Break-out season for Harris on B.C. school ball team
Break-out season for Harris on B.C. school ball team
Sports
July 17, 2008 12:56 AM
By: Mike Hayakawa
When Jessie Harris entered her sophomore campaign with the Simon Fraser University Clan women’s softball team this year, she didn’t have high expectations.
The 20-year-old Stouffville native, who plays centre field for the Clan, thought it would be a season in which she would just gain another year of experience and roll with the punches.
But such wasn’t the case for the Stouffville District Secondary School graduate.
In fact, Harris was a vital cog with the Clan, as they received an at-large bid to compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championship.
While winning their first three games, the Clan lost their last three that included a 6-1 loss to Dickinson State May 19 to end their season.
national championshipsInserted as their lead-off hitter and sporting the fourth-best batting average on the team in 30 games played at .408, Harris led the Clan in several offensive categories including RBIs with 33, total bases 79, runs scored 33 and hits 42.
“Other than getting more playing experience this year, I didn’t really think that I would have the kind of year I’m having,” she said.
She played behind senior national team members Erin McLean and Melanie Matthews during her freshman season.
“Last year, because I was a rookie and playing behind so many great hitters, I didn’t get that many opportunities to hit. Now I’m getting those opportunities and it has allowed me to work on my hitting and slapping,” she said.
Her arrival at the Burnaby, B.C., campus came via her appearance at a junior national camp.
“My sister played with Erin McLean and she ran the junior national camp that I attended. Erin told our coach (Mike Renney) about me and he scouted me at the Canada Cup,” she said.
After entertaining offers from universities south of the border, Harris eventually felt the opportunity to remain in Canada was best.
Not just for an education, but in the calibre of ball she would face since at the NAIA level as the Clan compete against U.S.-based schools.
Europe after school?“Canada has a better education system, and playing at Simon Fraser allowed me to remain in Canada and play top-calibre competition,” she said.
While Harris is enjoying a vintage season, she hasn’t given much thought as to where her career in the game might take her in Canada.
“But a number of former players have gone on to play in Europe or overseas, and that could be something I would enjoy following university,” she said.