Ardent Aussie abroad: Nic Connell (second from right) joins other fan representatives from countries competing at the World Baseball Classic.
Kellyville Kolts baseball coach Nic Connell has won the trip of a lifetime to the US next month to cheer on Team Australia at the World Baseball Challenge.
The avid baseball fan was chosen for his grassroots passion for the game and will now represent Australia as an official supporter in the tournament’s fan cave in New York.
Speaking from New York, Connell said he was thrilled to promote Australian baseball on the international stage and learn new perspectives of the game from rival fans.
‘‘Australian baseball has continued to improve since the Australian Baseball League was established three years back,’’ Connell said.
‘‘[I was picked because] I produced a video of my love for baseball in Australia and what I do [for the game] in my local baseball community.’’
Connell will be based in New York for pool stages of the World Baseball Challenge but will have to cheer on Australia from afar after the Aussies were drawn in pool B.
All of the pool B games will be played in Taiwan with Australia facing hosts Chinese Taipei, South Korea and the Netherlands.
If Australia tops their pool and advances from the group stage then Connell will link up with the team for the semi-finals in San Francisco.
This year’s tournament has been split between four nations with Taiwan, Japan, Puerto Rico and the US all hosting games.
Team Australia plays its first round robin game against Chinese Taipei on March 2.