Team Israel, WIN Reality partner up on Olympic preparation
Israel Baseball is pleased to announce that WIN Reality is the exclusive Player Development Partner of the Israeli national baseball team. Team Israel, which will be one of six teams to compete in baseball at the 2020 Olympic Games, will be using the virtual reality technology developed by WIN Reality to prepare for the games in Tokyo. WIN Reality has donated several packages to the team to help the players get ready to chase a historic Olympic medal.
WIN Reality uses virtual reality to put hitters in the batter’s box against the best pitchers in baseball. With the Oculus Quest, WIN Reality Bat Attachment and the Diamond Kinetics SwingTracker, batters can train their eyes to prepare for different release points, recognize pitches and adjust to different speeds.
“Israel Baseball has always been in the forefront of providing our players with the best-in-class preparation for our international tournaments,” said Team Israel Bench Coach Alex Jacobs. “In such a high stakes tournament in Tokyo, WIN Reality’s VR system takes our preparation efforts beyond an elite level by providing our hitters with game-like reps and visual preparation that will enhance their familiarity with pitchers they have never seen before, all while creating a confidence for when they are in the box live, competing for a medal, in Tokyo.”
With their patented technology, WIN Reality can recreate pitchers’ motions so that hitters can practice swinging against pitchers they have never seen in person before. That is especially valuable for Team Israel before the Olympics where the players will face pitchers from leagues they have never competed in.
“WIN Reality has been a great tool for me in keeping my eyes and reaction time polished and ready for seeing live pitching leading up to the 2021 season and the games in Tokyo,” Team Israel outfielder Blake Gailen said.
“We are thrilled to work with Team Israel and assist in their preparation as they embark to Tokyo for the Olympics,” said Chris O’Dowd, WIN Reality Co-Founder & CEO. “From Team Israel’s historic run in the 2017 WBC to being one of just six teams to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, it’s an exciting time for the team, both domestically and worldwide, and we appreciate that we can be a part of their journey.”
Team Israel qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games by winning the Africa/Europe Qualifying Event in September 2019 in Italy. This marks the first time Israel will compete in baseball at the Olympics. It is the first team to represent Israel at the Olympic Games since 1976 when Israel's national soccer team played in Montreal. The six-team Olympic Baseball Tournament will run from July 28 through August 7. Israel will face the USA in its first game in Japan on Thursday, July 29, and meet Korea the next day.
Part of Team Israel's preparation will include a training camp and tour in which it will play nine games over 10 days in mid-July in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Maryland. You can help Team Israel on its journey by supporting the 25th Player campaign with donations made via Jewish National Fund-USA. Go to IsraelBaseball.com for more information. Official Team Israel baseball apparel can be purchased at teamisraelbaseball.com.
About Israel Baseball
The Israel Association of Baseball was founded in 1986 and has overseen the growth of the sport in the country ever since, culminating with Team Israel’s historic qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The IAB is a member of The Israel Olympic Committee, The Confederation of European Baseball (CEB), the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), Major League Baseball International (MLBI) and Little League.
As part of the expansion of baseball activities in Israel, the IAB is building new fields in conjunction with the Jewish National Fund-USA’s Project Baseball and looks forward to the completion of the new Bet Shemesh complex, which will host international tournaments, as well as the Raanana field, which will be a joint baseball-soccer facility, both slated for 2021. There are also plans to expand the Sportek Tel Aviv field and to add lighting. For further information, please contact the General Manager, Peter Kurz, at .
About WIN Reality
WIN Reality specializes in sports technology with a focus on improving athlete performance. Their virtual reality software is used for player development and game preparation by professional, collegiate, and high school baseball & softball organizations worldwide to quantify performance potential, skill development, and transfer training improvements into competition. This unique virtual reality application has been successfully implemented in game preparation and player development programs by over 20 Major League organizations and premier college programs across the country. WIN Reality is designed for players, by players.