Sydney Caplette hasn't measured her right arm lately.
Considering how long she's been using it to fan batters on the fastball diamond, chances are it's bigger and longer than her catching arm.
Caplette has been windmilling pitches since she was a seven-year-old, a habit she fell in love with watching her mom play in the Prince George Senior Women's Fastball Association. Now at 17, Caplette has gained a reputation as the top pitcher in the four-team women's league and has earned a spot on Team B.C. to play in the North American Indigenous Games in Regina, July 20-27.
"I've been looking forward to it for two years, it's pretty amazing I made the team," said Caplette. "I'm kind of shocked about it, I've never been on a provincial team.
"I've been playing ball for 12 years and it's been a long process to get to where I am today. I'm looking forward to the competition and being able to see what players from the north are like, because we've always played teams from the south. I'm Metis, on my dad's side. It's really exciting, I never thought there would be a team for that. "
The spotlight of the Indigenous Games will likely be a beacon for NCAA college scouts and Caplette is hoping to leave a big impression. She wants to follow in the footsteps of Prince George players like Terry Moshure (Grand Prairie College) and Amanda Asay (Brown University), whose softball talents opened educational doors.
"It's hard getting noticed in such a small town here, I think going [to Regina] will help a lot," said Caplette. "Amanda is friends with my mom and I've talked to her a few times and she gives me tips."
The core of Caplette's Prince George midget Thunderbirds team has been together since they were playing as squirts and they know each other well on the field. That makes a big difference in softball, where the action is fast and the lightning reactions are essential for a tight defence. When things do go wrong and Caplette allows a big hit, she turns to her teammates for inspiration.
"Playing with them for four years they know how to get me back up when I get down," said Caplette, who's just wrapping up her Grade 11 studies at Kelly Road secondary school.
"It's a lot on your shoulders when you're a pitcher. Sometimes people just don't understand how much pressure you have on your hands and they get mad at you for not doing what they want you to do.
"It's fun now playing in the ladies league because we have more high-level competition. They play more like Vancouver teams do."
Heidi Wilson coached Caplette for several years in the Prince George Minor Girls Softball Association and has watched her grow up with the game, taking on roles as a coach, umpire and league organizer. Caplette was a popular instructor with the kids in a three-times-per-week indoor off-season program, which gave development-level players the chance to work on the throws and hit the ball at school gyms and the Northern Sport Centre.
"She's always at every game and practice and practices on her own, she's a very dedicated player and she very much knows the game," said Wilson. "She has pretty good control of her pitches and she's coming along with her speed. She also hits the ball well and she can run fast too."
One of four pitchers on her team, Caplette usually bats in the clean-up spot.
"She's got a great attitude and she's a smart ball player," said Thunderbirds head coach Lewis Lank. "She's grown up around the diamond and she does everything exceptionally well. She hits the ball a ton and throws extremely hard. When she's not pitching I'll put her in at first or second [base]. Second is a very difficult position and she understands the game enough that she makes it look routine no matter what the play is."
Tanelle Smith, a UNBC student who plays shortstop for the PGWFA Raiders and for a Vancouver Island team, also made the B.C. under-19 team. Martina Spooner of Prince George was selected for the under-16 team for the Indigenous Games.
Eight players from the Falcon Contracting junior men's team - Nicholas Potskin, Tyson Ghostkeeper, Shelby Tom, Theo Potskin, Jayden Heer, Lane Dejarlais, Trent Seymour, and Tre Potskin - will play on Team B.C. in the U-19 boys division in Regina.
The midget T-birds will be in Abbotsford for the U-18 midget B provincial championships, July 3-6. The bantam T-birds will host the bantam B provincial championships, July 25-27 at Freeman Park. The bantam team will also represent Zone 8 at the B.C. Summer Games in Nanaimo, July 17-20.
