Emma Entzminger of Victoria has not seen most of her Canadian teammates since the national side stamped its ticket to the Olympic Games in 2019 at the Americas regional women’s qualifier at Softball City in Surrey. That seems a lifetime ago.
A pandemic got in the way and the Tokyo Olympics are now the 2020 Plus One Games this summer.
The Canadian team has reassembled this week in Florida in preparation for the Games. Canada will play the Florida SouthWestern State College Buccaneers on Saturday and April 3, and the University of Florida Gators on April 10.
Following the Florida camp, Canada will relocate to Marion, Illinois, in May to continue with preparations in a top U.S. club league.
Team training and practices will be closed to the public as a safety precaution.
“It’s getting closer and it’s more real now,” said Entzminger, an infielder.
The graduate of the Lambrick Park Secondary baseball and softball academy kept in playing trim during the pandemic by working out in the garage of the family home in Victoria and later outside at Surrey with a small group of B.C.-based national-team players.
“It’s going to be great to be together again as a team,” said Entzminger, who was a standout in the NCAA with San Jose State.
“This will give us the time we need [in Florida and Illinois] to prepare and fine tune our skills for the Olympic Games.”
Podium-favoured Canada is coached by former Victoria Senior A men’s pitching star Mark Smith and is ranked No. 3 in the world behind the U.S. and Japan.
“Our team has done a very good job of staying focused on their training goals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic” Smith said in a statement.
“It has been a real collective group effort that they have all bought into as they continue with their preparation for the months ahead.”
There are 18 players in Canada’s Florida camp. The Olympic roster of 15 players will be announced in June.
More than 75 Island or Island-based athletes are preparing for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
The Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 23 to Aug. 8, with the Paralympics set for Aug. 24 to Sept. 5.
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
