Dear members of the Royal Spanish Baseball and Softball Federation, dear colleagues, friends and fans of this wonderful sport.
Today I am here, with a heart full of emotions, since the time has come to say goodbye to my position as president of this Federation. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this community for all these years. I take this opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved together and thank all of you who have been part of this journey.
A little less than four years ago, I began my journey at the head of our Federation with great enthusiasm and responsibility. From the beginning I knew that the path would not be easy and that I would receive criticism, but I trusted that those criticisms would be the result of trying new things and not inaction. I always believed, and continue to believe, in the potential of our sports. A certainty marked the way, “if we want to obtain different results, we cannot always continue doing the same thing.”
Despite having started my mandate in the middle of a pandemic, facing economic cuts and other difficulties, together we achieved important progress, especially in the sports field, which I consider truly historic.
We began the necessary digital and technological transformation with a new website, a new statistics system, an online merchandise store or the use of an app for expense notes, among other improvements.
In 4 years we organized 1 European women’s softball, 1 European U-15 baseball, 1 women’s softball world championship, 1 European congress, 3 editions of the Euro Baseball Winter League and 4 Masters Cup. And we managed to organize another women’s event for 2025, the European U-18.
We accompany Galicia, Valencia and Andalusia to reverse very complicated situations, we create new delegations, such as those of Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León (the latter with a team with the right to participate in the LNB DH), of which I feel especially proud. Furthermore, the Balearic Islands and Castilla y León stopped being a delegation to become a Territorial Federation.
We grew in the number of licenses, exceeding pre-pandemic records. We also improved participation in championships.
For the first time, we managed to enter the CESA program, which allowed us to obtain more than €70,000/year for our championships for two years. And we will be there again in 2025.
We have also been pioneers in implementing a men’s softball league, with the participation of the men’s national softball team, the absolute and U-18 national Baseball5 team, and the registration for the first time in the history of the U-12 national baseball team. in a European.
Likewise, we have obtained Olympic solidarity aid for the first time and we have been present at important promotional events such as Marca Sport Weekend and Marca Sport & Family.
And, of course, the sporting results have been exceptional, the best in more than 80 years of history. We were European U-18 baseball champions for the first time, and absolute champions, a title that had not been achieved for 68 years. A historic participation in the softball world cup. A bronze medal in the first absolute participation in Baseball5 and a qualification for the U-18 Baseball5 World Cup and the U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup.
My deepest gratitude to our players, of all modalities, and to each of the technical and managerial bodies of territorial federations and clubs. All of you are the soul of this Federation. In addition to giving your all on the field, you have shown with actions, and not with words, that as a team we all win and that, united, we can go very far. You have taught us all a lesson. You are an example to follow, the inspiration that drives us to continue working for a better future for baseball, softball and Baseball5 in Spain.
I am also aware of the mistakes made and I want to apologize to anyone who has felt harmed. We never acted with bad intentions, the common good and not personal interests always prevailed.
In closing, I want to make it clear that my commitment to baseball and softball does not end today. Although I say goodbye to the presidency, I will continue to be a passionate defender of these sports that unite us, that challenge us and that inspire us every day.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone, especially the workers and members of the Board of Directors who have accompanied me at all times. Thanks also to the institutions for their collaboration and support. It has been a true honor to share this journey with all of you.
My best wishes to the new President and his team. I hope and wish that you find the playing field in better conditions or at least with marked lines.
See you in the fields.
Jesus Lisarri Tomás
