Meet Emma Fry — the Simcoe softball player enjoying a great season with friends

Meet Emma Fry. She is 11, from Simcoe, and she pitches and plays the outfield for the Haldimand Heat U13. Emma came to softball after three years of hardball, and it did not take long for her to find her spot in the circle. By the end of her first year she was already pitching in real games, and now she has her eyes on something bigger. Here is her story, in her own words.

Her Story

Emma's softball story starts on the hardball diamond. She played hardball for three years before she made the switch. When her dad heard about the Haldimand Heat through a friend, he encouraged her to try out. Emma gave it a shot, and she stuck.

It did not take long for the game to reward her. Near the end of her first year, a coach watched her throw at a pitching clinic and decided to give her the ball. He put her in to pitch the very next game, against the Burlington Bees. For Emma, that moment meant everything. It showed her that all the hard work was paying off.

Plenty of coaches helped get her there. Her first hardball coaches, Andy Murdoch and Ryan Meade, taught her the game when she was just starting out. So did her first softball coaches, Janina Squires, Rich Squires, and Troy Krywulak. This season, Gord Thompson, Alan Phibbs, Dan Fulsom, Jen Fulsom, and Krystle Thompson have taught her even more. They keep her confident, and they keep her working. Emma says they always encourage her to push hard and keep getting better.

Story continues below Ad

What's Next

On the field, Emma's goals are simple and steady. She wants a great season with her teammates, she wants to keep sharpening her skills, and she wants to play college softball one day. That college dream is one she is already chasing, one game and one pitch at a time.

Off the field, Emma wants to be a teacher when she is older. She likes helping people learn. It fits her. The same patience that makes a steady pitcher tends to make a steady teacher too.

Who She's Thanking

Emma has a long list of people in her corner. She thanks her coaches from last year, especially Coach Janina, for giving her confidence when she needed it most. She thanks her current coaches for pushing her to be the best player she can be. She thanks her friend Haylee S, who talked her into trying out for the Haldimand Heat when she was not sure she wanted to. She thanks Mylee Walker for helping her become a better hitter. And she saves a big one for her parents, for everything they do.

Know a young athlete with a story worth telling? Submit a feature at hometownsportsnetwork.ca.