While most of the players are wondering what took both of them to the game, Justine, president of Women’s Baseball League (USA) and Patrick, president, Central Ontario Baseball League are busy in improving the basics of the Indian baseball players in the National camp being held the school's premises. The couple is here in India as a part of a week long coaching programme being organised by Baseball Federation of India from March 16 to March 23.

“I am amazed to see the fitness level of most of the Indian players. Even though, baseball is not as popular in India as in the United States, the players here are more enthusiastic about the game at the university level and are eager to learn more and more,” says Justine who is perhaps the only female baseball coach in US associated with a men's team.

Justine says she was surprised to find that about 5000 players play baseball at University level in India and it is a good sign for baseball in India.

“I was surprised to find out that India has about 5,000 players playing the game at the university level. In United States, the figure is quite low and the fact that India has got such a large number of players definitely is a sign for the future,” says Justine who is currently doing her phd in sports psychology from Springfields University, Massachusetts. And Patrick agrees with Justine’s viewpoint. “I can’t understand why people stop girls from playing a game which is considered to be a male dominated game. Women are equally competitive in baseball and if given a chance they can do wonders in the game,” opines Mcclauley who was one of the pioneers who set up women’s baseball league in Canada about a decade ago.

As the conversation steers towards the probability of baseball becoming popular in India, it is Patrick who draws the attention through a wise observation.

“In Canada too, the situation was same about a decade ago. Most of the people played ice hockey and baseball was only considered to be a part time sport. But all changed when Canada won the World Series Championship in 1994. India needs a platform and more and more sponsors to start a league such as Major Baseball League,” says Patrick who himself played ice hockey early in his career and is now a IBAF recognised instructor in baseball.