{"id":462,"date":"2025-08-26T21:43:31","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T19:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/?p=462"},"modified":"2025-09-03T16:18:41","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T14:18:41","slug":"nasi-igralci-v-tujini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/2025\/08\/26\/nasi-igralci-v-tujini\/","title":{"rendered":"Our players abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Eric Bastien from BSK LJUBLJANA to Ontario Baseball Academy.\n
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In our club, we are proud of every player who has ever worn our jersey, whether they train with us or continue their journey elsewhere in the world. That\u2019s why we are starting a new series of stories, \u201cOur Players Abroad,\u201d in which we will feature our players who now live and play baseball or softball abroad.<\/div>\n
The first in the series is Eric Bastien, who moved from the baseball fields in Ljubljana to Canada, where he is following the path of a professional player.
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Beginnings in Ljubljana<\/b>\n
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Eric encountered baseball as a young boy. When he was just six years old, he first wore the BSK LJUBLJANA jersey and stepped onto the field, where the glove and bat were almost bigger than him. Even then, he showed remarkable enthusiasm for a sport that only a few children in Slovenia know.<\/div>\n
\u201cWhen I joined BSK LJUBLJANA, I was 6 years old,\u201d<\/i>\u00a0he remembers today.<\/div>\n
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He describes his first practices as a special experience; the field became a place of play, new friendships, and many moments full of laughter. He quickly realized that baseball is not just a sport, but also a community where you can grow.<\/div>\n
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His fondest stories from his time in Slovenia are connected to socializing and traveling:<\/div>\n
”\u00a0I enjoyed traveling abroad the most, where we played our favorite sport. I also have fond memories of the summer baseball camps, which were really fun, with great food\u2014especially the delicious burgers prepared by Coach Jaka.\"<\/i><\/div>\n
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He adds that what impacted him the most were the relationships within the club:<\/div>\n
\u201cWith friends and teammates, we had a great time. Traveling to tournaments was an excellent experience, but the best part was the training and the encouragement I always received from the coaches.\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n
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A new journey in Canada<\/b><\/div>\n
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In 2024, Erik moved to Canada. There, he was accepted into the Ontario Baseball Academy, where he has the opportunity to train with experienced coaches and teammates at a very high level.<\/div>\n
He currently plays for the Ontario Jackals in the Fergie Jenkins Showcase League. He prefers playing shortstop, but this season he has played virtually every infield position, even catcher.<\/div>\n
\u201cNext year I will play for the FieldHouse Pirates team from Burlington, Ontario. As an elite team, they compete in the Canadian Premier Baseball League,\u201d<\/i>\u00a0he says with well-deserved pride.<\/div>\n
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For a young player who began his journey on the Ljubljana field, this is a big step forward and at the same time proof that hard work, perseverance, and love for the game are the keys to success.<\/div>\n
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Differences between Canada and Slovenia<\/b><\/div>\n
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When we ask him what the biggest difference between baseball in Slovenia and Canada is, he smiles.<\/div>\n
\u201cThe big difference is that in Canada we have access to indoor training facilities, like batting cages, all year round, which practically don\u2019t exist in Slovenia. We also play baseball in the evenings, as many fields have lights. And there are far more fields than in Slovenia. In addition, many high schools have their own baseball teams, so you can play baseball at school, not just in clubs. In the summer, there are many camps organized for different ages and skill levels, and it\u2019s also easier to access good equipment.\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n
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His words show the significant gap between the two countries, but at the same time, how valuable the experience of playing baseball in Slovenia was.<\/div>\n
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Training and life with baseball<\/b><\/div>\n
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Although he is young, Eric now lives an almost professional schedule.<\/div>\n
\u201cIn the spring and summer, I\u2019m on the field six days a week, either at games or training. Every weekend we play games, sometimes even during the week. In the fall and winter, we train at least three times a week, mostly indoors, but if the weather is nice, also outside.\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n
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Baseball has thus become part of his everyday life, just like school or spending time with friends. Yet, he always reflects on his beginnings:<\/div>\n
“ \u201cI have really fond memories of BSK Ljubljana, as that\u2019s where I started playing baseball. Even when I lived and played in France for a year, I could hardly wait to return to BSK LJUBLJANA.\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n
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Dreams for the future<\/b><\/div>\n
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Eric\u2019s dreams are clear and ambitious:<\/div>\n
\u201cI would like to play at the Division 1 college level in the USA, which is the highest collegiate level of baseball, and then professionally in the MLB.\u201d
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These dreams may seem big, but with his work ethic and family support, they are not unattainable. For young players in Slovenia, he has a simple yet important message:<\/div>\n
\u201cEnjoy yourself and train hard, as baseball is truly a great team sport that can even take you to professional play.\u201d
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Parents\u2019 perspective<\/b><\/div>\n
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Of course, Eric\u2019s parents are also part of the story, as they know well the important role BSK Ljubljana played in their son\u2019s journey:<\/div>\n
” BSK Ljubljana je bil za\u010detek na\u0161e zgodbe. Skozi va\u0161e treninge, kampe, tekme in turnirje, tako v dvoranah kot na prostem in ob podpori predanih trenerjev, je na\u0161 sin dobil svojo strast do baseballa in prve ve\u0161\u010dine.”<\/i><\/div>\n
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They add that baseball has shaped not only his athletic path but also his personal journey:<\/div>\n
“\u00a0He is learning how to overcome difficult moments and turn mistakes into lessons, growing and developing. He is a healthy, confident, and well-adjusted teenager who understands that hard work and dedication are essential for success, both in sports and in school and life.\u201d<\/i><\/div>\n
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Their words show that sports are more than just a game; they are a life school that teaches children perseverance, discipline, and confidence.<\/div>\n
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Conclusion<\/b><\/div>\n
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Eric\u2019s story is proof that baseball dreams can be born anywhere, even on a Ljubljana field where, years ago, a small six-year-old stood with a big glove. Today, his path takes him across the ocean to Canada, tomorrow perhaps to the USA, and one day to Major League Baseball.<\/div>\n
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We are proud to have been part of his journey and proudly follow his successes.<\/div>\n
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<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

V BSK Ljubljana smo ponosni na vsakega igralca, ki je kdaj nosil na\u0161 dres, ne glede na to, ali trenira pri nas ali pa nadaljuje svojo pot drugje po svetu. Prav zato za\u010denjamo novo serijo zgodb \u201cNa\u0161i igralci v tujini\u201d, v kateri bomo predstavili na\u0161e igralce, ki danes \u017eivijo in igrajo baseball ali softball v tujini.<\/p>\n

Prvi v seriji je Eric, ki se je iz baseball igri\u0161\u010da v Ljubljani preselil v Kanado in tam stopa po poti profesionalnega igralca.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"builder_content":"

\u00a0<\/p> Eric Bastien iz BSK LJUBLJANA v Ontario Baseball Academy. \u00a0 V na\u0161em klubu smo ponosni na vsakega igralca, ki je kdaj nosil na\u0161 dres, ne glede na to, ali trenira pri nas ali pa nadaljuje svojo pot drugje v svetu. Prav zato za\u010denjamo novo serijo zgodb \" Na\u0161i igralci v tujini\", v kateri bomo predstavili na\u0161e igralce, ki danes \u017eivijo in igrajo baseball ali softball v tujini. Prvi v seriji je Eric Bastien, ki se je iz baseball igri\u0161\u010d v Ljubljani preselil v Kanado in tam stopa po poti profesionalnega igralca.
\n\u00a0 Za\u010detki v Ljubljani<\/b> \u00a0 Eric se je z baseballom sre\u010dal \u017ee kot majhen de\u010dek. Ko je bil star komaj \u0161est let, je prvi\u010d oblekel dres BSK LJUBLJANA in stopil na igri\u0161\u010de, kjer sta bili rokavica in palica skoraj ve\u010dji od njega samega. A \u017ee takrat je pokazal izjemno navdu\u0161enje nad \u0161portom, ki ga v Sloveniji pozna le malo otrok. \" Ko sem se pridru\u017eil BSK LJUBLJANA, sem bil star 6 let,\"<\/i>\u00a0se danes spominja. \u00a0 Prve treninge opisuje kot posebno izku\u0161njo, igri\u0161\u010de je postalo prostor igre, novih prijateljstev in \u0161tevilnih trenutkov, polnih smeha. Hitro je za\u010dutil, da baseball ni samo \u0161port, ampak tudi skupnost, kjer lahko raste\u0161. \u00a0 Njegove najlep\u0161e zgodbe iz \u010dasa v Sloveniji so povezane z dru\u017eenjem in potovanji: \"\u00a0Najbolj sem u\u017eival na potovanjih v tujino, kjer smo igrali na\u0161 najljub\u0161i \u0161port. V lepem spominu pa so mi ostali tudi poletni baseball kampi, ki so bili res zabavni, z odli\u010dno hrano, \u0161e posebej slastni so bili burgerji, ki jih je pripravljal trener Jaka.\"<\/i> \u00a0 Dodaja, da so ga najbolj zaznamovali prav odnosi v klubu: \"S prijatelji in soigralci smo se imeli super. Potovanja na turnirje so bila odli\u010dna izku\u0161nja, a najbolj\u0161i del so bili treningi in spodbuda, ki sem jo vedno dobival pri trenerjih.\"<\/i> \u00a0 Nova pot v Kanadi<\/b> \u00a0 Leta 2024, se je Erik preselil v Kanado. Tam je bil sprejet v Ontario Baseball Academy, kjer ima mo\u017enost trenirati z izku\u0161enimi trenerji in soigralci na res visoki ravni. Trenutno igra za Ontario Jackals v Fergie Jenkins Showcase ligi. Najraje igra kot shortstop, a je v tej sezoni nastopil prakti\u010dno na vseh polo\u017eajih v notranjem polju, celo na mestu catcherja. \" Naslednje leto bom igral za ekipo FieldHouse Pirates iz Burlingtona, Ontario. Kot elitna ekipa nastopajo v Canadian Premier Baseball League,\"<\/i>\u00a0pove z upravi\u010denim ponosom. \u00a0 Za mladega igralca, ki je svojo pot za\u010del na ljubljanskem igri\u0161\u010du, je to velik korak naprej in hkrati dokaz, da so trdo delo, vztrajnost in ljubezen do igre klju\u010d do uspeha. \u00a0 Razlike med Kanado in Slovenijo<\/b> \u00a0 Ko ga vpra\u0161amo, kaj je najve\u010dja razlika med baseballom v Sloveniji in Kanadi, se nasmehne. \" Velika razlika je v tem, da imamo v Kanadi celo leto dostop do notranjih trening objektov, kot so kletke za odbijanje, ki jih v Sloveniji prakti\u010dno ni. Baseball igramo tudi v no\u010dnih terminih, saj ima veliko igri\u0161\u010d reflektorje. In igri\u0161\u010d je veliko ve\u010d kot v Sloveniji. Poleg tega imajo \u0161tevilne srednje \u0161ole svoje baseball ekipe, zato lahko igra\u0161 baseball tudi v \u0161oli, ne samo v klubih. Poleti je organiziranih veliko kampov za razli\u010dne starosti in nivoje, pa tudi do dobre opreme la\u017eje dostopamo.\"<\/i> \u00a0 Njegove besede poka\u017eejo, kako velik razkorak obstaja med dr\u017eavama, a hkrati, kako dragocena je bila izku\u0161nja igranja baseballa v Sloveniji. \u00a0 Treningi in \u017eivljenje z baseballom<\/b> \u00a0 \u010ceprav je mlad, Eric danes \u017eivi skoraj profesionalni urnik. \" Spomladi in poleti sem na igri\u0161\u010du \u0161est dni na teden, bodisi na tekmah bodisi na treningih. Vsak konec tedna igramo tekme, v\u010dasih tudi med tednom. Jeseni in pozimi treniramo vsaj trikrat na teden, ve\u010dinoma v dvoranah, \u010de pa je vreme lepo, tudi zunaj.\"<\/i> \u00a0 Tako je baseball postal del njegovega vsakdana, podobno kot \u0161ola ali dru\u017eenje s prijatelji. A kljub temu vedno znova pomisli na svoje za\u010detke: \" Na BSK Ljubljana imam res lepe spomine, saj sem tam za\u010del igrati baseball. Tudi, ko sem eno leto \u017eivel in igral v Franciji, sem komaj \u010dakal, da se vrnem k BSK LJUBLJANA.\"<\/i> \u00a0 Sanje za prihodnost<\/b> \u00a0 Ericove sanje so jasne in ambiciozne: \" Rad bi igral na D1 univerzitetni ravni v ZDA, kar je najvi\u0161ja univerzitetna raven baseballa, nato pa profesionalno v MLB.\"
<\/i> \u00a0 Te sanje se zdijo velike, a ob njegovi delovni etiki in podpori dru\u017eine niso nedosegljive. Za mlade igralce v Sloveniji pa ima preprosto, a pomembno sporo\u010dilo: \" U\u017eivajte in veliko trenirajte, saj je baseball res odli\u010den ekipni \u0161port, ki te lahko popelje tudi do profesionalnega igranja.\"
<\/i> \u00a0 Pogled star\u0161ev<\/b> \u00a0 Seveda so del zgodbe tudi Ericovi star\u0161i, ki dobro vedo, kako pomembno vlogo je imel BSK Ljubljana v sinovi poti: \" BSK Ljubljana je bil za\u010detek na\u0161e zgodbe. Skozi va\u0161e treninge, kampe, tekme in turnirje, tako v dvoranah kot na prostem in ob podpori predanih trenerjev, je na\u0161 sin dobil svojo strast do baseballa in prve ve\u0161\u010dine.\"<\/i> \u00a0 Ob tem dodajo, da baseball ni oblikoval le njegove \u0161portne, ampak tudi osebne poti: \"\u00a0U\u010di se, kako premagati te\u017eke trenutke in se iz napak nau\u010diti nekaj novega, da raste in se razvija. Je zdrav, samozavesten in stabilen najstnik, ki se zaveda, da sta trdo delo in predanost nujna za uspeh, tako v \u0161portu kot v \u0161oli in \u017eivljenju.\"<\/i> \u00a0 Njihove besede ka\u017eejo, da je \u0161port ve\u010d kot le igra, je \u017eivljenjska \u0161ola, ki otroke u\u010di vztrajnosti, discipline in samozavesti. \u00a0 Zaklju\u010dek<\/b> \u00a0 Zgodba o Ericu je dokaz, da se baseball sanje lahko rodijo kjerkoli, tudi na ljubljanskem igri\u0161\u010du, kjer je pred leti stal majhen \u0161estletnik z veliko rokavico. Danes ga pot vodi \u010dez ocean, v Kanado, jutri morda v ZDA in neko\u010d tudi v Major League Baseball. \u00a0 Ponosni smo, da smo bili del njegove poti in s ponosom spremljamo njegove uspehe. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\n\"Eric\n\"Eric\n\"Eric\n\"Eric\n\"Eric\n\"Eric","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bskljubljana.si\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}