A year removed from breaking new ground in baseball with the Victoria HarbourCats, South Surrey pitcher Claire Eccles hopes to inspire a similar movement among women in the construction and trades industry.

Last summer, the 20-year-old trailblazer was thrust into the spotlight when she became the first female player in the history of the West Coast League, a Pacific Northwest-based summer league for university baseball players. Her story grabbed plenty of media attention B次元官网网址� from to Sports Illustrated and ESPN B次元官网网址� and she recently announced she would return to the Vancouver Island squad for a second and final year.

On June 10, when the HarbourCats are set to host the Coquitlam Angels, Eccles B次元官网网址� who also plays softball with the UBC Thunderbirds B次元官网网址� will be honoured with her very own bobblehead, thanks to a promotion between the team and the Vancouver Island Construction Association, which is encouraging women to join the industry which, like baseball, has historically been male-dominated.

Get in line early for this one! Bobblehead Game set for Sunday, June 10, Sponsored by our great partners at

B次元官网网址� Victoria HarbourCats (@HarbourCats)

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 super cool. I never thought IB次元官网网址檇 get my own bobblehead B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 think many people probably think they will,B次元官网网址� she told Peace Arch B次元官网网址.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 for a good cause though B次元官网网址� a good reason. IB次元官网网址檓 the only girl playing in this league, and theyB次元官网网址檙e trying to get more women into construction, so thereB次元官网网址檚 that connection.B次元官网网址�

To further play up that connection, EcclesB次元官网网址� bobblehead features her wearing a hard hat instead of a baseball cap, and instead of holding a baseball, sheB次元官网网址檚 holding a hammer.

She hasnB次元官网网址檛 yet received a bobblehead for herself, and in fact said she didnB次元官网网址檛 even know what it would look like until the HarbourCats posted photos on Twitter last month.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how much it looks like me, but thatB次元官网网址檚 OK. ItB次元官网网址檚 pretty cool,B次元官网网址� she said.

Eccles said last yearB次元官网网址檚 media attention came right out of left field B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淚 was so surprised by it all,B次元官网网址� she said B次元官网网址� but expects to be better prepared this season. However, if the media attention continues, B次元官网网址渢hatB次元官网网址檚 OK, too. IB次元官网网址檓 more used to it now.B次元官网网址�

Since joining the WCL, Eccles said sheB次元官网网址檚 received numerous messages from parents of baseball-playing daughters, as well as from young girls themselves, all of whom point to Eccles as an inspiration for young female athletes.

B次元官网网址淚 got quite a few messages B次元官网网址� way more than I expected. People have reached out to me to say that their daughter plays baseball and wants to stick with the sport because they see me still playingB次元官网网址� and I know of a couple girls who actually joined baseball because they heard my story, so thatB次元官网网址檚 pretty cool,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚 think it just gives them a little more inspiration.B次元官网网址�

Last year, Eccles saw action in eight games for Victoria, striking out three while walking seven. Her signature pitch is a curveball, which sheB次元官网网址檚 still managed to hone despite her softball responsibilities with UBC.

The ThunderbirdsB次元官网网址� season wrapped up recently after a playoff loss to Eastern Oregon University. However, the T-Birds won two playoff games, which was a first in the nine-year history of the program. Eccles, an alumna of the White Rock Renegades, plays outfield for the team, and will return for her senior season in the fall.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 unfortunate we ended up losing to Eastern Oregon B次元官网网址� I thought we had it B次元官网网址� but unfortunately they came back and won,B次元官网网址� she explained.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 probably one of the best teams IB次元官网网址檝e ever played on, and the girls were great B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 going to miss that team.B次元官网网址�

With the softball season over, Eccles said she is off to Japan on a family vacation, but will join the HarbourCats in time for their second homestand of the WCL season, on June 5. The season runs until mid-August, though Eccles will miss a game or two due to her commitments with the Canadian national womenB次元官网网址檚 baseball team.

In July, sheB次元官网网址檒l head to Montreal for senior womenB次元官网网址檚 nationals, and from there, the Canadian team will be selected. Should Eccles make that team, sheB次元官网网址檒l head to Florida in mid-August for training, followed by the WomenB次元官网网址檚 Baseball World Cup.