Coach hails ‘special’ women
Nova Scotia’s Smith pilots Canadian team to first podium finish in softball
The Canadian women's softball team made history on Tuesday when it earned the country's first Olympic medal in the sport.
Canada, led by head coach Mark Smith of Falmouth, edged Mexico 3-2 in the bronze-medal game at the Tokyo Olympics.
The medal was important for the Canadian women with the status of softball as an Olympic sport up in the air.
Softball made its return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008 in Beijing. The sport will not be included in the 2024 Paris program and faces an uncertain Olympic future.
Smith, who announced he was retiring from his position as Canada's national team coach, made an impassioned plea after the victory for the sport to remain in the Olympic program.
The 62-year-old Canadian and international Hall of Fame pitcher defended the sport as if he had to protect a one-run lead in the seventh inning.
“I think a terrible injustice was done to women's softball when it was taken out in
2008,” said Smith. “You look at the parity that was displayed this week. How close the games were, right across the board. When you look at the fact that these teams, you didn't know who was going to win until the last out. From my perspective, it was absurd it was taken out.”
To Smith's point on parity, Canada's only two losses were 1-0 games against Japan and the United States.
In the gold-medal game,
Japan edged the U.S. 2-0.
He believes the women produced an exciting display of softball that deserves to be an Olympic mainstay.
“I think it has more than made its case on why it should be in. I believe if COVID had not existed, you would have had packed stadiums to watch the games played. I don't know how it is possible that women's softball shouldn't be returned to the Olympic platform and become a core sport because it has more than proven its value as far as I'm concerned.”
Veteran pitcher Danielle Lawrie, who came out of retirement for these Games, was sensational getting the final seven outs to preserve the victory. When Lawrie struck out the last Mexican batter, her teammates rushed to the mound and huddled together in celebration.
Lawrie, Jen Salling, Lauren Regula and Kaleigh Rafter were all members of the Canadian team that placed fourth in Beijing.
Smith praised his players for their commitment to excellence and to each other.
“This is a special group of women,” he said. “I've had the privilege of coaching for 13 years. To watch how they have grown as people and athletes over the last 13 years. To watch how they stepped up and developed, especially from a resilience standpoint over the last year and a half during the pandemic and all the challenges we have all encountered in our individual lives. This team just didn't miss a beat.
“You noticed at the end of the game they huddled. They huddled because they play for one another. They huddled because this was a team effort. Everybody on this team from the starting nine to players that came in in reserve, everybody here is an equal and we treat one another as equals.”
Kelsey Harshman delivered what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning when her sacrifice fly brought home Janet Leung for a 3-2 lead.
Canada jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Emma Entzminger singled to left field to score both Salling and Erika Polidori.
Mexico fought back with runs in the third and fifth innings.
BUILDING BLOCKS FOR CANADIAN SOFTBALL
Smith said the medal win showed the "importance of team and buying into a process."
He sees it as a building block for future Canadian teams.
“We'd like to think that the success we were fortunate to experience today is going to be a building block for softball in our country. Many young girls that are playing our game and aspire to wear this uniform and be where Kelsey (Harshman) and Jenna (Caira) are,” said Smith, referencing the two Canadian stars who joined him in the post-game news conference.
“Four years from now is a long time, I know I won't be there,” said Smith. “There's going to be some new faces come along and another group that is going to have to build their own culture and own identity. I would like to think the example we have set in our own country shows what a team is capable of when they truly play like a team. What you saw today was character and culture. They stepped up today when they had to.”
As Smith walks away from the sport that has been a major part of his life since he was young he said the team's accomplishment will always stay with him.
"To end my lady game in softball winning an Olympic medal is a pretty satisfying feeling. To accomplish it with this group is even more special."
Smith can only hope that future Canadian softball players will have the opportunity to experience the Olympic Games.