Herts Baseball Club has announced that Cristobal Hiche has been appointed as a member of the club’s executive board heading the Under-17 department.
Hiche joined Herts 12 months ago as one of the first big signings for the Falcons ahead of the 2012 season. He had previously played at the high school, college and semi-professional league level in the USA as well as at international level for the Chile national team at Under-12, Under-16 and now at senior level.
The 28-year old played a key role in the Herts Falcons’ amazing run to the final and was awarded an NBL Best Outfielder award. After the end of the NBL season, Hiche received a call-up from the Chile National Baseball Team to take part in the South American Championships. His team reached the semi-finals losing to Argentina and Hiche was voted as the Best Outfielder in this international tournament involving some of the best baseball nations in South America.
In many ways Cris Hiche’s contribution off the field has had an even greater effect for Herts Baseball Club. Within a few weeks of arriving to the UK, and despite living and working a long distance away from Hemel Hempstead, he got involved in a coaching capacity with the club’s youth programme. He was appointed as the Manager of the Under-17 team and his hard work and that of the rest of his U17 coaching staff is already starting to bring tangible results.
The club confirmed that Head of U17 is one of several new Board positions which club management is looking to add. It is part of the club’s objective to increase the Board’s capacity, effectiveness and to be a more proportionate representation of the club’s different member categories. In 2012 the club had four adult and four youth teams, however the Board featured four adult team Board positions and only one Board position linked to the youth teams. The Board is now considering candidates to head the other age groups in the youth programme and co-opt them to the Board.
