Play ball!
A year after 30 international teams vied for a on South 性视界传媒 soil 鈥� a title eventually won by the United States 鈥� more than a dozen are back in the city, and will teams begin play Friday when the first pitch is officially thrown at the .
Between the women鈥檚 international division 鈥� in which will compete 鈥� the youth (under-18 and under-16) tournaments and a Special Olympics division, this year鈥檚 tournament will feature more than 90 teams.
And not only is the tournament reborn in name, with the longtime event鈥檚 Canada Cup moniker replacing the Canadian Open banner which was used from 2011-2015, the sport itself is invigorated by last August鈥檚 announcement that women鈥檚 fastpitch is set to return to the for Tokyo 2020.
It鈥檚 an excitement and feeling that has been noticed by members of the Canadian national team, which held a selection camp in Toronto late last month, and announced its summer roster just prior to Canada Day.
鈥淭he vibe just feels totally different this year,鈥� said Canadian shortstop Jenn Salling, one of the longest-serving members of the team, and one of just two, along with Kaleigh Rafter, to be part of the last Canadian Olympic squad, in 2008.
鈥淵ou can tell that everyone 鈥� ourselves and also our coaches 鈥� are just super focused now that we鈥檙e back in the Olympics.鈥�
With softball gaining momentum among both players and fans, the local tournament is also still riding high off the success of the 性视界传媒-hosted 2016 world championships.
鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy how (quickly) time has passed since then,鈥� Salling said.
Though action on the ball diamonds begins today and continues through the weekend, Canada and the other international teams 鈥� including Japan, Venezuela, Chinese-Taipei, Australia and South Korea 鈥� don鈥檛 arrive in town until Monday, and will hit the field beginning Tuesday morning.
Canada鈥檚 first game is set for next Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., against Philippines at Softball City鈥檚 diamond 1. On Wednesday morning at 10 a.m., the team will play Pakistan on the same diamond.
Canada鈥檚 two other entries into the tournament 鈥� development team called Canada Elite, plus a junior squad 鈥� will be the first national teams to hit the field. The juniors play Saturday evening, 6:30 p.m. against a U.S. club team, the Calahoo Erins, while Canada Elite plays Monday night, 6:30 p.m., against a Team BC under-21 team.
When Salling spoke to Peace Arch News last week, she and her teammates were getting set to head to Chicago for three tuneup games against the National Pro Fastpitch League鈥檚 Chicago Bandits, but she said she was already looking forward to setting foot on the grass at Softball City.
鈥淭he Canada Cup is always such an exciting event, for our team specifically鈥� and also just for the sport of softball,鈥� said Salling, a Port Coquitlam native.
鈥淎long with the World Cup (in Oklahoma), the Canada Cup has been the biggest international event every summer. Even though it hasn鈥檛 been in the Olympics, I think everyone has done a good job (keeping it in the spotlight).鈥�
Salling said the fact that last year鈥檚 world championships and the 2015 Pan-Am Games were both played on home soil 鈥� the Pan-Ams were held in Toronto 鈥� convinced her to continue her playing career, rather than hang up her cleats and focus on the future.
鈥淭here was a point there where I was ready to start turning the page, but since winning gold (at Pan-Ams) and since softball is back in the Olympics, it鈥檚 just been really inspiring for me,鈥� said Salling, who just completed her master鈥檚 degree at the University of Washington while also serving as a graduate assistant with the women鈥檚 softball team.
鈥淟ife is definitel starting, but for now, I鈥檓 just focused on being fully present and immersed in our team here. There鈥檚 a whole different feeling around everything now, and it鈥檚 really cool and refreshing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 what you should feel when you play for a national team.鈥�
