OTTAWA – Former Women’s National Team star Ashley Stephenson will manage Team Canada at the upcoming Friendship Series against the United States with current Manager Aaron Myette unable to participate due to personal reasons.
The five-game Friendship Series is set to take place at Baseball Central in Thunder Bay, Ontario from July 28-August 1.
“I’m really excited for this opportunity,” said Stephenson. “I’m grateful for the support of Aaron (Myette) and Baseball Canada and look forward to working with the rest of the coaching staff and the athletes in Thunder Bay.”
After wrapping up a 15-year playing career with the Women’s National Team program with a bronze medal at the Women’s Baseball World Cup in 2018, Stephenson announced her retirement as a player and immediately jumped into a role on the coaching staff. She was part of the staff that led Canada to a bronze medal at the COPABE Women's Pan-American Championships in 2019 and in 2021 was a lead instructor at the Women’s National Team Showcase in Trois-Rivières, Québec.
Stephenson will have some familiar faces to look to on the coaching staff including her teammate from her entire Women’s National Team playing career in Kate Psota with former player Hannah Martensen and pitching coach Anthony Pluta rounding out the uniformed staff.
The support staff includes longtime Business Manager Penny Fitzsimmons along with Athletic Therapist Marie-Claude Fournier and Massage Therapist Melissa Doldron.
Stephenson and staff will be in Stonewall, Manitoba from July 21-24 at the Women’s Invitational Championships where they will select 20 players from the event to represent Canada at the Friendship Series.
Stay up-to-date with the Women’s National Team by following @BaseballCANWNT on Twitter.
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