Canadian National Women's Softball Team to Stop in Kitchener Enroute to Beijing

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 12/19/07 1:21:57 PM 
From:  "Gilles LeBlanc" <gleblanc(at)softball.ca> 



Subject:  Canadian National Women's Softball Team to Stop in
Kitchener Enroute to Beijing  


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

 

Canadian NationalWomen’s Softball Team to Stop in Kitchener Enroute
to Beijing

 

Kitchener – Civitan Sports – Waterloo Region is thrilled toannounce
the Canadian National Women’s Softball Team will be coming toKitchener
next July. 

 

The women will be gearing up for the Olympics by playing thenational
teams of Japan and Australia. They will play a round-robin styletournament
at the Peter Hallman Ball Yard from July 6-8, 2008. 

 

“We always love having the opportunity to play in Canada”stated
Team Canada head coach Lori Sippel. “The organizing committees
inOntario have always done a tremendous job for us. The event
in Kitchener willnot only help showcase the Canadian team, but
also the Japanese and Australiannational teams, who will also
be top contenders at the Olympic Games in Beijing.”

 

The Canadian team, including local athletes Kaleigh Rafterfrom
Guelph and Alison Bradley from Pinkerton, is currently ranked
fifth in theworld based on their finish at the 2006 ISF World
Championships. 

 

Over the summer of 2007, they have shown they can competewith
the teams ahead of them in the world rankings. Canada played
very solidgames in 2007, registering wins against Japan (2nd),
Australia (3rdand China (4th), and they expect to be in the thick
of the battlefor a podium finish in Beijing. 

 

Podium finishes in 2007 included a Bronze medal at the WorldCup,
a Silver medal at the Pan-American Games, a Silver medal at the
China Cupand the Gold medal at the Universiade.

 

The national team will travel to Las Vegas, Nevada in late Januaryto
begin centralized training and play several games against NCAA
competition.They will then travel to Australia in March where
they will continue theirtraining at the site of the 2000 Olympic
Games, and play against the Australianand Japanese national teams.


 

April and May are set aside for specialized training beforethe
team regroups in early June. 

 

After the tournament in Kitchener, the team will compete atthe
Canada Cup in Surrey, BC from July 12-20, 2008. 

 

More information will be announced as details are confirmed.

 

-30-

 

For more information about the tournament, contact:

Pete McIlwraith 

President

Civitan Sports Waterloo Region

519-894-5315 

dfm70 at hotmail.com 

 

For information about the Canadian Women’s National Teamcontact:

Gilles LeBlanc

Manager - Marketing and Communications Services

Softball Canada

gleblanc at softball.ca

(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105

 

ColleenCollins

Marketingand Communications Associate

Cityof Kitchener

519-741-3400x 3444

colleen.collins at kitchener.ca

 

Thinkabout the environment - if possible, please avoid printing
this email.

 

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