Rick Stiebel

B次元官网网址 staff

Winning a bronze medal has only fueled Kris WalushkaB次元官网网址檚 determination to bring home the gold.

Walushka returned recently from Prague, where he played in the World Softball Championship June 13 to 23 on a Team Canada squad that finished with a record of nine wins and one loss. The team lost to Argentina by a score of 7-0 in the final before bouncing back with a win in the bronze medal game.

B次元官网网址淚t was really tough to get up for the bronze medal game after coming so close to winning gold,B次元官网网址� said Walushka, who teaches physical education and runs the baseball and softball academies at Belmont Secondary School, where he has worked since it opened. B次元官网网址淥ur goal was to win the gold. Our rallying cry was we didnB次元官网网址檛 want to come home without a medal.B次元官网网址�

That helped spur the team to a 2-1 hard-fought victory over New Zealand, a team thatB次元官网网址檚 been CanadaB次元官网网址檚 arch rival for many years, Waluska noted.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 already thinking ahead to the worlds in New Zealand in February in 2021,B次元官网网址� added Waluska, who has competed for Team Canada three times in the past five years. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to spend the next year and a half working on improving my game. IB次元官网网址檓 not the youngest guy on the team, so I have to keep working hard to stay at the same level.B次元官网网址�

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Walushka played shortstop, second base and outfield during the tournament. B次元官网网址淚 think the key to my success is that I can move around and play a lot of positions.B次元官网网址�

Walushka, 35, has been playing baseball since he was five. B次元官网网址淚 was carrying a bat around as soon as I could walk,B次元官网网址� he noted. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just always been a strong connection.B次元官网网址�

Having his wife, Anna, his daughter, Tenley, 15 months, and Landon, five months, as well as his mother and father-in-law at the tournament made the trip to Prague an unforgettable experience. B次元官网网址淗aving them there to support me was huge.B次元官网网址�

It was the second time Walushka has been to Prague, who visited the city before he spent time teaching overseas. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an extremely beautiful city and they did an amazing job of hosting the tournament,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he best diamonds I have ever played on.B次元官网网址�

This yearB次元官网网址檚 team, which ranged in age from 23 to 43, included two other players from Vancouver Island, Sooke resident Scott Lieph and Blake Hunter from Nanaimo. All three play for the Sooke Loggers club team, which finished second in the Canadian nationals in 2018.

rick.stiebel@goldstreamgazette.com