'We're going to put on a show': Canadian women's softball team ready for Tokyo Games
Canada’s women's softball team is ready to hit it out of the ballpark at the Tokyo Olympic Games this summer.
It’s been a long wait for Canada’s softball team – 13 years since the sport was last included in the Olympics – but the wait is now over as the club prepares to take to the field next month in Tokyo.
Infielder Jennifer Salling wore the maple leaf back in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, along with teammates Danielle Lawrie, Kaleigh Rafter and Lauren Regula. That experienced lineup has Salling confident that her team is ready.
“Hands down this team is world class…to me we have everything in place to be a championship level team, AKA a gold medal team," Salling told CTV News.
The 33-year-old from Port Coquitlam, B.C., had a decorated college career at the University of Washington, where she won a national championship. Now, she’s leading Canada’s team on the world stage.
“It makes me smile just to think about our group. This group of human beings is the best group I’ve ever been around in my entire life and I can absolutely say one of our biggest competitive advantages at this Olympic Games is going to be our culture and how connected and united we are as a squad," she said.
In 2019, at the Softball Americas qualifier, Canada booked their ticket to Tokyo with a 7-0 thumping over Brazil.
After the Games were cancelled due to the pandemic, the team spent an entire year training and living together on the road. Border restrictions in Canada forced the team to play down south this year, where they play under the name “the Canadian Wild."
Canada’s roster is now set, including 26-year-old pitcher Sara Groenewegen.
“A lot of people say I'm a gamer and I’ll do anything to win," Groenewegen told CTV News.
Groenewegen, who grew up in Surrey, joined the team in 2013 and has been a staple on the mound for Canada ever since.
“This past year has been crazy for everyone. I know a lot of us have made a lot of sacrifices, it hasn’t been normal to train, but I think our team has done a really good job in terms of preparing as best as we can.”
It was in 2018 that Groenewegen faced a health scare that forced her out of the game.
“I got diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease," Groenewegen said “So, I had to be put on a bunch of machines and meds just to keep me alive and once they were able to figure out what the bacteria was in my lungs, they were able to fix it.”
Amazingly, not long after she was back pitching, and she's now fully recovered and ready to represent her country in Tokyo.
As the countdown to what will be an unforgettable Games draws near, Salling says the athletes have been prepped on COVID-19 protocols from the Canadian Olympic Committee.
“I wouldn’t choose to do this if I didn’t feel safe… there is no better place to have an Olympics in a pandemic than Japan, their attention to detail, discipline, their thoroughness in how they go about their business is world class,” Salling said
For now, the Paris 2024 Olympic Committee has voted against having softball included in the 2024 Games.
“I’m retiring at the end of July and I think one of my goals is just, I don’t want our sport to die," said Salling. "We can continue to showcase our sport, show how beautiful it is, how fast it is and how unique and athletic it is."
Canada’s coach Mark Smith says the team's "commitment to excellence and (willingness) to go the extra mile and put the time that is required to be the best they can be is second to none.”
Right now, the USA and Japan will be the biggest obstacles in their way of competing for a gold medal at the Games.
“I think Canada’s playing with a chip on our shoulder. We’ve never medaled in softball and I think we have a few players from that 2008 team who feel they got cheated from their experience and so this team is looking better than ever,” Greoenwegen said.
It’s been a long road for the Canada’s women's softball team and now it’s time for them to step up to the plate.
“When we get there, it’s just trust all the work, trust all the hay that’s been put in the barn and I truly believe we’re going to put on a show and make history for our country, and specifically for Softball Canada,” said Salling
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.