Ellsworth named head coach of Team Canada’s junior team

October 21, 2016

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© Jason Simmonds/TC Media

Jeff Ellsworth gives a sign to the batter while coaching the P.E.I. Scotiabank Reds during the Softball Canada national under-21 women’s fastpitch championship in Summerside in August.

ORIGINAL STORY by Eric McCarthy, Journal Pioneer

 

Could possibly bring selection camp to O’Leary

As an assistant coach with the squad since 2015, the St. Lawrence, P.E.I., native was suddenly thrust into the head coaching position just prior to the world championship in Midland, Mich., in July.

Team Canada went on to win bronze, moving up from seventh at their previous world championship in Whitehorse in 2014.

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Two-year cycle

Now, Softball Canada has confirmed Ellsworth will be back as the junior team’s head coach for the next two-year cycle. He will be joined by all of his assistant coaches from Michigan, including Mark Quinn from Cardigan.

 

Excited

“Softball Canada is extremely excited to have such a young and dynamic coaching staff to lead our junior men’s national team into the next cycle,” announced Mike Branchaud, manager of Softball Canada’s men’s national teams and Canadian championships.

“The teaching capabilities of this group of coaches was brought to the forefront in 2016, and the results clearly indicated they did a tremendous job. We are looking forward to the next cycle, and are expecting continual improvements in our junior men’s national team program.”

 

Training camp

It was during training camp in July, just four days before leaving for the world championship, that the team’s head coach became ill and had to return home. That’s when Ellsworth was asked to take over as head coach.

“Obviously Junior Team Canada is going to be a priority, but (the) Canada Games is one of my top priorities in 2017." Jeff Ellsworth

Then he returned to his other coaching duties with a professional women’s team in Florida, and with the P.E.I. 2017 Canada Games women’s team.

 

Made official

Ellsworth, who lives in Union with his wife Lori and is recreation director in O’Leary, said his selection as head coach for the next cycle was made official Wednesday.

“Obviously Junior Team Canada is going to be a priority, but (the) Canada Games is one of my top priorities in 2017,” said Ellsworth in confirming his commitment to both teams.

 

Identification camps

There will be four regional identification camps across Canada for the Canadian junior men’s team, followed by a late-summer selection camp. Ellsworth is hoping to hold the selection camp in O’Leary.

“It makes sense he said, noting O’Leary has been awarded Softball Canada’s national under-18 men’s championship from Aug. 16 to 20, 2017. That tournament is likely to attract 12 to 14 teams from all across Canada, including many of the players who will be trying out for the Canadian junior team.

“It just makes sense to keep them there,” he reasons.