Brandon’s Caitlan Nickel is about to embark on a journey to signify Manitoba on the upcoming 2023 16U Women Invitational Championships baseball match being held in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. The match sees groups from throughout the nation competing for the title from August 24-27.
For sure the proficient IN/OF is trying ahead to the expertise. “I’m actually trying ahead to seeing how nicely we do, and if we might do higher than final yr. I believe with sufficient arduous work put in, we might positively get a medal too this yr” Caitlan instructed bdnmb.ca. “I additionally at all times benefit from the group bonding that occurs after we all get to hang around for every week and share lodge rooms which makes us all grow to be higher associates.”
Not like most ladies her age, Caitlan has by no means performed softball. There have been no softball groups close to her the place she used to dwell in Ashern MB and the closest group she might play on was a boys baseball group in Lundar. “I’ve by no means truly performed softball…I just like the pitching higher in baseball as a result of regardless of what number of instances I watch softball pitchers, I might by no means work out the right way to do it. One other factor I really like about taking part in baseball is peoples’ reactions once they see a woman taking part in on a boys group. After I go right into a retailer and ask for baseball gear they may right me and say, “You imply softball, proper?” There may be at all times a mixture of optimistic and damaging however I nonetheless take pleasure in listening to every one”.
The household simply moved to Brandon final summer time and this was her first yr taking part in with Brandon Minor Baseball. This previous season she took to the sphere with quite a few groups together with the U15 Brandon Padres (home league group) and the U15 AA Brandon Grizzlies (the AA provincial and prospects groups). “I used to be a little bit bit scared to come back to evaluations and tryouts in Brandon for the primary time this yr as a result of I barely knew anybody and I didn’t know what could be stated, however I ended up making some actually nice associates that took me in with out complaining that they’d a woman on their group.” stated Nickel. “All of my teammates’ little sisters and cousins had been at all times cheering for me as loud as they may they usually had been at all times telling me how they’re my largest followers.”
In July she was introduced to the roster for 16U Women Provincial Group that can be competing in Summerside. In preparation for the match Caitlan and her group MB teammates have been having practices and exhibition video games to prepare. They performed the 15U Carillon Sultans in a double header a pair weeks in the past, and that was their first time taking part in collectively as a group this season. On August 10 they may play the identical Carillon group once more as an exhibition sport, adopted by one other 2 practices earlier than they make their means out to Summerside!
“I might by no means be the place I’m now with out the help and encouragement from all of my nice coaches all through my final 3 years of taking part in, and the help I at all times get from my teammates actually helps maintain me going! I additionally couldn’t have accomplished any of this if it wasn’t for my Mother and Dad at all times being my largest cheerleaders within the stands and driving me to my video games and practices”.
