September 19, 2024
FORT COLLINS, CO – As Team Canada head softball coach Kaleigh Rafter ran about a dozen players through the data-rich CSE Performance Lab setting this week, there’s one metric that likely blew past all expectations.
The number of steps she took.
Rafter moved relentlessly from Red Rocks Field at Triple Crown Sports into the best-equipped indoor lab serving the sport of softball, and back again, a hands-on force of nature as players got a deeper look at their skill sets before preparing for the long, cold winter break. It’s the second trip to the CSE Performance Lab for Team Canada, which played three games this summer at Triple Crown Sports.
Rafter took a few moments to visit in between punching buttons on cameras, laptops and computer consoles to update Team Canada’s roadmap for the offseason.
“We wanted to give them a look at where they are at, what’s the data saying, and look for opportunities for growth heading into offseason training,” said Rafter, who is also an assistant coach with the Florida State women’s team, which reached the NCAA Super Regionals this past season. “Team Canada is going to be inside a lot over the next three to six months and we want to capitalize on some training ideas since we don’t get to enjoy these cool toys we are using this week.
“All these players were here in the summer, so we are building the database, learning more about our player DNA. Everyone moves differently; we want to dig into the concepts and be intentional with the work we need to do over the next nine months.”
National team funding was made available so Rafter and her players could make the trip to Fort Collins here in the late summer.
“That’s part of what I do at Florida State; I run the data (initiative), so I’m pretty comfortable in these situations. If you understand how things are operating, you can immerse yourself and get a better understanding and can see those opportunities for growth,” Rafter added.
As for Team Canada’s performance on the field, 2024 marked a terrific run. The squad played in the World Cup this July in Italy and won a bronze medal in high-stress fashion – Callum Pilgrim hit a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning as Canada topped the Netherlands, 11-7.
“We trained and were together 60 days, and the summer came down to that one swing,” Rafter said, “As a whole, we’ve been building … knowing where we were in 2021 and finishing sixth (at the World Cup) right after the Olympics. A lot of people retired, we were transitioning, and to see the growth through 2024 –this was our main test. I’m super positive about where we are at, and I love to see the growth we’ve had. We know we are on the right path.”
