Life is going swimmingly well for Faith Canfield (Michigan, 2015) the outfielder for the So Cal A’s who’s two-run homer was the difference in 3-2 win over Team Mizuno-Stith in the PGF 18U Premier National Championship last Saturday.
We caught up with Faith today just as she was about to leave for a six-day vacation at Lake Mohave near Laughlin, Nev. with her Athletics teammates Brooke Marquez (Northwestern, 2014) and Tannon Snow (Arizona State, 2015).
Our favorite part of the interview? The fact that she went out and got ice cream just hours after the championship with the losing pitcher… who’s also one of her best friends and classmates in high school!
Here is the conversation…
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Student Sports Softball: After a long, but exciting and rewarding summer of softball, are you ready for a break?
Faith Canfield: Definitely! I’m excited to sit and relax for a while at Lake Mohave (laughs)! We’ll be tubing and riding jet skis… I’m very blessed.
SSS: You played on last year’s A’s national championship team as well. How does this championship compare?
FC: It’s hard to say, although in last year’s game we had to come from behind and won when Megan Geer (Tennessee, 2013) got the winning hit. This year I wasn’t nervous, even with a one run lead, because we still had our last at bats and with those three outs I knew it would be OK. It was fun being able to contribute this year as much as I did (editor: she also had a single).
SSS: Walk us through the home run, how did that play out?
FC: I actually play on the same high school team (Pacifica, Garden Grove, Calif.) as Kaylee (Carlson, the starting pitcher for Team Mizuno-Stith) so I know she likes to get ahead in the count and had me behind 1-2. In my head I was saying, ‘Protect anything close,’ and the ball was up and in. I think it was supposed to be a screwball.
SSS: Have you talked to Kaylee about the at bat and the game overall?
FC: She’s one of my best friends and when we did high fives after the game she didn’t look at me and I was thinking, ‘Oh crap.’ But we went to Dairy Queen together that night–she’s very cool–and said, ‘If I had to give up a home run, I’m glad it was to you.’
SSS: Looking ahead a few years, you’ve committed to Michigan… why the Wolverines?
FC: I took a visit to the Midwest and toured Michigan as well as Northwestern in January. When I got back on Monday I called Coach (Carol) Hutchins that night and committed. I didn’t know going on the visit that I’d end up committing so soon, it just felt right.
SSS: Do you think the A’s can make it five in a row?
FC: Absolutely! We lose (pitcher Delanie) Gourley (Florida, 2013) but have two good ones coming back in Hayley Copeland (South Carolina, 2014) and Selina Taamilo (UCLA, 2014). Selina is faster (on her pitches) while Hayley has more movement. Either can get us a win, it will all depend on what team we play.