Kızıltepe Sports High School's baseball team, facing difficulties in acquiring equipment due to the sport's limited popularity in Türkiye, received support from the school itself as they imported baseballs and gloves from the United States.
The team, determined to overcome the challenges, repaired and stitched their worn-out gear, persevering in their training sessions on the carpeted field.
Their dedication paid off when they emerged victorious in the Baseball Youth Türkiye Championship, a school sports event featuring 180 athletes from 12 different provinces.
Defying the odds, they clinched the top spot.
Metin Demir, the club coach, expressed the team's resourcefulness in handling their equipment limitations: "As our balls and gloves gradually deteriorated and tore apart, and with no means to acquire new ones, we stitched them ourselves. Perhaps we have sewn them three or four times. We lack a proper field, so we train on a carpeted surface, giving it our all."
Established in 2018 at Kızıltepe Sports High School, the baseball team faced material challenges due to the sport's limited popularity in Türkiye.
However, with the support of the school, they managed to bring in new baseballs and gloves from the U.S.
Unable to afford replacements, they repaired their worn and torn equipment, continuing their training sessions on the carpeted field.
Last year, they achieved third place in the Turkish Youth Baseball Tournament held in Samsun, and this year they qualified for the finals of the Baseball Youth Türkiye Championship.
In the match played in Mardin, they overcame a 4-0 deficit against Ankara Sports High School, securing a remarkable 5-4 victory to become the Turkish champions.
District national education director Abdulkadir Gümüş, district public education center director Mehmet Büyük and school principal Mesut Kılıç presented various gifts to the champion athletes.
Team coach Metin Demir highlighted the fact that they had to prepare for matches on a carpeted field due to the absence of a baseball field.
He mentioned the initial difficulty they faced in directing students toward baseball when the team was first formed.
"This is the first time this sport has been introduced in our school in Mardin. We initially secured third place in Türkiye, and now we have become the national champions. We are incredibly happy. This championship came under extremely challenging conditions. We requested baseball equipment from America. Our equipment has become worn and torn, and without the means to acquire new ones, we stitched them ourselves. Perhaps we have sewn them three or four times. We lack a proper field, so we train on a carpeted surface, giving it our all despite the rain, mud, heat and cold. We worked hard and became the Turkish champions. Our school principal, Mesut Kılıç, and our district governor, Fatih Cıdıroğlu, coordinated with us to provide the necessary equipment. Otherwise, we would not have been able to compete in this match. In the final match, despite being behind 4-0 against the Ankara team, we stayed focused and turned the game around with a score of 5-4. I congratulate our children; they never gave up and fought until the end. Our achievement of becoming last year's third-place finishers and this year's champions proves how much effort we put into it," he said.
School Principal Mesut Kılıç mentioned that this success was the result of a five-year project, saying: "Last year, we finished third in Samsun. This year, we became champions. This is not a coincidence. It is the result of a five-year effort. We finally achieved success after four years. The most important accomplishment is instilling good morals in the children. Being champions is not as significant as that."
Ali Akar, the team's pitcher, expressed his happiness at being part of the team for the past two years and winning the championship.
"We achieved this success through hard work, collaboration, and determination, despite the challenging conditions," he said.
District national education director Abdulkadir Gümüş mentioned that Kızıltepe Sports High School has been producing athletes for the national team and various other clubs, an achievement that fills them with pride.
