Seventeen-year-old William Michael Johns has been named the youngest member of the Fiji men’s baseball team set to compete in the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau from June 29 to July 9. A native of Vunibau, Serua, with maternal ties to Naitasiri, Johns expressed his excitement about representing Fiji for the first time at this event.
“This will be my first Mini Games, and I’m feeling really good,” said Johns. He credits his passion for baseball to his late uncle, also named William Johns, who played for Fiji in the 2003 South Pacific Games. “I just naturally took up the sport because of him,” he shared with gratitude.
Johns has been training diligently with the team, focusing on fielding, pitching, and batting, as well as building a cohesive game plan. His primary goal is to contribute to the team’s success as they aspire to win.
Inoke Niubalavu, the Secretary General of the Fiji Islands Baseball and Softball Association and a veteran on the team, highlighted making the team as a culmination of Johns’s dedication. “He is the only surviving member from the under-12 team that played in the 2019 World Cup in Taiwan,” Niubalavu noted. Additionally, Johns participated in a trip to Japan in 2018 through the World Children Baseball Foundation, showcasing his continued journey in the sport.
The roster, coached by Ten Tamaki, includes notable players like Tavo Sorovakatini and his sons, along with other talented athletes. The team plans to depart for the Mini Games on June 27.
This youth representation in FIji’s national team not only highlights emerging talent in baseball but also underscores the growing sports culture within the region. The combination of experience and youthful enthusiasm could provide a competitive edge for Fiji at the upcoming games, fostering community pride and encouraging further participation in baseball among youngsters. The determination shown by these athletes paints a hopeful picture for the future of baseball in Fiji.
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