Yale Softball Academy delivers can-do attitude out of Canada

by Kyle Koso

Members of the Yale Softball Academy out of Canada can be excused if they feel as though they double as a track and field squad, given all the hurdles that seem to sprout up.
 
Based outside of Vancouver, BC., Yale’s athletes have to navigate the region’s difficult weather, a relentless fact of life up North that that complicates game schedules, workouts and training in ways unfathomable to most USA-based programs. To jam up the works even more, Canada’s government imposed severe restrictions on gatherings during the height of COVID-19 concerns – like a soupy infield after a storm, it very much muddied the growth arc for players.
 
So if the blue skies and warm temperatures had Yale’s student-athletes in high spirits last weekend at the Triple Crown Las Vegas City of Lights showcase, it likely meant playing with each other meant as much as playing in front of college coaches.   
 
Yale has been coming to Las Vegas for this event for about 10 years, subtracting the COVID snarls of 2020-21. The sense of purpose was obvious for the academy, as about 55 club teams, 250 players and 50 college coaches were on hand at Majestic Park to make connections leading to future spots on college rosters.    
 
“We’ve had a lot of girls come down to this tournament and had scholarships come out of it. Maybe you have girls who find a JUCO, they’ve gone on to play for a D-I or D-II, and it’s always been a pretty successful thing to be at this tournament and give the girls lots of opportunities,” said Jen Schreyer, Yale Softball Academy teacher and coordinator who pitched for Simon Fraser and won an NAIA national title in 2005. “As Canadians, we play a lot less ball because of the weather circumstances. An American might play 300 games between club ball and showcase tournaments, while our season might have girls playing together 60 times.
 
“We’re at a bit of a disadvantage that way, so that’s why we have to train harder, and why a lot of girls look to the opportunity to be part of our program. We work on the skills as much as they can in the offseason. We have snow, lots of rain in the Pacific Northwest. We’re always looking for the billionaire to build us an indoor facility, because the one we have now is crap. It’s on cement, which is never good for the ol’ shin splints.”
 
Yale was founded in 2007; it’s best understood as a regular high school with a sport academy piece to it serving hockey, baseball and softball. On the typical day, students have school for two blocks in the morning, then head for the academy for two afternoon blocks. Softball players train from September to January’s offseason from travel ball, with other training on field when weather allows to go with a mix of tournaments and trips to college showcases.
 
“For the second half of semester, it’s three days of strength and conditioning, speed and agility, general health and PE, nutrition, then getting into the college recruiting process,” Schreyer said. “We help with the steps if they want to play at the next level. We always have to work harder. We have one NCAA team in Canada, and one NAIA team, and one JUCO. Options are limited. There are lot of girls who play, and we have to go south of the border if we want to play at a higher level.”
 
A large portion of the softball roster lives about an hour away from Yale and is up at 5 a.m. to make the trek to school. In a given year, six or seven live away from home on campus for a semester, and the squad recently had a player from New Brunswick (a crisp 54-hour drive) -- she was recruited at Vegas City of Lights and is now playing D-I softball.
 
“Being a part of this every year has really helped make (connections with multiple programs),” Schreyer added. “My job isn’t in the dugout, but to be out and talking to coaches. I quite enjoy it now; when I started I was 23 and terrified, and I still felt like a college player. Making connections with all the coaches … keeping that going the best way possible.”
 
With the Yale staff looking after the big picture, it’s up to the players to stay determined and not be pushed away from their aspirations.
 
“The challenge is, every day is different. We’re always put to the test … fielding, new drills, our mechanics, and we work on communicating a lot,” said middle infielder Navi Schalin, 17, a Vancouver native. “It’s more than two hours every day, outside in the cold, so yeah, it’s really good. I would not be the athlete I am today without going to Yale. The coaches are amazing and so encouraging. They’ll always tell you what you can do better, and they will push you really hard, which has been very beneficial. They are preparing us for college.
 
“It is really challenging showing up at tournaments, everyone has been playing outdoors for so long and we are just coming into it. It’s hard having the shorter season, but that makes us work just that much more to be better. We don’t take anything for granted. We don’t have the facilities, or as many coaches as on the States. When it comes to the team, we work for each other, and it’s a group effort. Our season is so short, we put it first. We only have so much time, so let’s put everything we can into it, have each other’s back no matter what.”
 
“I’ve learned a lot since grade 9. They’ve taught me a lot about pitching, and the infield coaching is very good. Every day is different, there’s a mix of what you need to do each day,” said pitcher/utility player Jenna Johnston, 17, also from Vancouver. “If you mess up, they teach you. You’ll do 500 pushups if you forget gear, so they’re hard on us, but they want to make us the best we can be.
 
“With the weather, it can be hard to find a place to practice. With pitching, I do a lot of long toss in the offseason, and it’s not easy doing that when it’s snowing and minus-2 degrees. Finding a place to do hitting, the facility of my old club team wasn’t heated, so you’d break bats every other week. We’re there for each other. We know what we missed with the COVID years, all pushed back with recruiting. You come down here, it’s a whole different level of ball, the intensity and the pitching, it’s completely different. We all know each other up in Canada, and we know we need to get better.”