Hughes Travels To Germany

Marianna native and Bulldog alumni Bobby Hughes traveled to Germany recently to help grow baseball around the world through Major League Baseball’s Envoy Program. The Envoy Program selects and sends the game’s best instructors to needful baseball communities around the world.  Since its introduction in 1991, when two coaches traveled to Holland (now a regular participant in Olympic baseball competition), the program has sent out coaches on more than 700 assignments to 72 countries world wide reaching more than 700,000 people.  The program is dedicated to the development of international baseball by supporting national baseball federations and their affiliated class by providing detailed baseball instruction and development advice to players, coaches, and baseball administrators.

Hughes traveled to Bad Kreuznach, Hamburg, and Kassel for 7 weeks.  ‘’I’m was pleased and honored to have a chance to represent both Major League Baseball and the game of baseball, ‘’ said Hughes.  ‘’Baseball is America’s game but with its popularity rising in so many countries it is fast becoming the world’s game,’’ commented Hughes. But baseball is definitely different in Germany according to Hughes. “There are no sports teams associated with their high schools. The sports teams are associated with their respective towns and each town has different levels of teams. The top level teams are pretty good and would be somewhat like college baseball in America,” Hughes remarked. Another difference was the age ranges varied greatly. “One of the adult teams I worked with had players from age 15 to age 40,” Hughes noted.

The trip was not all just about baseball for Hughes. “It was also great to experience the difference in their culture.” Hughes noted that the food is very different but very good. “They don’t fry much of their food but the sausage and cheese is great. They also have something called Schnitzel, which is kind of like pork chops, that I loved,”
Hughes, currently Head Coach at Coosa Valley Academy, is coming off of winning a state championship with the Rebels in his first season at the helm.  “I was real proud of our team. We got some kids back who were hurt early on and got hot at the right time. We won 15 games in a row to end the season and finished 37-9,” said Hughes. This is his 10th season as a head coach in high school baseball.   He heard of the Envoy Program through Barry Dean, President of the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association, who has reenergized baseball in Alabama.

Hughes resides in Montgomery with his wife Jill and their Westie dog Gabbi.. He is the son of Bobby Hughes Sr. and the late Peggy Hughes.