91原创鈥檚 Deschanel Donovan was presented the W.R. Bennett Award for Athletic Excellence, given to an athlete who demonstrates athletic achievement and leadership.
The award was presented on Sunday, July 21 at the Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games to the player who had 28 strikeouts during the games.
A softball player for Zone 3-Fraser Valley, Donovan was recognized moments after she helped lead her team to a gold medal, pitching in the final against Zone 5-Vancouver Coastal.
The W.R. Bennett Award recognizes one athlete at each BC Winter and BC Summer Games, and was named in honour of former premier Bill Bennett, who created the BC Games in 1978. Nominations are submitted by Provincial Sport Organizations and the winner receives a $2,500 bursary.
鈥淚 feel very fortunate to have been a part of the BC Summer Games experience and to have shared it with 14 other amazing girls and coaches as we went 6-0 in the tournament and won gold,鈥� Donovan said on her X (Twitter).
Donovan has been a standout in her sport since she began playing a five years old. She currently plays for Fusion 2008 and the AI Bandits travel team located in the USA. Last year, she led her team to a national championship and was named Top Pitcher of the tournament. She was also a candidate for lowest ERA for the Alliance Top Tournament and named on the IDT All-Star Team. She pitches over 60 miles per hour with a current top speed of 67 miles per hour.
Her coach at the BC Games, Katelyn Ross, singled her out as a leader on the team who encourages positivity and makes time for her teammates. In her free time, Deschanel volunteers as a coach for a youth team and teaches pitching lessons.
鈥淪he works her butt off, so she鈥檚 putting in work at practices probably four to five days a week and then outside of practices as well,鈥� said Ross. 鈥淚 think the thing about her is that she has goals and ambitions and she鈥檚 really working towards those.鈥�
Her BC Games pitching stats: 16 innings (three wins, including gold medal game), six hits, two runs (one earned), four walks, 28 strikeouts, a .4375 ERA and a .111 BAA.
Her Fusion team finished third at the provincials earlier this month and are headed to the Canadian U17 Nationals.
