Athlete, Motivational Speaker Aims to Revitalize Softball

[caption id="attachment_27353" align="alignleft" width="174"] Jeff Ellsworth, 2005 National Team[/caption]

In 2010, the New Brunswick Region 6 Softball Association began a middle school program in the hopes of engaging younger players during the school year and seeing them enter the summer league in July and August. Although the middle school league has been successful, the summer league has not yet reached the expectations of the Association. With that in mind, the members decided bring in world-renowned softball player, and motivational speaker, Jeff Ellsworth, to speak to the middle school students of the Miramichi on February 19th at the Harkins and Nelson schools.

Growing up in the small community of St. Lawrence, PEI, Ellsworth, though a multi-talented athlete, fell in love with the game of softball and decided to see how far he could go with it. Setting personal goals for himself, he was selected to the Canadian National team in 2005. Since that time, he has played for teams across the country, all over the USA, as well as in Mexico, New Zealand and the Virgin Islands. In 2010, he captained the Canadian National team. Currently, he is preparing to participate in the Pan-Am qualifiers in Argentina in November, leading to the games in Toronto in July 2015. Jeff and his wife also coach under-18 girls softball on the provincial level in PEI.

Working with different age groups weekly in the training facility where he personally teaches the finer points of softball, baseball and hockey, Ellsworth knows how to inspire youths and young adults. As a speaker, his lessons are as applicable on the field as they are in the everyday world we all face.

Pivotal in extending the invitation to Ellsworth was Darleen Sobey, herself a talented player and coach. After seeing him speak at the Softball NB Annual Meeting, this past fall, she was impressed with his words and hopes that they might likewise inspire the young players of the river. As it is expected that the two talks will see Ellsworth speak to more than 500 middle school students, one can indeed be hopeful that he will rouse their spirits and usher in a good deal of fresh interest in the great game of softball.