Softball Canada announced the coaching staff that for the 2019-2020 cycle, which will include the 2019 WBSC Americas U17 Women’s Qualifier and the 2020 WBSC U18 Softball Women’s World Cup. Dates and locations for both events have yet to be determined. Melissa Finley will take on the head coaching position, with Trevor Ethier, Daniel Joly, and Chris Jones being named assistant coaches.
The current Junior Women’s National Team coaching staff for the 2019 U18 Women’s World Cup being held in Irvine, Calif. in August remains unchanged. Head coach Keith Mackintosh and assistant coach Tiffany Jordan will remain in the Women’s National Team Coaches Pool following the completion of the 2019 U18 Women’s World Cup.
Melissa Finley will assume the head coaching duties after serving as an assistant coach for the team for the 2018-2019 cycle. She was previously the head coach of the Canadian Women’s Elite team in 2017 and an assistant coach with them in 2018. Finley played NCAA Softball at Princeton (2002-2005) and was part of the Canadian Women’s National Team program from 2003 to 2005, winning a Silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.
Trevor Ethier enters his third cycle as an assistant coach with the team, as he is currently an assistant coach with the 2019 WBSC World Cup team after helping them to a fourth-place finish at the event in 2017.
Daniel Joly joins the Junior Women’s National Team coaching staff after being named to the Women’s National Team Coaches Pool in December 2016 and serving as an assistant coach of the Canadian Elite team in 2017. He has attended several Women’s and Junior Women’s National Team Combines and Selection Camps as a guest coach. Chris Jones also joins the Junior Women’s National Team for the first time after serving as an assistant coach of the Canadian Women’s Elite team in 2018.
Softball Canada held a pair of 2019/2020 Junior Women’s National Team Combines in Ontario and British Columbia earlier this month, with a third Combine scheduled to take place July 3rd in Saskatoon. As per the 2019 Qualifier Selection Criteria, the coaching staff will scout various events this summer including the U16 and U19 Canadian Championships, with the final roster for the WBSC Americas Qualifier expected to be named by August 31, 2019.
