Softball Canada names women’s team for Tokyo 2020 Wednesday, 19 May 2021
Softball Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have nominated Canada’s women’s team for the re-arranged Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The 15 athletes were selected by Softball Canada’s coaching staff.
Canada qualified for Tokyo 2020 at the 2019 WBSC Softball Americas Qualifier held in Surrey, British Colombia by finishing in the top two of the 12-team event along with Mexico. There is no greater privilege than to wear Canada across your chest and represent the most amazing country and fans, said catcher Kaleigh Rafter. For me, this is the last step in a 14-year journey that dates back to 2007.
Jenna Caira looks to become 1st SU softball player to appear in Olympics
Courtesy of Jenna Caira
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Jenna Caira was at her Canadian Tire office desk in Toronto in August 2016 when she saw an announcement that softball would return to the Olympics in 2020. The former Syracuse legend had been retired from softball for a year, but the draw of getting to pitch in the Games was pulling her back to the sport.
Seven months later, Team Canada head coach Mark Smith called Caira, wanting to know if she would be interested in returning to the national team by playing in tournaments that summer. While Caira hadn’t pitched competitively since leading Canada to gold in the 2015 Pan American Games, Smith told her returning to the pitcher’s circle is “like riding a bike.”