Pitching to win, Calgary’s Morgan Rackel is once again playing for Team Canada as it heads into the Canada Cup

One pitch at a time, Calgary’s Morgan Rackel hopes to lead the national team to victory at the annual Canada Cup.

The Canada Cup International Softball Championship takes place in Surrey, BC from July 7 to 16. Celebrating its 30^th year, the Canada Cup showcases top female athletes from around Canada and the world.

Rackel has played on Team Canada since 2019.

In 2020 she made her Olympic debut in Tokyo, winning the bronze medal as an alternate. Before that, she helped win silver in 2019 at the Pan American Games.

Now she’s back wearing the maple leaf, pitching in the Canada Cup.

Bred for the game

“I’ve been playing softball for as long as I can remember,” says Rackel. “My parents actually met playing slow pitch, so I’m kind of bred to play softball.”

Rackel loves how the sport challenges her both physically and mentally, as almost every action in the game is intentional.

The friendships built with her teammates are another rewarding aspect of the game, she adds.

“I love supporting my friends and teammates and cheering on their successes. As my teammates get better, they push me to get even better,” she says.

Rackel not only brings her cheerful attitude and support to the national team, but also her unique hand.

“I'm our only lefty pitcher,” she says.

“So, bringing something from the left side is definitely a huge advantage for me personally and within our pitching staff… Being able to use that variety in our favour and mix and match to certain hitters is huge for us.”

Local support

Rackel trains multiple times a week to stay in shape and further her skills, however during COVID when she was isolated to her Calgary home, she had to turn to new methods to continue her training.

“I had no spaces to go and practice, but through the community, I actually found someone who owned a warehouse and let me throw in there,” she says.

“I was throwing on concrete floors in the middle of this warehouse with huge, tall boxes and rows and rows of stuff, and I'm just grateful for those people that supported me in that moment.”

Rackel appreciates the continuous support she receives from her community. Whether it’s watching her play on a livestream, travelling to see her in person, or even loaning her a warehouse.

Rackel also gives back to the community, which has helped her make it to where she is now.

“I give back to my alumni organization that I grew up playing for, which is the Calgary Kaizen,” she says.

“I get to be a role model and practice alongside some of the girls coming up through the system. I’m trying to be a presence and be that role model that I might not have necessarily had when I was growing up.”

Rackel’s advice for young girls in the sport is to keep doing what they love.

“I know it’s pretty cliché, but I've always had a personal love for the sport, and I've always loved the way it challenged me… It’s gotten me to where I am today.”

Canada Cup

As Rackel prepares for the Canada Cup, she’s excited to return to the tournament she grew up playing.

“It's honestly my favourite tournament to play every year,” she says.

“I grew up playing in it as a minor and that was my only chance to see Team Canada play as a kid. So being able to wear the jersey on those fields where I used to look up to people, and now I’ll be that person for other teams, it’s super special.”

Rackel hopes Team Canada will win, but she also looks forward to seeing some of the other talents at the tournament.

Later this summer, the national team will compete at the Women’s Softball World Cup. The Canada Cup will allow the players to scope out a few of the teams they’re set to play against.

“We’ll be getting some information from them by playing them and seeing what they have, and we’ll know how we can get better from this tournament to the next.”

Rackel’s feeling good heading into the tournament, and says she’s got a few new tricks up her sleeve to try out during the games.

Team Canada plays its first game on the evening of July 8 against Japan.