For the first time in league history, a woman will suit up in the Canadian College Baseball Conference next season.
Vancouver Island University Mariners baseball club announced this week the signing of Alli Schroder, a right-handed pitcher from the Kootenays for the 2021-22 season. According to Baseball CanadaB次元官网网址檚 website, Schroder is the first woman to commit to a CCBC program.
The 18-year-old Fruitvale native is a veteran of the national womenB次元官网网址檚 team and helped Team Canada advance in World Cup qualifiers two summers ago.
After graduating high school last year, Schroder took a year away from school and has had limited opportunities to play baseball in a pandemic. She practised and played with the Cranbrook Bandits club team when she could, but has mostly been doing individual training, finding someone to throw to, motivated to play college ball and stay in the mix for the national team.
Schroder wanted to stay in Canada and decided that VIU was the B次元官网网址減erfect fitB次元官网网址� for her to study environmental science and pursue athletics.
B次元官网网址淰IU had it all for me,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎lso [being] from the other side of the province, almost, living in the Kootenays, I thought it would be a pretty cool opportunity to live on the coast for a little while.B次元官网网址�
She said sheB次元官网网址檚 personally been B次元官网网址渟uper fortunateB次元官网网址� in the past with being accepted on teams of boys and men B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檝e seen she can play and contribute, so gender hasnB次元官网网址檛 been an issue.
B次元官网网址淚 know that this hasnB次元官网网址檛 been the case for a lot of girls,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been teams that weB次元官网网址檝e played against that arenB次元官网网址檛 super receptive, but every team that IB次元官网网址檝e personally played on, theyB次元官网网址檝e been awesome.B次元官网网址�
She said coming to the VIU Mariners as a rookie, sheB次元官网网址檒l recognize her role, know that opportunities will come through work ethic, and will be ready to contribute to the team in any way sheB次元官网网址檚 asked.
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Her change-up and her two-seam fastball are her best pitches and sheB次元官网网址檚 looking forward to seeing how she fares against CCBC batters.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e always played against big guys B次元官网网址� you kind of just have to find your own advantages and know yourself, know how you play,B次元官网网址� Schroder said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited to see the competition and IB次元官网网址檒l just have to find my place there.B次元官网网址�
As for her place in league history, Schroder is willing to embrace the role of an advocate for women in menB次元官网网址檚 sports. Girls who play baseball sometimes switch to softball when they reach college, but Schroder said there are pathways to keep playing baseball and maybe she can B次元官网网址渂laze a trail.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淏ut at the end of the day, IB次元官网网址檓 also just a player,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited to contribute to the team any way possible and IB次元官网网址檓 more focused on just being looked at as a baseball player.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 official, RHP from Castlegar, BC is the newest addition to the Mariners 2021/2022 roster. Welcome aboard, Mariner!
B次元官网网址� VIU Mariners (@VIUBaseball)
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