This story was previously published on StratfordToday
The dream is playing out in real time for Karlee Satchell.
The 17-year-old Stratford native and member of the UTM Ignite softball team out of Waterloo qualified for the national tournament in Calgary July 30-August 4, giving her the chance to play on the sport’s big stage.
It’s been a work in progress for Satchell since she was old enough to see her sisters Kaitlyn and Kimberly playing the game. Starting with the Sebringville Stingers before moving on to the Stratford Flames, Satchell has been playing with an older age group all along the way. Her first year in rep softball saw her move to the London Lightning before going to Waterloo to play Tier 1 ball at the U14 level with the Ghosts. She briefly joined the D1 Nationals out of Woodstock, but headed back to Waterloo to re-join her now rebranded UTM Ignite squad.
While the road to now has been up and down and all over the place, Satchell is very much savouring the opportunity she now has.
“The nationals in Calgary are really a dream come true for me and it honestly doesn’t feel real right now,” she said. “We had qualifiers this past weekend and did well, but going to nationals we know we’re going to see some really good teams.”
Joni Fletcher-Satchell, Karlee’s mom, said her youngest daughter grew up in the sport just like her siblings and other family members and she has a chance to carry on that legacy with a trip to Calgary.
“Going back to her grandmother and grandfather playing, as well as her aunts, uncle and late father - softball certainly has been our family’s sport,” Fletcher-Satchell said. “Her sisters were a little older starting but excelled at the sport … her sister Kimberly earned a silver medal at Eastern Canadians. But we knew from a very young age Karlee’s success in the sport was there for her to grab. She’s always had the mentality of ‘they can do it, I can do it better’.”
One of the benefits a trip like this presents is exposure to scouts who could give Satchell a chance to continue playing at a high level via scholarship. She’s already given herself a strong competitive advantage by playing multiple positions (catcher and third base), but she’s not going to let the possibilities distract her from the moment.
“We’re going to see other Ontario teams at nationals - Brampton, LaSalle and UTM 2K7 will be there,” she said. “LaSalle was the one that beat us in the qualifiers, so we know it’s going to be a challenge. And teams from British Columbia are always good, but I’m looking forward to the competition. It’ll be crazy to see all the talent there, and I know there will be college and university coaches there but I’m not focused on that.”
It might not be something her daughter is talking about, but Joni knows what this means to her. The work and practice hours Satchell has invested, while also keeping up her marks at school, is clear evidence that every opportunity to prove herself means a lot.
“Since she made the decision to try and earn a scholarship, it’s been a real ride watching her work hard both at the sport and school,” Fletcher-Satchell said. “Karlee’s life hasn’t always been easy, starting with a health scare at 5 years old. But watching her work towards her biggest dreams of a national championship and a scholarship … it’s an honour and a privilege to see her every time she steps on to the diamond.”
The task at hand is to raise money for the trip: Satchell said the team has collectively begun raising money through various means, and she’s got a GoFundMe page currently helping her with individual fundraising. And that’s not the only prep work she’s doing.
“At this point, it’s about taking a deep breath and trusting in your teammates,” she said. “Everyone is confident in each other, and that’s helping us prepare a lot.”
