Karmen Coffey is a hard hitter.
She was second on her team - The Falcons - with five home runs and 18 RBI, adding 20 runs scored.
She also posted a 3.68 GPA at Bowling Green University, where she has played softball for the past two seasons.
This landed her on the Academic All-MAC team, a prestigious recognition for student-athletes who have worked hard and played hard throughout a school year.
Once finished university for the summer, she helped Regina's Team Remco take third at the Canadian junior women's softball championship in Saskatoon in early August.
A few days later, she played with the Carnduff-based Southeast Steelers and helped lead them to a second place finish at the Western Canada Senior B women's fast pitch championships in Irma, Alberta over the Aug. 14 - 15 weekend.
Suffice to say, this young Carlyle woman garners incredible talent and skill.
She'll bring this talent and skill to the University of Saskatchewan this fall as she makes a huge change in her life.
"The university team just asked me to play for them," said Coffey.
This is a big change for the young woman who, for the past four years, has played softball in the States - Texas and Ohio - on a scholarship. With her four years up, she's Canada-bound now to finish her degree and eventually apply to medical school. As a utility player, she's unsure what position she'll play in Saskatoon.
"I'm a utility, so I get thrown pretty much everywhere," said Coffey. "In Bowling Green, my first year, I was middle infield. First I started out at second, then they threw me into short stop because the short stop was injured. Then this year I played outfield, which is my primary position. I was recruited as an outfielder. With Carnduff, I'm a short stop. I play pretty much everywhere except pitching and catching."
"I'd be pretty pumped about short or outfield," continued Coffey. "I'm guessing they're going to put me in outfield, though I know their short stop just left so it'd be alright to play short. I feel more into the game when I play infield. You're closer to the play and you're so close to the pitcher that if they're struggling [I can] be there and talk to them."
Though she appears excited for the change, Coffey admitted she has mixed feelings.
"I was kind of excited because we condition a whole bunch in the beginning of ball, so I'm excited I don't have to do that ever again," said Coffey. "But I'm going to miss the girls, the travelling and all the tournaments and stuff. I think that's what makes me worry about Saskatoon so much because whenever I had ball I always knew those girls were going to be my group of friends. But when I go to the U of S I'm all by myself pretty much. So it will be different."
Coffey said her parents are happy she will be closer to home now, but her move is almost bittersweet as her two younger siblings have moved far away to play volleyball in the United States.
Ball may be done in the States, but Coffey knows it will remain an important part of her life.
This was her third summer with the Carnduff Steelers, who she has pretty much adopted as her summer team.
"It's really fun," said Coffey. "We have a really good group of girls. I love playing with them"
This was the first time the Carnduff-based Steelers had played in the Westerns in five years. They played strong throughout, winning their first four round robin games and finishing with a 5-1 record.
The battle for victory began after their only round robin loss to the Winnipeg Lightening.
Finishing second in the round robin forced them to play the Lightening again to advance to the final. Winnipeg beat them out, 6-0 and the Steelers were moved to the semi-final. Here the women won 9-0 against Regina, sending them to the final against the Lightening.
Winnipeg beat the Steelers out at 7-1 in the end.
"Our team, personally, we were expecting to win it, so we were upset in getting second," said Coffey. "We were mad at first, but we got over it fast, because there is always next year."
