SHS student plays fastball at post secondary level

Times Contributor

 

Playing at an exceptional level for her age, 17-year-old, Caitlyn Woodcock helped the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) Lady Trojans Fastball team bring home silver in the Alberta Intercollegiate Women’s Fastball Association (AIWFA) playoffs. The tournament was held in Regina, Saskatchewan, Oct 1-2, and was hosted by the University of Regina. The girls went up against six teams and played six games in a short time period from 12 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Lady Trojans, a Polytechnic Club team entered the playoffs ranked fourth out of the six teams and finished 5-7 in the overall 2011 season. 

Finishing second against University of Saskatchewan was a great feat for the Lady Trojans, with silver being the highest placed finish the SAIT team has ever reached since the beginning of the league in 2002.

“We lost 15-0 in the third inning, but at that point we already played our sixth game of the weekend and everyone knew going in that Saskatchewan was going to win, they’re a big team,” said Caitlyn Woodcock.

To get physically prepared for the 2011 season, Woodcock said she trained a lot this past winter, including two 3-4 hour long practises every week as well as extensive workout sessions every Wednesday.

“It’s pretty intense, just training, just working out and working on your basic skills over and over again. I also play ringette here in Strathmore, it keeps me in shape for my off season and it keeps my cardio high. It keeps myself able to play softball,” said Woodcock. 

As for the 2012 season, Woodcock says it all depends on how the year will go and what team she will make. She anticipates playing for the Midget A team where it will be a good opportunity to be scouted for college and university teams. The experience of having already played at the calibre of a college level will only work to her benefit. 

“It’s just a really good experience to have under your belt and especially me being younger than what I should be at a college level. Other teams will see that and they will already recognize that you are able to handle that pressure of playing at a high level,” said Woodcock. 

Woodcock does not have a particular post secondary institution set to mind, but will be satisfied, “just as long as it’s a place that I can play and enjoy playing softball at.”