For the first time in league history, a woman will suit up in the Canadian College Baseball Conference next season.

Vancouver Island University Mariners baseball club announced this week the signing of Alli Schroder, a right-handed pitcher from the Kootenays for the 2021-22 season. According to Baseball Canada含羞草研究社檚 website, Schroder is the first woman to commit to a CCBC program.

The 18-year-old Fruitvale native is a veteran of the national women含羞草研究社檚 team and helped Team Canada advance in World Cup qualifiers two summers ago.

After graduating high school last year, Schroder took a year away from school and has had limited opportunities to play baseball in a pandemic. She practised and played with the Cranbrook Bandits club team when she could, but has mostly been doing individual training, finding someone to throw to, motivated to play college ball and stay in the mix for the national team.

Schroder wanted to stay in Canada and decided that VIU was the 含羞草研究社減erfect fit含羞草研究社� for her to study environmental science and pursue athletics.

含羞草研究社淰IU had it all for me,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淎lso [being] from the other side of the province, almost, living in the Kootenays, I thought it would be a pretty cool opportunity to live on the coast for a little while.含羞草研究社�

She said she含羞草研究社檚 personally been 含羞草研究社渟uper fortunate含羞草研究社� in the past with being accepted on teams of boys and men 含羞草研究社� they含羞草研究社檝e seen she can play and contribute, so gender hasn含羞草研究社檛 been an issue.

含羞草研究社淚 know that this hasn含羞草研究社檛 been the case for a lot of girls,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 been teams that we含羞草研究社檝e played against that aren含羞草研究社檛 super receptive, but every team that I含羞草研究社檝e personally played on, they含羞草研究社檝e been awesome.含羞草研究社�

She said coming to the VIU Mariners as a rookie, she含羞草研究社檒l recognize her role, know that opportunities will come through work ethic, and will be ready to contribute to the team in any way she含羞草研究社檚 asked.

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Her change-up and her two-seam fastball are her best pitches and she含羞草研究社檚 looking forward to seeing how she fares against CCBC batters.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e always played against big guys 含羞草研究社� you kind of just have to find your own advantages and know yourself, know how you play,含羞草研究社� Schroder said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 excited to see the competition and I含羞草研究社檒l just have to find my place there.含羞草研究社�

As for her place in league history, Schroder is willing to embrace the role of an advocate for women in men含羞草研究社檚 sports. Girls who play baseball sometimes switch to softball when they reach college, but Schroder said there are pathways to keep playing baseball and maybe she can 含羞草研究社渂laze a trail.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淏ut at the end of the day, I含羞草研究社檓 also just a player,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 excited to contribute to the team any way possible and I含羞草研究社檓 more focused on just being looked at as a baseball player.含羞草研究社�

It含羞草研究社檚 official, RHP from Castlegar, BC is the newest addition to the Mariners 2021/2022 roster. Welcome aboard, Mariner!

含羞草研究社� VIU Mariners (@VIUBaseball)

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