Garuda offers softball practice for employees, beginners

The Garuda Baseball-Softball Association is holding softball training for employees and beginners that was halted in mid-2020 on account of the pandemic.

Garuda’s commitment to developing baseball and softball in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta, is apparent from events regularly held every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Softball Arena in Jakarta.

Garuda’s Chairman, Amoreno, expounded that the Garuda Executive League was originally formed as a group for employees looking for leisure time after returning from work and keen to experience new sports, though now, it has also been offered to students.

“We see the public interest in exercising, as the pandemic increases our health awareness,” Amoreno noted here on Wednesday.

To this end, Garuda took the initiative to facilitate this training by offering slow pitch softball exercises for adults, especially employees keen on exercising for a healthy life and reducing fatigue in office.

Currently, the training is routinely held for about two hours twice a week.

Meanwhile, Garuda Executive League coordinator, Aga Haloho, explained that the training is held just before evening, from 6 to 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday and from 7:30 to 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, though additional time will be provided if necessary.

“Some 70 people train in each time slot. If the number of trainees continues to increase, of course, we will increase the training hours, so that each member gets ample opportunities,” Haloho pointed out.

“Interestingly, some 80 percent of our members are not softball or baseball athletes. Most of them are beginners or have only tried to play softball or baseball in school. Hence, beginners or novices can join and participate in the training,” he elaborated.

Haloho also highlighted that at the end of 2021, the Garuda Executive League had participated in two tournaments: Jakarta Slow Pitch Tournament and Altras Cup.

Source: Antara News