13 October 2023
- Aussies Abroad - Team Australia
David Nilsson accepts role as Head of Athletics for USA-based high school
Baseball Australia would like to offer congratulations to National Team Head Coach David Nilsson, who has accepted a role as the Head of Athletics for Briarwood Christian High School.
Based in Alabama, USA, Nilsson will oversee the athletic department, with a heavy focus on baseball, mentoring and workiing with coaches across the program. He will take up this post and move to Birmingham in January 2024.
This will be Nilsson’s second stint based in the USA throughout his tenure of being the National Team Head Coach. It aligns well with the proximity and access to Australians in collegiate and professional baseball.
In 2023 alone, over 30 Australians played professional baseball in the USA. There are over 100 Australians playing collegiate baseball across the USA.
Being US-based presents a range of advantages for David and the Team Australia program – from communications, travel to spring training sites and MiLB teams, travel to collegiate programs, access to training and development methodology and the solidifying of contacts with MLB clubs and collegiate programs that host our players.
Nilsson has overseen the National Men’s Program since 2018. He has lead Team Australia to a Super Round finish at the 2019 Premier12 and a historic quarterfinal appearance at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
He also famously coached the Brisbane Bandits to four straight Claxton Shields from 2016-2019.
Nilsson will regularly travel back to Australia. The role provides the flexibility for him to perform and prioritise the role of National Team Head Coach.
Team Australia’s next tournament is the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championships in Tokyo. They look in line to participate in the 2024 Premier12 and the 2024 U23 World Cup.
Congratulations to David and best of luck to he and his family as they embark on this move.
