Noam Calisar, 19, from Binyaminah, Israel, a member of Israel Baseball’s Senior National Team and an Elite Athlete in the Israel Defense Forces, was selected to join the German Baseball Academy in Regensburg, and to play in the German baseball league. He tells us about his experiences so far.

How were you selected to play in Germany?
In the past, I participated in several times in MLB tournaments and training camps in Europe. The coaches in Regensberg knew me well and invited me to join the German Baseball Academy and play in the German league. In February this year, I traveled to Regensberg, Germany and my goal was to practice intensively, and to play in the leagues with the aim to continue on to college in the US or Japan.
What were your expectations?
I knew the coaches and the academy well from my past experiences when I participated in MLB training camps, so I was confident that I was coming to the right place with the best coaches in Europe where I could get physically stronger and improve my game. So, I had no concerns about joining the Academy from a professional perspective. And socially I knew the coaches and players, who received me really well and I’ve made friends very quickly.
Describe your day there
I practice 3-4 times a day, five days a week. My practice day is made up of batting practice in the morning; at 12:00 I go work out in the gym; at 16:00 I work out with the Baseball Academy; and in the evening I work out with the senior team.
On the weekends, we play in Regensberg, or we travel to play in other parts of Germany or in other European countries.
What progress do you feel you’ve made?
Every day that I work out in the gym, practice or play baseball, I push myself harder than the previous day – if it’s in the gym, I’m lifting heavier weights, and if it’s on the field, I’m trying to play even better that day and I try to be the best player on the field. I feel that I’m getting stronger every day, improving physically and mentally, and working on my technique. I don’t waste a second. Every day that passes, I feel the improvement in my fitness and in my game.
How does this program fit in with your army service?
After I was invited to join the Academy in Regensberg, the IAB President Peter Kurz and IAB Treasurer Yaron Erel called me in for a meeting about traveling to Germany. They then worked extremely hard to get me Elite Athlete status from the IDF so that I could travel to Germany to play there. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them with all my heart for their caring and support for me and for Israel Baseball.
A few months later I received an answer from the army that I had been awarded Elite Athlete status and I allowing me to travel to Germany to play baseball.
What next?
I am constantly focused on my main baseball goal, which is to be a professional player in the US or in Japan.
Why Japan?
From the age of 3 to 9, I lived in Japan with my family. That is when I started playing baseball. When my family decided to move back to Israel, I was very against it because I didn’t know there was baseball in Israel. After looking into it, my parents happily announced to me that there was a baseball federation in Israel.

I really would like to thank the Israel baseball leadership and my coaches in Israel, and of course my coaches in Germany and my team mates in Regensberg.

(Credit: Walter Keller)