Shouldice Athletic Park has been packed all weekend for the 2026 U17 Women’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship. Hosted by the Calgary Kaizen, this event brought 21 teams, close to 300 athletes, and thousands of visitors from all across the country to compete for the title of the country’s best U17 women’s fast pitch team. “To host a championship tournament of this caliber, with the caliber of players and coaches and umpires and Softball Canada staff, it’s extremely meaningful,” said Calgary Kaizen coach and tournament chair Tanner Strangway. “It’s just a sign that softball in this city and in this province is moving along and is getting to a point now where we’re competitive with anybody across this country. We love to host people and bring them to our city and our province and really just prove that we can host a great tournament and compete,” Strangway added. Several Kaizen players and Strangway explained they had a “disappointing” provincials, failing to make it to Championship Sunday, but nationals up to this point has been great. As of Saturday morning the team sits at 5-2, and the team says being the hosts certainly gave them an extra push to come out strong. “We came in here with the thought that we wanted to prove ourselves and show that we are hosting for a reason, that we can be as good as Ontario 1, Manitoba 1, AB 1, and all these other teams,” said Kaizen captain Abby Haniak. “We’re really just playing loose and playing excited and having fun,” added Kaizen teammate Taya McCaskill. Both Haniak and McCaskill say being familiar with your own community and field certainly helps, as well as the extra support that comes with being in your own city. “Looking back behind the backstop and seeing how full it is and everything … We’ve never seen the stands at full, so it’s pretty exciting,” Haniak said. “It’s really amazing, just having the support after games. If you had a rough game, you can go to your friends and they can pick you up, and it’s just really nice to have that support,” McCaskill added. Tournament organizers estimate the total amount of visitors was likely in the thousands when you factor in friends and family of the 300 athletes, and that amount of support goes beyond a morale boost, it’s also an economic one. “It’s easily millions of dollars,” Strangway said. “I’m sure that a lot of hotels are filled up. A lot of money is going into the restaurants and local businesses, so that kind of income tax is always very strong, especially when you bring 21 teams,” said Softball Canada’s Assistant Supervisor Kris Walushka. Like many outdoor events this summer, this fast pitch nationals was no stranger to smokey skies. However, Walushka says it didn’t pose any concerns to the tournament. “We’re well in touch with the protocols if there is smoke and the different levels, and when you would play versus when you wouldn’t play, so we tell the teams that everyone knows we’re prepared if it comes,” he said. The tournament will conclude Sunday afternoon, where a new national champion will be crowned.
