Pitching a whole new ball game

Teresa Wilson, known as the godmother of American softball, is helping steer China's national women's team into the global spotlight.

After coaching US collegiate squads to 839 wins and reaching the NCAA final nine times between 1986-2012, Wilson could have chosen retirement and basked in her legacy as one of the greatest bench bosses in the sport's history.

Instead, she brought her expertise and passion for the game across the Pacific after being appointed head coach of Team China in May.

"I just feel like it's time for me to give back to the game and to expand it in the rest of the world - and China is definitely an ideal destination for doing that," said Wilson, an interested spectator at the Chinese National Games in Tianjin.

Her signing marked a high-profile step in the ongoing process of revitalizing a sport China previously dominated, but slumped to obscurity after softball was dropped from the Olympics in 2009.

China's women's team won a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games but has since struggled to attract talented athletes before they gravitate to other sports.

This spring, the Beijing Shougang Eagles - a 30-player national team - were invited to play in National Pro Fastpitch, the top women's professional circuit in the US, with Wilson as head coach.

The Eagles coaching staff also includes Breanne Lewis and hitting specialist Thomas Hazelhurst, along with strength trainer Erico Bryant. The team played 47 NPF games in 70 days - an unprecedented schedule for Chinese players.

"The scheduling helps a lot. The intensity is way higher than what they used to have, which has made a real difference," said Wilson, the only coach to lead three different programs to the Women's College World Series in the US.

With qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics an imminent challenge, the sport's governing body in China is determined to include more players in the US campaign, starting next year.

"At home our players have no games to play - at least not high-level ones," said Yang Xu, deputy director of the National Administration of Handball, Field Hockey, Baseball and Softball.

"Sending them abroad will kick them out of their comfort zone and help them grow quickly.

"It's a valuable drill for all of the players."

The administration is also formulating a plan to establish a domestic women's league based on the current nine local teams, aimed at expanding the talent pool of about 400 registered players.

"Talent-wise, the Chinese players are right up there ... but their success depends on how hard they want to work and how passionately they want to improve," said Wilson.

"They just need to be more aggressive and not hesitant about unleashing their passion."

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn