Jim Murphy, who coached last year with the Texas Rangers, will be traveling to South Africa to help lead them on their historic journey.  South Africa qualified for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia when they swept Guam in three games last December.  Jim, sent over by Major League Baseball International, was their hitting coach.  With Jim's guidance South Africa averaged 12 runs a game including a 16-5 game three win in seven innings, invoking the ten-run rule. 

Jim will be leaving Vancouver, BC June 8^th with a brief visit to London, England, before he arrives in South Africa as their hitting and conditioning coach.  "It's a privilege and an honor to represent South Africa in the Olympic Games.  To be a part of history helping the team be the first African team ever to qualify for the Olympics in baseball was an incredible experience.  Now I look forward to the challenge in Sydney."

Murphy was drafted out of Portland State University by the Chicago Cubs in 1988 and went on to play five years of professional baseball before retiring due to a rare vision deficiency.  He went on to receive his master's degree in Human Kinetics at the University of British Columbia where he started a baseball team that is now a member of the NAIA.  Jim will be writing a weekly column about his experiences starting May 29^th and continuing through the Olympics. 

When not coaching baseball, Jim is a sought after writer and speaker.  He also runs Murphy Fitness in Vancouver and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist as well as the BC director for the National Strength and Conditioning Agency.