Jakarta (ANTARA) – Chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Baseball and Softball Federation (Perbasasi DKI Jakarta) for the 2026–2030 term, M. David Franico, said that the main focus of his administration is to prepare athletes for the 2028 National Sports Week (PON), which will be held in East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara.
At the 22nd edition of PON, Perbasasi DKI Jakarta aims to maintain its strong tradition of achievement while further improving the competitiveness of its athletes at the national level.
“Jakarta has great potential to remain one of the leading forces in Indonesian baseball and softball. To achieve this, we need a more structured, sustainable, and performance-oriented development system,” David said in an official statement on Sunday.
David, who was elected Chairman of Perbasasi DKI Jakarta for the 2026–2030 term during the Provincial Congress held in Jakarta on Saturday, said preparations for PON 2028 would begin early through athlete monitoring programs, increased competition intensity, and the establishment of a long-term development system.
Internal club competitions and age-group development programs will also be strengthened as part of efforts to build a sustainable pipeline of future athletes.
“In addition to improving athlete quality, we will also focus on developing our human resources, including coaches, umpires, and match officials, so they can keep pace with developments in international sport,” he added.
Beyond competitive baseball and softball, the Provincial Congress also placed strong emphasis on the development of slowpitch. The discipline, which continues to grow in many countries, is considered to have significant potential to broaden public participation in community-based sports.
Perbasasi DKI Jakarta views slowpitch not only as a recreational sport, but also as a platform to promote a healthy lifestyle, strengthen communities, and create new pathways for athlete development.
In recent years, public interest in slowpitch has continued to grow, including among young professionals, sports communities, and families.
For this reason, the new administration is committed to expanding tournaments, community sports festivals, as well as baseball and softball introduction programs for the wider public. These initiatives are expected to strengthen the foundation of the sport while expanding the future talent pool.
Furthermore, the Provincial Congress also served as an important moment for organizational consolidation and the strengthening of professional and modern governance.
The new administration is expected to introduce innovative and transparent programs capable of responding to the evolving challenges of sports development in today’s era.
