P/1B Morgan Reimer is considered one of the top softball prospects in Canada and went in search of a club team in the United States… then COVID-19 hit.
Reimer was concerned that travel restrictions would prevent her from getting noticed and memories would fade, but they didn’t. Kim Wright, a former Team Venezuela and Team Canada coach who now works with the current West Coast Sports Academy, stayed after it and found Brett Sampson and the Georgia Impact.
The standout pitcher, #3 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, was being sought after by all the major club teams and top Power 5 schools before making her home with Georgia Impact 06-Sampson. The right-hander has been a star for Georgia Impact since the PGF Nationals last summer and at the Triple Crown Don Battles On Showcase in the Fall.
Reimer won over future teammate OF/UT Rivers Sampson, #60 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, right away.
“Morgan is a very good teammate,” Sampson said. “I’m very thankful to have her as a teammate. She’s very humble and confident at the same time. Although our team was already solid, she came on and produced like when we were in California. She has boosted morale and continues to be another weapon for us.
“One thing I remember was our first practice game in California when she got to hit and her first at-bat with us hit a home run! At first, I was kind of nervous for her just because I know it has to be hard coming from Canada joining a team where you know nobody and we have a very very close team, but Morgan fit in perfect with all of us. Morgan had also made us confident in the field because she could walk somebody then go strike out three batters.
“Something that makes her unique is obviously her being from Canada she teaches us a lot of things and we get to teach her things or get her to try foods. The first time at practice we did live hitting off her and she had crazy spin with late movement and our whole team couldn’t stop talking about it.”
SS Mackenzie Pickens, #36 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, said Reimer really bonded with the team on a trip to California.
“I have made some great memories with Morgan and some of the best ones were in California when we hung out with each other as great friends,” Pickens said. “We would have such good convos about Canada and America and it was always hilarious when we would compare how she says things to how we do.
She is an absolute beast on the field. She brings energy, confidence and laughter to the team. She has a swag about her that makes her the athlete she is and I can always trust her on field and off of it. She is so nice and an amazing teammate. I can’t wait to see her and play alongside with her again.”
Mackenzie’s twin sister, C/UT Madison Pickens, #50 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100, said Reimer fits in perfectly with the Impact.
“Morgan was a key aspect in our success during the summer and fall season,” Madison said. “She was able to bring confidence and energy to the team. She was different from the rest of us because of where we were from, but she adapted, and we all got to grow a friendship with her.
Since I had the opportunity to catch her in California I connected with her. She is a sweet girl, but is very competitive on the field. Whenever she would strike someone out or shut down other hitters, we would get so hyped.
I remember in California the confidence I had in her pitching, and I knew that when she got into her rhythm there was no one that could hit her. I always noticed how she was very well composed on the mound and never looked nervous or scared. Morgan is a very special girl who I am thankful that I am able to be her teammate and friend.”
EXTRA STAR POWER Q&A
Name: MORGAN REIMER
Hometown: Langley, British Columbia, Canada
High School: Walnut Grove Secondary School
Club Team (age group): Georgia Impact 06-Sampson 16U
Graduation Year: 2024
Height: 5-foot-8
Position: P/1B
Nickname: Mo
Twitter: @morganreimer_24
Travel Ball Highlights/Fall Stats:
12U and 14U BC Provincial Champions, 14U Canadian National Champions, top player of the Championship Round. This summer, she was selected to attend the Final Selection Camp for the Canadian Junior National Team. She’s also been named to the Team BC softball roster. This Fall, she played with Fraser Valley Fusion and Georgia Impact. Altogether, her stats were: 51 innings pitched, 111 strikeouts, 10 walks, 21 hits and a 1.09 ERA.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them?
My pitching coach, Kim Wright, brought hitting coach Lincoln Martin to Canada for a couple of clinics. He saw my pitching and hitting and thought that I should/could play for a U.S team. Then when COVID hit, the restrictions in Canada did not allow us to be able to play much ball and we weren’t sure where the season was going. My family and I decided to contact Coach Lincoln again and he was able to set us up with Georgia Impact and Coach Brett (Sampson). We contacted Coach Brett during the winter/spring of 2021, and then I was able to join Georgia Impact for PGF Nationals last summer. I am playing for them again this season, along with my local Fraser Valley Fusion team, who I have been playing with for six years.
What were some of the training methods and workouts you did to stay busy during the stay-at-home orders because of the coronavirus situation?
When the pandemic first hit, my Canadian team and I were shut down. We couldn’t do anything together, except for Zoom meetings. My team and I had our strength and conditioning coach lead us through workouts with the equipment we had at home. As well, our coach gave us drills with videos for us to do to continue working on our skills.
*** Scroll down to learn more about Morgan… including a cool talent she has and why she won’t have much to say about the latest in Marvel films!
