Hailey Bethune, a 2023 3B/MIF/UT, might be the best kept secret from our neighbors to the North, but its highly unlikely she will remain that way.
Bethune is one of the star players for Canadian-based White Rock Renegades 2005 Gold, an organization that has produced Danielle Lawrie, Jen Salling and Sara Groenwegen, to name a few.
She was selected to play for the Canadian team at the Triple Crown International Event this summer. She will also stay to play with Nebraska Gold at the 2021 Triple Crown Colorado 4th of July.
“Hailey is an absolute stud,” White Rock Renegades coach Allison McMillan said. “She does all the little things that most players aren’t willing to do, and that sets her apart when it matters most. On our team she is counted on to be a vocal leader on and off the field and is always setting the best example for her teammates.”
“She shows up early, stays late, creates a positive atmosphere, and pushes her teammates to be their best,” Coach McMillan explains. “It is obvious that Hailey puts in a ton of work on her own time as well. For high school she attends Yale Softball Academy with some of the best coaching and development of any program in the country. This has taken her game to a new level.”
The coach adds: “Hailey bats third for the Renegades, can drive the ball to all fields with power and is an RBI machine. She batted .471 and hit 10 homers in the fall. She can play any position on the field, has great arm strength and athleticism. And she’s a great teammate.”
“One of my favourite things about playing with Hailey is how she always shows up to games and practice happy,” 2023 MIF/UT Grace McMillan said. “She has a great attitude that can help lift up the whole team. Her skill set is great. I love playing beside her on the field because I have so much trust that no matter what, she will do everything she can to make a play and get an out.”
Her fellow 2023 grad adds: “Something that makes Hailey unique is how much extra time and effort she puts into softball. She’s always putting in her own time to practicing and improving her strength and fitness. She also drives for an hour-plus multiple times a week for practice, which really shows her dedication to our team and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Kaela Gillis, a 2023 C/LF/SS/3B for White Rock Renegades, says, “Kaela has always been a player many girls have looked up to on and off the field. Hailey has many great skills but her quick mental and physical game is one of her strongest traits. She’s a very strong asset on our team, she’s not afraid to step into a new role. She shows great leadership and dedication, not many get to see how hard she works behind the scenes. She is constantly striving to better herself anyway possible.”
“Not only is she a great player, Kaela continues, “but an amazing teammate as well. Something I find unique about Hailey is the amount of grit she has; she knows what she wants and is willing to work harder than most to achieve it. But my most absolute favorite thing about her is how she has a constant smile on her face and having fun playing the game she loves.”
EXTRA STAR POWER Q&A
Name: HAILEY BETHUNE
Hometown: Lindell Beach, BC, Canada
High School: Yale High School Softball Academy
Club Team: White Rock Renegades 2005 Gold 16U
Graduation Year: 2023
Height: 5-foot-5
Position: 3B/MIF/UT
Nickname: Hailz
Twitter: @BethuneHailey
Honors: 2019 Canadian Championships (Bronze Medal); 2019 BC Provincials (Silver Medal); and member of 2019 Great Britain U16 National Team at Canada Cup.
High School Stats/Highlights: We don’t have high school softball in Canada. I am a member of the Yale Softball Academy at my high school. It is run by former National Team player and coach, Dave Paetkau. We’ve also had several of the current National Team players headed to the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo as coaches in our program as well. We train for three hours per day for the entire first semester and receive course credit for the program. We focus on skills, team play, and strength and conditioning. We also compete and train with our travel ball team for all 12 months of the year.
Travel Ball Highlights/Fall Stats: I batted .471 and led my team with 10 home runs (COVID shortened). I started every game at either 3B or 2B. We normally travel to the US several times in the fall, but were unable to this year due to border closures.
Tell us about Canadian softball… What are the differences from what people know about in the US or is it the same?
The biggest difference is that the pitching distance is just 40 feet for ages below U18. So we have 3 less feet to react to the pitch than players do in the U.S. This teaches us a quicker reaction time and is really noticeable when we travel to the U.S. for tournaments. It feels like we have a lot of time to decide whether to swing or not! We also can’t wear metal cleats until U18, which is a weird rule. I love getting to wear mine when we play in the States!
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them?
I currently play for the very best organization in Canada, the White Rock Renegades. More NCAA, National Team and Olympic athletes have come out of our program than any other association in Canada. Danielle Lawrie, Jen Salling and Sara Groenwegen all played for the Renegades! I was asked to join my current team after playing against them for several years. It was a big commitment for my family because it’s a three-hour round trip for every practice and game. But it was by far the best decision we ever made!
What were some of the training methods and workouts you did to stay busy during the stay-at-home orders because of the Coronoavirus situation?
My coach put together a home workout plan that kept us VERY BUSY, and we did a lot of team Zoom calls. My dad also turned our garage into a training centre for my sister and I which was awesome. The three of us also went to the park as much as possible just to work on skills together.
*** Scroll down to read more about Hailey including a tragedy that has inspired her to want to be a better person…
