Indians quartet to continue legacy
They were part of the squad that represented South Africa at the WBSC U18 world cup in the USA.
For Robert White, Aiden McAllister and the Schwartz twins, Aiden and Kyle, playing at the grandest stage of them all was a reward for their families’ sweat and sacrifices for baseball in South Africa.
The quartet was part of the South Africa’s baseball squad that represented the country at the WBSC U18 World Cup in September in the USA.
“It was a big honour to represent our country and to also play for ourselves and all those who helped us achieve our goal. It was an honour because we inherited this sport from our families who have been playing since they were young,” said Kyle.
Although South Africa didn’t perform well, it was nonetheless a good experience for the Benoni Indians players.
“It’s surreal. I thought playing baseball in South Africa was a great achievement. But playing in a country where they literally eat, pray and sleep baseball is one of the best things I’ve ever seen,” Robert said.
For McAllister, being at the world cup was a reward for his hard work over the years. He learned a lot about teamwork.
“It’s important to play hard from the first strike until the very end. Don’t give up, support your teammates and let them support you. If you do that correctly, you will win games.”
According to Aiden, the results were not a true reflection of their overall performance.
“The results don’t show how well we performed. We lost most of our games by a small margin. This taught us teamwork and sportsmanship which was our opponents’ best weapon.”
South Africa went into the competition as underdogs but the boys played with heart and pride which left an indelible mark on their opponents.
Robert said to improve and compete with the best in the world, more resources need to be invested in youth structures.
“I looked at the players in America and thought they are too good for 18 year olds. They showed an absurd level of strength.
“We need to improve our development. Improving our youth system means there will be a big pool to select from in the senior structures in years to come.
“Our families, coaches and supporters should also play a part in growing the sport in the country,” he said.
In continuing their families’ legacy in the sport, Kyle, Robert and McAllister have their sights on college baseball in America and ultimately a career in the MLB, while Aiden wants to invest his time into coaching.
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