The Bohol Coconuts baseball organization is taking youth development to the next level with the launch of its Coconuts All-Star Program, set to begin this June — a comprehensive talent identification and training initiative designed to produce the province’s first homegrown international baseball star.
Under the direction of veteran coach and program architect Marvin “Merv” Moore, the Coconuts will field four traveling All-Star teams across different age divisions, providing young athletes with free equipment, monthly financial support, and exposure to regional competitions — including tournaments in Manila.
Program Structure
The Coconuts All-Star Program will feature four age-group squads:
7-8 years old (15 players)
9-10 years old (15 players)
11-12 years old (15 players)
13-14 years old (15 players)
Selection will be conducted by Coach Merv and his coaching staff, who will evaluate players based on skill, work ethic, and baseball IQ during camp and summer league games. Once selected, All-Stars will receive free complete uniforms — removing financial barriers that often prevent talented young athletes from pursuing competitive baseball.
In a groundbreaking move for grassroots sports development in the province, top-performing players across all four divisions will receive a monthly allowance of Php 1,000 to support their continued participation and development in the program.
Rigorous Training, Travel Opportunities
The All-Star squads will train three hours every weekend, focusing on fundamental skill development, game strategy, and physical conditioning. But the program extends far beyond weekend practices — these are designed as traveling teams that will represent Bohol in regional tournaments, including high-level competitions in Manila and other baseball hubs across the country.
This exposure is critical, according to Coach Merv, who envisions the program as a pipeline for Boholano athletes to compete on the international stage.
The Vision: Developing Overseas Talent
The Coconuts All-Star Program is explicitly designed for serious baseball athletes who have the potential to play overseas — specifically in baseball powerhouses such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
“We’re not just organizing another youth league,” Coach Merv explained. “We’re identifying the best young talent in Bohol and giving them the tools, training, and exposure they need to compete at the highest levels internationally.
The coach’s bold vision culminates in a statement that captures the program’s ambition:
“We’re going to develop a future Major League ballplayer in Bohol, and the only question is who will it be?”
From European Underdog to Giant-Killer
The ambitious program is backed by a coach with proven international experience in developing young talent against formidable odds.
In the early 1990s, Coach Merv took the helm of one of Europe’s weakest national baseball programs — a team that consistently ranked at the bottom of continental competitions. Through intensive training, strategic development, and instilling a belief system that emphasized fundamentals and mental toughness, he orchestrated one of European baseball’s most stunning upsets.
At the 1994 European Baseball Championships (B-Pool) held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Coach Merv’s squad faced Ukraine — the heavy tournament favorite. Ukraine arrived with an American coach, veteran players, superior resources, and expectations of another dominant performance.
What happened instead became legend.
With a 14-year-old pitcher on the mound — a player Coach Merv had personally trained in Switzerland — his team held the powerful Ukrainian lineup in check. The final score: 4-2, a victory that sent shockwaves through European baseball and proved that proper coaching, belief, and player development could overcome even the most daunting disadvantages.
“That experience taught me something invaluable,” Coach Merv recalls. “Talent is universal. What separates winning programs from losing programs is belief, preparation, and opportunity. The 14-year-old who beat Ukraine wasn’t a prodigy — he was a kid who worked hard and believed he could compete. We’re bringing that same philosophy to Bohol.”
Building a Baseball Culture in Bohol
The Coconuts All-Star Program represents the latest initiative in the Bohol Coconuts’ broader mission to establish the province as a legitimate baseball destination. Through partnerships with international clubs — featured on the organization’s Wall of Fame — and community outreach programs like the soup kitchen feeding initiative, the Coconuts are building both athletic excellence and community character.
“We’re not just developing baseball players,” Coach Merv emphasized. “We’re developing young men who understand discipline, teamwork, and service. The same qualities that make a great ballplayer — focus, resilience, humility — make a great human being. That’s what the Coconuts organization stands for.”
How to Get Involved
For baseball clubs and organizations interested in supporting the program through the Adopt-A-Team sponsorship ($150) or joining the Friends of Bohol Coconuts ($25 annually), visit the Wall of Fame page on the Coconuts website.
The dream of a Boholano Major Leaguer begins this June. The only question remains: Who will it be?
