EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Beach City Prospects, a Southern California championship baseball club organization run by the Beach City Baseball Academy of El Segundo, will host Tokyo Kitasuna, a championship little league team from Japan, April 11-20, 2011.
Originally scheduled to take place in Japan, the tournament was cancelled due to the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country in mid-March. To ensure that the Kitasuna players could continue following their baseball passions and at the same time get some relief from the tense situation in Japan, the Beach City Baseball organization donated airline tickets to the Kitasuna team to bring the 18 enthusiastic baseball players to Southern California for a pre-summer break. The stay will include the baseball tournament, as well as a trip to an upcoming Dodgers game and visits to Southern California landmarks.
Members of Beach City Baseball Academy are extending a welcoming hand to the Tokyo Kitasuna team, opening their homes to the players and staff of Kitasuna for places to stay while they are here for a cross-cultural learning experience and friendly competition on the field. The Beach City Baseball team will be making the transition from Japan to America as seamless as possible for the players, having already taken Japanese language courses for a year in preparation for their trip to Tokyo. They hope to be in a position to make their guests feel more welcome.
"Sports are an incredible way to bring people together, even in times of hardship, and the Beach City Prospects are honored to bring the Kitasuna team to California for the tournament," said Richard Murad, General Manager of the Beach City Baseball Academy. "The team members and their families are excited to interact and live with the guests and make lifelong friendships."
Kenny Woods, manager of the Beach City Prospects 11 and Under Team added, "The Beach City Prospects are eager to face such great competitors. The Kitasuna Club Organization is home to many fine teams with a long tradition of championship victories including winning Japan's National Championship in 2007 and participating in the little league world series so it's going to be an exciting and entertaining week of baseball."
In addition to the team from Tokyo and two teams from the Beach City Prospects, five additional South Bay teams will participate in the tournament.
For more information on the Beach City Baseball Academy, please visit http://beachcitybaseballacademy.com
About Beach City Baseball Academy:
Beach City Baseball Academy houses 7 indoor and two outdoor batting cages in a 15 thousand square foot facility with state of the art adjustable pitching machines, the academy provides private and group baseball and softball lessons, camps, clinics, a well stocked pro shop and fitness center. The Academy is also home to the award winning Beach City Prospects travel club baseball organization hosting a dozen baseball and softball club teams ranging in age from 9 to 16. The facility is noted for providing a safe, clean and secure environment with an authentic club atmosphere and spirit and a promise to dramatically improve the baseball skills of all who pass through its doors.