By Spencer Seymour
St. Marys native Mia Valcke played a vital role in Team Canada's win of a bronze medal at the Women’s Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay.
According to Valcke, the experience of competing on the global stage for the fourth time carried incredible weight.
“Even though this was my fourth World Cup, the excitement, angst and pressure were all the same, if not elevated, given we were playing on our home turf,” Valcke told the Independent. “The team was very young this year and has completely changed since the 2016 World Cup. I was considered a veteran this year, and I'm only 24. Although we were young, we were a talented and vibrant group with a lot of depth. I am so excited for our future. Winning the bronze was a fantastic achievement, but I always aim for gold. Our team will get there and winning a bronze this year will only fuel our fire for upcoming years.”
Valcke added why she believes in the Canadian national team’s ability to rise up the podium.
“I believe in this group because, despite having the youngest average age in the tournament, we’ve already shown immense talent and haven't yet reached our full potential. I’m honoured to play alongside these extraordinary baseball players. While I'm proud of our bronze medal, I genuinely believe we've only begun to tap into what we can achieve. The connection we built this year was incredibly strong and I can't even imagine the heights we'll reach by the next World Cup in 2027. I truly believe the sky is our limit.”
Valcke spent much of her first 19 years in St. Marys after her family moved in December of 2000, just months after her birth.
Some of the highlights of Valcke’s strong tournament, which ran from July 28 to Aug. 3, included the shortstop going five-for-five and scoring three RBIs in a 9-8 win over Chinese Taipei in extra innings. Valcke also recorded the winning run in the bronze-medal game, a 4-2 victory over Mexico. Her excellent tournament earned Valcke a spot on the All-World team.
Valcke was humble when discussing her individual success.
“Being named to the All-World team was an honour and a shock. These are the best players worldwide and I honestly couldn't believe it when I saw my name there. I was incredibly proud because it showed that my hard work and leadership had paid off over the years.
“I was able to be in a groove because of my teammates,” Valcke continued. “With such a strong team, I felt a lot of pressure taken off my shoulders because I knew that if I didn't make a clutch play or get a critical hit, the girl right after me would get it done. I wouldn't be the player I am without the support and depth of my team, and I am very grateful for all of them.”
Valcke also said, in addition to feeling gratitude for her teammates, she also felt proud to represent her country on such a significant scale.
“I love playing for Canada. It feels impossible to describe. I am so grateful to be playing a sport that I love with people that I love, to play against the best players in the world, to travel the world and to get to represent Canada while doing it. That is what I have dreamt of my whole life. I am so proud, excited, determined and fearless when I have ‘Canada’ across my chest. It is an honour and a privilege that I do not take lightly.”
Despite the intense and hugely consequential nature of the World Cup, many positive relationships were forged by players from around the world, including Valcke and Japan’s Ayaka Deguchi. Valcke discussed the respect the two developed for one another, as well as all of her World Cup opponents.
“Ayaka is an outstanding player and I looked up to her the entire tournament,” Valcke said. “We became friends after the tournament finished. After they beat the USA in the finals, I went up to congratulate her and get a photo. The crazy thing was that she also wanted a picture with me.”
“I've looked up to so many of these players all my life, so competing against them and having them interested in getting to know me was a whirlwind. Despite being competitors during the game, I have so much respect and appreciation for all of these women and I cherish all the relationships I have formed throughout these tournaments. The World Cup is bigger than just competing in baseball. Building relationships, uplifting women and growing the game is just as important to me.”
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