What Entzminger, who won the bronze medal with Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, had to do to be a part of the tournament is truly head-spinning
A lot of athletes claim to be busy balancing training, games and perhaps school, but they can’t hold a bat to softball player Emma Entzminger, who is among three Island athletes playing for the host nation in the Canada Cup tournament taking place at Softball City in Surrey.
The international tournament has taken on added interest with the re-inclusion of women’s softball in the Olympics at Los Angeles in 2028.
What Entzminger, who won the bronze medal with Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, had to do to be a part of the tournament is truly head-spinning.
She arrived home on Monday night from South America after Canada won gold in the Pan American championship in Colombia, put in a 12-hour work shift with the Victoria Fire Department from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday, then caught the 9 a.m. ferry to join the national team for Wednesday’s two afternoon and evening games in the Canada Cup.
“I’ll try to catch a nap on the ferry or the hotel before the games,” said Entzminger, 29, who has been a firefighter for a year and a half.
“The Victoria Fire Department has been super supportive of my journey as an athlete. There has been a bit of juggling and shift switching but we’ve made it work. A lot of firefighters in the VFD have played sports at some level and they get it because they know the drive, passion and commitment that is involved.”
Especially with the Olympics again on the line.
“We were heartbroken that our sport was left out of the [2024] Paris Olympics and are super excited that it’s back in for Los Angeles in 2028,” said third-base player Entzminger, who came out of the Lambrick Park Secondary baseball and softball academy to play NCAA Division 1 for San Jose State as a conference all-star.
“There are seven of us from the Tokyo Olympics medallist squad that are still on the team and eager and keen to keep it going into L.A. 2028.”
Newcomers to the Canadian team include Peyton Bryden of Victoria and Annabel Teperson of Campbell River, who join Entzminger among the nine players from B.C.
“I am super proud of the Island players who are coming up after me and we know there are a lot of young players out there looking up to us as role models,” said Entzminger.
“That’s what makes the Canada Cup so important because aspiring young B.C. girls’ players can watch the national team play in person and be inspired.”
Canada was 2-0 heading into Wednesday with Teperson pitching to victory in the second win. The Canada Cup runs through Sunday in Surrey.
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