Toria Kover was eight years old when she got her first taste of softball.

And it all happened by chance. Her older sister91裸聊视频檚 t-ball team needed an extra player, so Toria gladly volunteered herself.

91裸聊视频淚 hopped in and I fell in love with it. My sister did not 91裸聊视频� she quit after that year,91裸聊视频� said Kover, a recent graduate from Rutland Senior Secondary School.

Fast-forward to 10 years later. Just last month, Kover accepted an offer to attend Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., later this year, where she91裸聊视频檒l be playing for the school91裸聊视频檚 NCAA Division I women91裸聊视频檚 softball team.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a surreal experience, really. Just being able to know that I can do this, I91裸聊视频檓 able to go out and do what I wanted to do when I was eight years old. It91裸聊视频檚 crazy,91裸聊视频� said Kover, who will be working towards achieving a bachelor of science degree in sports and exercise health care.

Earning the opportunity to play for an NCAA Division I school didn91裸聊视频檛 happen overnight. It took a whole decade for Kover to land this achievement.

From the age of nine up until she was 14, Kover91裸聊视频檚 father coached her while she was a member of the Kelowna Blue Jays. At 14, she moved up from the C to B program to play for the Kelowna Heat.

From 15 to 17, she played U16B and later U19B 91裸聊视频� still a member of the Kelowna Heat 91裸聊视频� where she was coached by Michelle Webster and Jocelyn Cater, with the latter being the youngest player to ever play for Canada91裸聊视频檚 national softball team.

Following her stint with the Heat, she played for the TriCity Titans before joining the Ridge Meadows Pride softball team.

She said that it was pitching 91裸聊视频� her greatest asset 91裸聊视频� that kept her going after all these years. Standing at 5 ft. 3, she said she isn91裸聊视频檛 the fastest pitcher, and instead described herself as a spin pitcher.

91裸聊视频淚 was able to keep learning. It91裸聊视频檚 not just stationary 91裸聊视频� you have to keep learning new pitches, new spins, all that kind of stuff,91裸聊视频� she said.

In her arsenal of pitches are the fastball, the changeup, the curveball, the screwball and the rise up.

But pitching isn91裸聊视频檛 her favourite part of the game. Rather, she said it91裸聊视频檚 the camaraderie that comes with it.

91裸聊视频淏eing a part of a team and being able to know that no matter where I am, I91裸聊视频檒l always have people that I can go back to that will help me and want to see me succeed,91裸聊视频� she said.

And while she hopes to be involved with softball for the rest of her life, either as a player or a coach, her end goal is to become a travelling physiotherapist for a sports team.

But did she think she would ever get to this point? 91裸聊视频淣ever in a million years,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淩eally, I just owe everything I91裸聊视频檝e accomplished to my parents, my family and my awesome coaches, coach Web and Jocelyn,91裸聊视频� she said.

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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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