Vietnamese baseball at the 33rd SEA Games: From dream to reality.

Today, the Vietnamese baseball team returned home, officially concluding their memorable journey at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand (the 5-a-side baseball team, which arrived four days ago, will play the bronze medal match against Malaysia this afternoon, December 14th).

Before everyone left, I met the young baseball players shopping at FanZone, their athlete badges adorned with national team emblems. They were fascinated by everything, asking about buying a toy for their younger sibling, wanting to buy a bottle of oil as a gift for their mother, and then regretting leaving Thailand a little too soon.

For these young men, this is their first international tournament, followed by competing at the highest level in a world-class arena. In fact, everything on this trip is a first for them.

Vietnamese baseball players before returning home. (Photo: Thanh Hai)

"Like this card," said athlete Nguyen Khuong Duy, holding up his athlete's card, "We were nervous the first day we received these cards. Because the athletes in Hanoi received theirs first and had their photos taken, we were really looking forward to it. Holding it in our hands felt indescribable, and we were filled with pride to represent our country. When I get home, I'll frame it and hang it on the wall. We've never participated in any international competitions before, so we were a little anxious and nervous, but we were also very happy."

"More joy than worry," said player Ngo Chi Hao with a smile. According to Ngo Chi Hao, the team is largely made up of people who grew up together since elementary school. "Back then, Mr. Ngo Duc Thuy, who is now also the team's coach, was in charge of physical education at school," he recounted, "He loved baseball and ignited a passion in the students, guiding us towards a sport that, for Vietnamese people, was previously only popular in Japanese manga."

To date, they have all been involved with baseball for 8 to 10 years. Because baseball doesn't have standard pitches, they all had to play on 11-a-side football fields, setting up equipment to resemble a baseball field as closely as possible. The equipment was also acquired through the team's own research, experimentation, and self-funded purchases. Khuong Duy recalls that it wasn't until 2011 that an official national-level tournament was organized, involving baseball clubs from across the country.

The Vietnamese baseball team makes their debut at the 33rd SEA Games. (Photo: Saigon Storm)

Only recently did the entire baseball team learn what professional baseball is like. Before, they all played just for passion and fitness, until one day they were encouraged to try harder and make more effort for a chance to participate in the 33rd SEA Games, when baseball was included as an event by host country Thailand.

Following that was a 10-day training camp in South Korea. There, they trained and honed their skills to improve tactical coordination and performance in various real-life situations. They also gained experience playing against South Korean baseball teams.

"That was our first time being exposed to professional baseball. When we first arrived, we felt overwhelmed and realized that baseball is truly different, on a higher level than we knew. However, we didn't feel inferior or self-conscious; instead, we were inspired, understood more about how to play, and that motivated us," Chi Hao shared.

The Vietnamese baseball team competing at the 33rd SEA Games. (Photo: Saigon Storm)

The baseball players' horizons were further broadened when they entered the SEA Games 33, competing against mostly countries with a strong baseball tradition. Their knowledge and experience were far superior, and they had more sponsors, resulting in better equipment. The Vietnamese baseball team only secured a sponsor just before departing for Thailand. Baseball is a socialized sport, and our boys simply tried their best with what they had.

Therefore, it's no surprise that many scorelines were created. The Vietnamese baseball team only managed one victory against Malaysia in the second game of the tournament.

However, it was a victory of great significance, being both the first win for Vietnamese baseball in 14 years in the regional arena, since its first participation in 2011, and an encouragement for the young players who have just stepped onto the big stage.

Members of the (official) baseball team and the 5-a-side baseball team.

Khuong Duy shared that the disappointing results made the whole team very sad. However, with encouragement from coach Ngo Duc Thuy, and knowing their own limitations, the boys bounced back and completed their performances at the SEA Games 33.

"We're also very happy that through this tournament, more people know about baseball, and that Vietnam is developing this sport, and that we have a baseball team ready to compete with other countries. Seeing the interaction on the club's fanpage increase makes us very happy," said Khuong Duy.

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