors to us. Softball and baseball in France boast 13,670 licensed players across 240 clubs. Softball is primarily the women’s and mixed version of baseball. Through a series of articles, we’ll introduce you to this sport in France.
During a friendly match against the Swiss champions, the Zürich Challengers, the club opened its doors to us. The club has 130 licensed players and two top-tier teams in women’s softball and mixed softball.
Vincent Coste, the team’s coach, explained the significance of this friendly match to us:
“There’s an indoor season with softballs, and this match is an opportunity to get back on the field and experience the conditions of the championship, which starts on March 20th.”
We need to put the upcoming season in the context of last year:
“Last year, with COVID, was unusual, but something happened at the French Challenge. The team bonded, and we have high hopes for the upcoming season. Our goal is to participate in the playoffs, which bring together the four best teams. This year, there’s only one division where all teams face each other. The four worst teams will participate in a play-down, where the two worst will be relegated to the second division next year.”
The coach reminded us about the French Challenge:
“It’s a competition that brings together the six best teams and qualifies for the European Cup. This year, it will take place on June 5th-7th in Saint-Raphaël.”
However, not everything is rosy. Especially regarding the facilities, he told us:
“We don’t have the best facilities in the championship. We have to prepare the field the day before, and this requires time and investment from the players and volunteers.”
Finally, to situate softball in France, he declared:
“France finished sixth in the last European Championship, but there was a generational gap, and the pool of players isn’t huge. Nevertheless, players are starting to emerge on the international scene.”
We also had the opportunity to speak with the club’s president, umpire, and baseball player, François Deslauries.
He has been the club’s president since last May, after ten years of management by Vincent Coste, who preferred to focus on coaching the softball team.
We asked him what it means to be the president of a club, the problems he faces, and finally, the projects he wants to carry out.
“When I became president, I realized that the most important thing in an association is the volunteers and the parents who are the lifeblood and keep the association alive.”
He also detailed the functioning and the problem of the infrastructures.
“It’s also about making choices and sometimes not pleasing everyone. Presiding is about deciding. It’s also about representing the club at the federation’s instances and local actors. It’s true that the main problem of the club is the infrastructures.
To summarize the situation, the fields are in an unenclosed public park, which poses a danger to the practitioners (poorly maintained and unsafe field) and depends on three local authorities, the metropole, the city of Grenoble, and the city of Meylan. The lack of willingness from local actors to help an association that is present in schools, leisure centers, and other disadvantaged neighborhoods is incomprehensible.”
Finally, he told us about his far-reaching project and the partnership with the Grenoble Centaures, the American football club.
“My biggest project is organizing the French Challenge for U10s in 2023. For the record, it’s a competition bringing together the six best teams over three days.
The partnership with the Centaures club is to help each other on our respective weaknesses, communication for our part and the training of young categories for them. The goal is to have a winning partnership for both clubs.”
Club’s Facebook Page: here
AUTHOR: MAXIME LE GORJUS The Free Agent
