After a successful first season in the South West and Wales Baseball League (SWWBL), the New Forest Thunder Knights are entering a second league team for the 2024 season.
With the team’s name being a combination of two initial ideas, the ‘Thunder’ and ‘Knights’ will be separated into two teams, both competing at the Single A level of British Baseball.
Capitalising on the success of Team GB on the diamond, British Baseball continues to grow in popularity and the New Forest based team have seen a good amount of interest from local people since the club was founded in 2022.
In order to meet that interest, and give everyone a chance to play competitively, members of the Thunder Knights voted to establish a new team at the club’s annual AGM. Sam Williams was voted in as the Manager of the new team, who will play as the New Forest Knights, with Warren Doyle continuing as Manager of the New Forest Thunder.
Given the launch of the new team, the Thunder Knights will be recruiting players ahead of the new season.
New Forest Knights Manager, Sam Williams, said:
“We’re really happy with how quickly the club has been able to grow in the space of a year. This new team will allow us to stick to our ethos of developing baseball in an environment that is inclusive and fun for people, whilst also fielding competitive teams.”
The Thunder Knights finished second in the SWWBL’s Severn Division at the end of the 2023 season, falling in the playoffs to eventual National British Baseball Single A champions, the Cardiff Merlins. As well as that, the Hampshire club also entered a team at the inaugural BBF Summer Cup and arranged development games for new players to gain experience.
Work is ongoing to grow the club, with the long term aim to be the establishment of a baseball facility with complete diamond in the local area. As part of this, the club will also launch an appeal for sponsorship in the coming weeks.
Given the club’s emphasis on local community the team will train in the heart of the New Forest, at Brockenhurst College, from the start of 2024.
Anyone interested in giving baseball a go, or playing for the team next year should contact the club via email at newforestbaseball@outlook.com or via any of the social media accounts (Twitter, Instagram or Facebook).
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