Toria Kover was eight years old when she got her first taste of softball.

And it all happened by chance. Her older sister香蕉视频直播檚 t-ball team needed an extra player, so Toria gladly volunteered herself.

香蕉视频直播淚 hopped in and I fell in love with it. My sister did not 香蕉视频直播� she quit after that year,香蕉视频直播� said Kover, a recent graduate from Rutland Senior Secondary School.

Fast-forward to 10 years later. Just last month, Kover accepted an offer to attend Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., later this year, where she香蕉视频直播檒l be playing for the school香蕉视频直播檚 NCAA Division I women香蕉视频直播檚 softball team.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a surreal experience, really. Just being able to know that I can do this, I香蕉视频直播檓 able to go out and do what I wanted to do when I was eight years old. It香蕉视频直播檚 crazy,香蕉视频直播� said Kover, who will be working towards achieving a bachelor of science degree in sports and exercise health care.

Earning the opportunity to play for an NCAA Division I school didn香蕉视频直播檛 happen overnight. It took a whole decade for Kover to land this achievement.

From the age of nine up until she was 14, Kover香蕉视频直播檚 father coached her while she was a member of the Kelowna Blue Jays. At 14, she moved up from the C to B program to play for the Kelowna Heat.

From 15 to 17, she played U16B and later U19B 香蕉视频直播� still a member of the Kelowna Heat 香蕉视频直播� where she was coached by Michelle Webster and Jocelyn Cater, with the latter being the youngest player to ever play for Canada香蕉视频直播檚 national softball team.

Following her stint with the Heat, she played for the TriCity Titans before joining the Ridge Meadows Pride softball team.

She said that it was pitching 香蕉视频直播� her greatest asset 香蕉视频直播� that kept her going after all these years. Standing at 5 ft. 3, she said she isn香蕉视频直播檛 the fastest pitcher, and instead described herself as a spin pitcher.

香蕉视频直播淚 was able to keep learning. It香蕉视频直播檚 not just stationary 香蕉视频直播� you have to keep learning new pitches, new spins, all that kind of stuff,香蕉视频直播� she said.

In her arsenal of pitches are the fastball, the changeup, the curveball, the screwball and the rise up.

But pitching isn香蕉视频直播檛 her favourite part of the game. Rather, she said it香蕉视频直播檚 the camaraderie that comes with it.

香蕉视频直播淏eing a part of a team and being able to know that no matter where I am, I香蕉视频直播檒l always have people that I can go back to that will help me and want to see me succeed,香蕉视频直播� she said.

And while she hopes to be involved with softball for the rest of her life, either as a player or a coach, her end goal is to become a travelling physiotherapist for a sports team.

But did she think she would ever get to this point? 香蕉视频直播淣ever in a million years,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淩eally, I just owe everything I香蕉视频直播檝e accomplished to my parents, my family and my awesome coaches, coach Web and Jocelyn,香蕉视频直播� she said.

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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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