ATLANTA – Georgia State head baseball coach Greg Frady travels across the Atlantic Ocean this weekend for his latest international competition in his role as the head coach of the German National Team.

Frady's German squad will compete in the Prague Baseball Week event in the Czech Republic. The tournament will also include two teams from the United States, as well as squads from the Czech Republic, Sweden, Croatia and other European nations.

 “This is a fun tournament with no real meaning, other than to win the tournament. It's a friendly, to use the soccer word,” said Frady. “But the first game of the tournament will feature Germany vs. the Czech Republic, and it will be nationally televised in the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe.”

Frady, who has worked with the German team since 2004, will field a young team in this event.

“Because it's a friendly, I'm going into this tournament with a lot of under-21 players, so the reality is that this team will look very much like a college team. Many of the players are making their Senior National Team debut. It will give me a chance to look at the next generation of German players.”

German baseball has received unprecedented attention in recent weeks since Donald Lutz made his Major League debut as an outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds. Lutz is the first product of the German system to reach the Major Leagues, giving young players in Germany a role model.

“Any sport needs a hero,” Frady said. “For German baseball Donald Lutz is now known for professional baseball. This will inspire other young players to keep playing with the hopes of doing what Donald is accomplishing.”

Frady has seen the sport make tremendous progress in Germany over the last decade.

“Baseball is much better in Germany that most people are aware,” he said. “Everyone is aware of Donald, but others from Germany are playing baseball at U.S. colleges, for Major League organizations in their minor league systems, on Bundesliga clubs and in youth academies.  Baseball in Germany is being played at a very high level. 

“The Senior National team has been very successful in International tournaments throughout the last few years, with wins against world powers like Team USA, Canada and Caribbean islands like Bahamas and Curacao.”

The international schedule for the remainder of 2013 is very light, so this is Frady's only scheduled event with the German team.

“I will only be gone one week, and then it's back to continue the summer of Georgia State baseball,” said Frady, who guided the Panthers to a 35-12 record in 2013. “The summer is clicking along fast, and it won't be long before we're rolling right back into what we're doing with our team.”