Dave Paetkau will join the Coaches Pool as the Hitting and Outfield Coach for the Canadian Women's National Softball Team! Good Luck with the team and congratulations again!!
When
Tessa Loewen steps up to the plate, she’s the softball equivalent of a
Rubik’s Cube – a puzzle that few opposing pitchers can solve.
In
150-plus plate appearances this season with the Fraser Valley Fusion
’93 rep squad, the 15-year-old Abbotsford native has struck out just
seven times, and her batting average is a robust .470.
“It’s
so cool to coach Tessa,” said Fusion bench boss Art Neufeld. “She can
counter just about everything the defence throws at her. She’s a very
tough out, and she always puts the ball in play.”
Loewen’s
well-rounded offensive arsenal has earned her a ticket to the Czech
Republic for a major international tournament in August. She’s one of
17 players selected by Softball Canada to participate in the Easton
Foundation Youth World Cup, which runs in Prague from Aug. 10-16.
The
Easton event features the top players in the 16-year-old age group from
12 countries, including China, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan,
Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Africa, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
When
Loewen got the call that she’d been picked for Team Canada, she was
stunned. Dave Paetkau, her hitting instructor at Abbotsford’s Power
Zone Academy, had to twist her arm just to get her to attend the
regional tryout in Surrey, and she went in with low expectations.
“Out
of 500 people from around Canada, I didn’t think it was possible,” said
Loewen, who plays second base. “I didn’t go in cocky at all. I tried my
best, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”
According
to Neufeld, Loewen’s dynamic skills at the plate are what set her
apart. She’s a prototypical leadoff hitter, blending speed and bat
control with a surprising amount of power.
Loewen’s
offensive arsenal poses quite a dilemma for opposing defences. If the
infield is playing deep, the speedy left-handed hitter will simply lay
down a drag bunt and zip down to first base. If the opposing coach
draws the infield in, she has enough pop in her bat to drive the ball
past them.
Loewen, who just
completed her Grade 10 year at Yale Secondary, also happens to be an
elite soccer player – she plays striker for the Langley Mustangs. Until
recently, she wasn’t sure which sport she’d choose to specialize in at
the university level.
“Before,
I couldn’t choose between the two,” said Loewen, who hopes to earn a
scholarship south of the border. “But right now, baseball is way
higher.”
