Early in 2007, Steve Zawrotny received an email from Jim Jones, president of International Sports Group (ISG), Inc., a non-profit organization that conducts baseball clinics in Europe. Among ISG's goals is to promote and grow the game of baseball overseas. The Question: Would Steve be interested in traveling to the Netherlands to do a series of presentations and clinics on baseball strength and conditioning? Big Z's reply was an enthusiastic “Yes!” Thus began what has turned out to be one of the best experiences of his entire life. The following is his personal report on that trip - an American's first-hand perspective of baseball in Europe.

by Steve Zawrotny, MS, CSCS

Our trip (my wife Cari accompanied me) took place December 6 - 12, 2007, beginning in Rotterdam and ending in Amsterdam. My presentation subjects were Strength & Conditioning for Baseball, Training Methods to Increase Throwing Velocity, Training Methods to Increase Bat Speed and Hitting Power, and Youth Strength & Conditioning.

This would be the 21st European Coaches Baseball Clinic, so they have been at this for some time. Some quick background: The Dutch are at the forefront of European baseball, having ended the Cuban's 21 game winning streak at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. They are already qualified for the 2008 Olympics in China. This season, there will be a total of 10 Dutch players signed with US professional teams, including one in the Major Leagues - Rick vanden Hurk of the Florida Marlins.

Upon our arrival at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, we were picked up by Jan van der Sande, Team Manager of Neptunis Baseball, Holland's top level pro baseball team. We were checked into a nice hotel, courtesy of our hosts, and then we met for dinner later that evening. Friday was spent sight-seeing around Rotterdam, Europe's largest seaport, and the town of Delft where the beautiful and famous blue and white porcelain is manufactured. We also toured the Neptunus Baseball Stadium, a very nice facility as good as most any you'll see at the NCAA D-1 level in America.

As it turned out, setting aside our first day for touring was a good idea, as I was pretty severely jet lagged the first 24 hours or so. Cari seemed to be handling this better than me.

The clinic itself was held on Saturday and Sunday. With my four presentations, I was one of seven speakers on the schedule. Three of them were of the Power Point and video type, with the other a hands-on session in a local gym.

While I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the clinic, the gym session may have been my favorite. It allowed me the opportunity to work with Holland's best 14-16 year old players (their National Team for this age group), and they were a great bunch of kids. Using several different pieces of equipment, I was able to show them some things to do, and not do, to train for strength, power, flexibility and speed.

Fortunately for me, all of my presentations were in English. As it turns out, your average citizen in Holland is taught both English and Dutch in grade school, so they speak both languages fluently. Many speak French and German as well. It didn't take me long to realize that in a room full of these coaches and players, I was not the smartest guy!  Fortunately, my presentations were well received, and they laughed at my jokes, so I think my “American” manner of speaking translated well.

One of my favorite stories has to do with two Russian coaches Cari and I sat with for lunch one day. They told us they had driven more than 20 hours to attend the clinic. We found out later from some other coaches that when they needed to stop for rest, they didn't do so in a comfortable hotel. The Russian coaches simply pulled their car to the side of the road to get a few hours of rest, then hurried on to their destination in Rotterdam.

Another impression I got from the coaches is a positive and strong sense of pride in their baseball heritage and accomplishments.  We Americans may think of baseball as "our" game, but Europeans have thoroughly embraced it as well. Soccer is still king overseas, but baseball has taken hold there, something I wouldn't have guessed prior to my visit.

I am writing this the day after my return from the 2008 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) convention in Philadelphia. Guess who was there, with their own exhibit and booth? My new friends from the Netherlands and Sweden. I mention Sweden as well because their youth national team coach was at the clinic in Holland, and he and I ate dinner together one night. Turns out he is also their strength and conditioning coach, so we were able to discuss a number of baseball training ideas, something I thoroughly enjoyed. Turns out my European friends have been attending the ABCA for many years! They even have their own version of this show, called the European Baseball Coaches Association convention.

Baseball news in this country has been sobering of late, enough so that I wonder what will become of the pro game. On the other hand, based on my experiences with my baseball brethren overseas, I am much more optimistic. It's great to know that baseball is as well-loved in Europe as it is here. I am confident that all of us will continue with our best efforts to hand over the game, in good shape, to the next generation.