It’s been 24 years since Softball Newfoundland and Labrador has sent a team to the Canadian senior women’s fastpitch championship, but that will change this summer as the province looks to a Saskatchewan native to help rebuild its female program.
Andrea Wolf of Wapella, Sask. is the new provincial senior women’s coach, who will guide the squad at the national championship Aug. 15-19 in Saskatoon, Sask.
Playing softball since 1985 at the local, provincial, national and college levels, Wolf has been coaching since 2006, and recently guided Saskatchewan’s women’s team at last summer’s Canada Games in Winnipeg. Her team finished just out of the medals, in fourth place.
It was at the Games that Softball Newfoundland and Labrador president Gary Corbett was introduced to Wolf, who was also in St. John’s last fall for Softball Canada’s annual general meeting.
“As you know,” said Softball NL technical director Dave Feener, “one of our mandates is to rebuild the women’s fastpitch game.
“Gary mentioned this to Andrea, and she offered assistance if we needed it.”
Softball NL put out a call for a senior women’s coach for the 2018 season, but there were no replies. When it was clear nobody was stepping up to coach the team, Corbett reached out to Wolf.
The move has been approved by Softball Canada, and Wolf has obtained her release from Softball Saskatchewan. Wolf will travel to St. John’s several times over the summer to stage camps before selecting a team for a July invitational tournament in Nova Scotia and the nationals in August.
In addition to her playing and coaching career, Wolf is also a Softball Canada board member, and is currently chair of the Long-Term Player Development Program.
She is certified at the competition development level, and is currently working towards her advanced coaching diploma.
Other coaching appointments announced by Softball NL are:
Steven Rice of Torbay (U14 girls)
Daniel O’Keefe of Placentia (U14 boys)
David Kennedy of Carbonear (U16 boys)
Mark Nash of Placentia (U19 men’s)
Bill Hatfield of Placentia (U23 men’s)
Les Howey of C.B.S. (senior men’s)
John Farrell of Holyrood and Derm Croke of Avondale will coach the U16 girls and U19 women’s teams, respectively, at Eastern Canadian championships this summer
As well, Softball NL Hall of Famers Dee and Bette Murphy have been appointed honorary coaches for the senior women’s team this summer.
Following her lengthy playing career, Bette Murphy served as manager for 17 teams that represented Newfoundland Labrador in national championships, including two Canada Summer Games squads.
Dee Murphy, the first president of Softball Newfoundland and Labrador, was responsible for the organization of female softball in St. John’s. He coached ladies’ fastpitch teams for 25 years, including numerous St. John’s and provincial ladies fastpitch championship teams and 11 ladies fastpitch teams at Canadian championships.
He is also a member of Softball Canada’s Hall of Fame.
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