rep / competitive team try outs
Parkland Softball is fully committed to offering competitive high level Softball. Team rosters are formed following tryouts that determine the players demonstrated ability at the tryout sessions. Each athlete will get at least two hours in a small group to demonstrate their abilities to the coaches.
UPDATE: Parkland Softball has held tryouts and completed rosters for many of the Rep teams for the 2025 season.
Additional Rep Tryouts may be held for interested athletes in February 2025.
For 2025, Parkland is looking to field competitive A teams, but final team level will be determined once the team has been selected. If there is enough interest, Parkland will field competitive Rep teams in the A and B divisions.
why parkland softball?
Parkland Softball has experienced continued growth since its inception, as a community recreational association. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our players, parents, volunteers, coaches, and community members, we now feel that we are ready to pursue A level softball in our area. As such, Parkland will be applying for A level status with Softball Alberta for the 2024 season, in the U15 and U17 age categories.
Parkland Softball has a competitive advantage in this region. The Parkland Minor Baseball Academy offers high performance training to softball and baseball athletes. Most of the athletes they work with attend the Parkland Student Athlete Academy for their academic and athletic pursuits. However, the Academy has offered Parkland Softball a training program opportunity after school, twice a week, from September - January, to prepare our athletes for the next level of competition. We are thrilled to provide this amazing opportunity to any softball athlete that is interested in competing at the U15A or U17A level. The professional coaches have also offered to facilitate a player ID clinic to help us determine rosters, positions, and any potential gaps so we can recruit other players, if necessary.
Below is more information on the Parkland Minor Baseball Academy and the "A" program for your consideration.
coaches
Shane Dawson is the head coach for the Parkland Twins Baseball Academy and the Technical Director for Parkland Minor Ball. He played high school baseball in Spruce Grove before attending Lethbridge College to play post-secondary baseball. From there, Shane was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and played seven years in their organization. During that time, he played for Team Canada twice, winning a gold medal at the Pan Am Games in 2015. Since the end of his playing career, Shane has been coaching at different academies throughout the province. This will be his 4th year at the Parkland Twins Baseball Academy.
Mike Johnson is the Director of the Parkland Twins Baseball Academy. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and played parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles and the Montreal Expos. Mike's playing career spanned over 15 years and saw him play for Team Canada multiple times, winning a gold medal at the Pan Am Games in 2011. Since then, Mike has been a coach on Baseball Canada's Junior National Team and Senior National Team. Mike is currently our bantam AAA head coach and this will be his 3rd year at the Parkland Twins Baseball Academy.
We have three part-time coaches that work with our program. Brandon Hill played college baseball at Okanagan College and has coached at multiple levels throughout our association. Zach Yuzda played college baseball at Vancouver Island University and is currently our midget BAEL (Baseball Alberta Elite League) head coach. Carrie Jespersen played college softball at Cedarville University in Ohio, and played on Baseball Canada's women's national team.
strength & conditioning
Parkland Softball will be offering Strength and Conditioning programs for Rep Team athletes.
In the past three years, we have moved 16 athletes to post-secondary programs. We believe that our softball athletes should and will have similar opportunities to pursue post-secondary options, and playing at the competitive A level will help get them there. We are confident that the softball athletes who choose to work with us will be ready to compete by the Spring of 2024.
