COL Community Connection

For my COL Community Connection project, I decided to reach out to a mentor of mine named Emily. Emily is a catcher and first baseman on the UBCO (University of British Columbia, Okanagan) softball team and plays in the WCSA (Western Collegiate Softball Association). She is committed to her team and that commitment has brought her many memories and opportunities. I met Emily about a month ago and she has been my batting coach ever since. We have a 1 on 1 lesson every two weeks and it has me helped greatly. Not only has she taught me new skills, but she has also taught me new vibes and moods to bring on the field with me. I decided I would interview her because she has only brought me smiles and laughter at our practices, and I think she deserves to get the shoutout she can. Softball has been in my life for about 8 years which is why it’s so important to me. It’s my absolute favourite sport and I love getting on the field to play with my team! Knowing that we both share that same passion massively, I thought she was the perfect person to interview and write about. I learned that Emily loves to play because it shows her strengths and has led her to many friends and opportunities. This connects us even more as I’ve made so many new friends through softball and I love how I can show my strength on the field. I’ve gotten opportunities through softball to go on trips too (California, Washington, Kelowna, etc.)! I also connected knowing she is an excellent role model. Emily’s previous teams included being on the Coquitlam Classics which is the team I’m on right now. This tells me that if I put in the work, I could end up being on a University team too! An opportunity this interview has given me was making a further friend connection with her. This means our practices will be better and allow me to do better on the field which could get me onto some high teams. Furthermore, here are all the questions and her answers!

Why are you passionate about you job or role?

• I have been passionate about softball for as long as I can remember. I first became passionate about softball because it was something that I was good at and it allowed me to showcase my strengths. I grew to be passionate about softball because of the connections and relationships it gave me and since then I have been all across the world for softball (as far as Africa!)

What’s your favourite part of being on a team?

• The family that I have. I played on the same team from the time i was 11-19 years old with many of the same girls. In college, I loved being on a team because no matter what your team has your back and they will support you or help you if you ever need it. Everybody on the team brings something different to the table that makes the team stronger as a whole.

What obstacles have you faced to get you where you are today?

• One of the obstacles I faced for a very long time is my confidence. Despite the fact that I knew I was a strong player, I always felt that I wasn’t good enough, fast enough, or strong enough. I had to work on being confident in myself to realize that I had what it takes to be excellent.

How has Softball positively affected your life?

• I have been to so many cool places and met some amazing people, that’s probably the best part of softball for me. I have been from the southern USA all the way to Uganda, Africa! The connections and friendships will last me a lifetime.

What advice would you pass on to someone interested in what you are doing?

• Put in the work! Extra reps on the tee, extra sets in the gym; it’s the little bit of extra work and dedication that sets you apart from everyone else.

Would you be open to further contact from Riverside students and if so, how can someone contact you?

• Yes; you can text me at 604-805-4051 or email me at ehartleysoftball@gmail.com