Story reprinted with permission from On The Road in Stouffville magazine
By Jim Mason
A kid who grew up on the ball diamonds and hockey rinks of Stouffville was a member of the Canadian U18 national team that won bronze at the 2023 WBSC Americas Pan American softball championship in Sincelejo, Colombia in September.
The Canadians went 4-2, defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra innings in the third-place game.
With that finish, Brad Barker could represent Canada at a World Cup event in Mexico this month.
But his other favourite sport would get in the way.
Two-sport Brad also plays forward for the Toronto Patriots of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The resident of Goodwood, is a three-year veteran in the southern Ontario Jr. A loop.
“I just can’t miss three weeks of hockey,” Barker told OTR.
The Pan American Championship featured six teams – the other countries were Colombia, Peru, the United States and Venezuela. The top four earned a spot at the 2023 WBSC U18 Men’s Softball World Cup Nov. 11-19 in Hermosillo, Mexico.
Barker pitched against the U.S. and had some key hits for the national team.
But some of his memories from the Southern American trip aren’t sport-related.
“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” the Stouffville District Secondary School graduate told OTR. “We saw a lot of Colombia and it was pretty eye-opening to realize just how privileged we are up here.”
The Canadians were surprised to see water served up in bags to help them deal with the stifling heat and humidity. There was no shortage of quality food for the visitors, including “amazing steaks and chicken.”
Barker was named to the national team during a busy week in mid-August.
The 19-year-old shuttled – it’s a five-hour round trip – between junior A hockey training camp in Toronto and the U20 Men’s Canadian Championship softball tournament in Napanee.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Barker played for the host team who won the national title with a 2-0 win over the Tavistock Athletics, from near Stratford.
Napanee went 8-1 at the eight-team, six-day tournament.
“After that final catch was made in that championship game, we were celebrating with the medals and taking pictures,” Barker said. “The CEO of Softball Canada came over to me, shook my hand and mentioned that he needed my passport. It was a pretty cool moment. It was like two wins in one day.”
It was Barker’s first national championship. The Pan-Am tournament in Colombia marked his debut playing for Canada.
“First thing, I hugged my mom, who was crying, and my dad,” he said. “It was a special moment. All that work we put in. They did so much for me.”
He had additional special praise for Ed Matthews and his father, Kelly, who began coaching him in softball at the age of 5 at the house league level.
The Matthews tandem coached Barker through his select and rep days in Stouffville, and with a team in Port Perry in 2022. Ed was on the gold-medal staff in Napanee this summer.
Barker also thanked Randy Smith of BodySmith International in Gormley, where he has worked out for the past seven years.
Barker eventually hopes to play men’s softball at its highest level, in the International Softball Congress, where players are paid. He’s working out with one of the ISC clubs, the Toronto Batmen, but plans to return to the U20 division next summer.
OJHL Images photos by Tim Bates & Ray MacAloney
