President: Nationals offer big role in softball

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This article was published 11/08/2023 (836 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Scott Neiles, Softball Canada’s national championships are a key piece of what they do.

The organization’s national president, who lives in Winnipeg and was at the under-15 girls national championship in Brandon on Wednesday and Thursday, said the events offer an aspirational goal for players.

“Our Canadian championships are sort of the pinnacle of our sport,” Neiles said. “You need something as you get older from a provincial level to say ‘Hey, this is where we’re going. Our goal at the beginning is not only to win a provincial championship but to take part in a Canadian championship.’”

He noted his own memories of attending national events in baseball remain good ones, and the wins and losses are less important than the people with whom he shared the experiences.

Neiles took over as Softball Canada’s president in 2019, taking over from Kevin Quinn, who held the job for 18 years before choosing not to run again.

The U15 level is the first age group that nationals begin, with Neiles adding they might one day add a U13 national event.

“It’s something we have to address in our long-term plan,” Neiles said. “The reality of it is any time you get to go a Canadian championship, it’s a pretty special moment, not just for the players but for the coaches, umpires and the families. I think it’s a great opportunity to experience more with your teammates in different cities and make lasting memories.”

Regionals championships such as the western Canadians are run by a different governing bodies than national events, but Softball Canada could gauge the interest if those events begin at the U13 level. However, they do still have to be mindful of the guidance offered by Sport Canada on the age those events are appropriate.

At least things are back on track after an unexpected derailment.

COVID-19 hit most sports quite hard, with registration down in 2022 as restrictions began to lift. Neiles said the youngest age groups have since recovered but the U19 and U23 levels remain in the doldrums.

“That will be a constant struggle for the next few years,” Neiles said. “U19, we just had 24 teams in Victoria but it’s a matter of where they are they coming from. Are we getting six from one province and none from this province and that province?

“I know as a Manitoban that U19 is a struggle. How do we fix that? There’s a lot going on in their lives, and coming out of COVID, people realized there’s a lot more to do at that age.”

Neiles said the problem might fix itself as those players age out and the current U15s get older and move into that age group.

“There’s just more kids who want to continue playing at this level,” Neiles said.

Neiles, a former professional baseball player in Australia and coach with the Winnipeg Goldeyes, was CEO and an owner of Home Run Sports from 1994 until a merger with Kahunaverse Sports in 2017.

The Manitoba Baseball Hall of Famer — he was inducted in 2007 — served a number of positions with softball Manitoba before being elected in 2017 to Softball Canada’s board of directors

He has some significant experience in softball well beyond the boardroom.

Neiles has two daughters, Megan and Jayda, play in the United States on scholarships at the University of Jamestown.

He said there is no shortage of opportunities for young ladies.

There are two Division II schools in Canada with the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, plus there is a Canadian college league that plays fall softball. South of the border, he guesses there are likely 60 Manitobans playing on scholarships.

“I think if people knew the opportunities and avenues from softball, it might give them a little more incentive to say ‘Hey, maybe it’s not ringette or hockey or whatever sport they’re playing, but there are so many opportunities,’” Neiles said. “Most of the good athletes, the good ball players and hockey players, are playing volleyball or basketball, and every sport has become a year-round sport.

“It’s unfortunate that at certain levels you just have to choose because you need more reps. I think it people realized the opportunities in softball, you may have more people hanging around a little longer and putting in more effort.”

That’s also an issue for staging events.

Neiles said smaller communities embrace events like nationals in a way that bigger cities simply don’t. But the problem built into that equation is there are fewer people able to bring a significant commitment of their time in a smaller population base.

“We need to bring on a new generation of volunteers because the same people can’t keep doing things,” Neiles said. “It’s getting a little bit tougher each time and the asks and responsibilities … you see the same people from the start of the day until the end of the day.”

When Neiles first got involved in softball at the national level, people raved about Headingley’s John Blumberg Park. He said when the facility hosted a big tournament and all seven diamonds were being used, it was an outstanding venue.

But it eventually began to fall apart, and when a recent report suggested it needed $3.2 million worth of upgrades, Softball Manitoba walked away from its lease with the City of Winnipeg in February after 32 years.

That made the addition of the Ashley Neufeld Softball Complex that much more important. While he notes it was borne of tragedy, something special has emerged.

“When I look at the continued growth over the past few years, every time you come out here you just go ‘Wow, this is pretty special,’” Neiles said. “Having been to a number of Canadian championships across the land, this is as good as any because you have a little bit of separation (between diamonds) but at the same time, everything is here … I’m at the point now where you look at something like this, and it’s ‘Why couldn’t you host a world championship here?’

“This won’t be their last Canadian championship.”

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