Received: 1/24/09 7:09:54 PM
From: scottsearle(at)rogers.com
Subject: Gee-Gees Softball Star Happy to Stay Home
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Softball player happy to stay home
by Dan Plouffe
View all articles from Dan Plouffe
Article online since December 12nd 2008, 9:47
Be the first to comment on this article
Jillian Taylor won multiple MVP awards for the Orléans Rebels
and Ottawa Gee-Gees. Photo supplied
Softball player happy to stay home
Orléans Rebels softball player Jill Taylor is expecting this
Christmas season wont be quite as chaotic as the last one.
At this time last year, she had settled into her role as a pitcher
for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and was finally getting
her education on track after she was set back due to a failed
attempt at playing for a small Florida school on an athletic
scholarship.
But then Taylor got a call on Dec. 28, 2007 asking her if she
would join Simon Fraser University the home of many Canadian
national team players for the winter semester and their spring
season. And shed have to be there in about a week.
I thought, That is such a huge opportunity and I would love
it, but it was really overwhelming, says Taylor, who flew out
to Vancouver to see the campus and practice with the softball
team for a week, but returned to Ottawa for the second week of
school. It was the shock of not being prepared at all to move
away. (The offer) was a huge compliment I felt really honoured
but it was not something I could fully commit to.
Taylor was coming off a season where she was named the Gee-Gees
team MVP, and because she was registering for classes late, none
of her courses would transfer back to Ottawa U. Although she
says the Simon Fraser offer would have been perfect in her first
year, Taylor decided it wasnt the right fit or the right time
to make that big a change.
I think Jill was really hurt by growing up in Ottawa Ontarios
one of the best provinces for ball, but the top teams are all
from Toronto, says Gee-Gees coach Scott Searle, who also coaches
for the Rebels and is a teacher at St. Peter Catholic High School.
She lacked exposure and elite competition, so I think that hurt
her development at the beginning.
It wasnt until Taylor started competing at the university level,
and the Rebels began drawing players from as far as Pembroke
and Kingston, that Taylor really blossomed and attracted more
attention. This past summer, Taylor was named MVP of the provincial
under-23 championships as the Rebels earned the first trip to
nationals for an Ottawa team in a decade. She followed that up
with her second Gee-Gees team MVP award in the fall, and also
took home top pitcher honours from the Ontario university finals.
With the university team and expanding the Orléans team, shes
been able to compete against better teams and shes really been
able to bring her game up, Searle says, pegging Taylor as one
of the best five or six players in Canada who arent on the national
team. Shes one of the most dominant players in Ontario now.
Taylor, who was also the Gee-Gees top hitter, doesnt expect
shell get another chance to make it to the national team level
as a player, but shes quite eager to help the next generation
try to reach those goals. Taylor has helped out with clinics
for free, Searle notes and can frequently be found at the
ballpark, often with her dad, teaching youngsters how to pitch.
I just love working with kids, says Taylor, whose Starbucks
job four days a week starts at 5 a.m. I think its important
for kids to have a positive coach whos knowledgeable in what
theyre doing.
Taylor hasnt had time to coach a team of her own yet, and for
now shes hoping that her playing career with the Gee-Gees can
continue shes applied for teachers college at the school
for fall 2009.
I love the Gee-Gees. Im really sad that it could be my last
year, Taylor says, noting trips in rented vans to tournaments
were her favourite memories even when they got lost in places
like Deseronto without directions, cell phone service, gas, or
any sign of life. Even though I play for softball, when I think
back to Gee-Gees, I think of all the fun weve had and the friendships
weve made through those trips.
www.eteamz.com/ottawaufastpitch
Al's Fastball News
*Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com
fastb...@pmihrm.com
NEWS-1: http://www.AlsFastball.com/
NEWS-2: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball
VIA http://www.webbox.com
_______________________________________________
Alsfastball mailing list
Alsfastball@fastpitchwest.com
http://fastpitchwest.com/mailman/listinfo/alsfastball_fastpitchwest.com
