Smith makes it through first cuts for national team

By Greg Vandermeulen

Posted 10 months ago

A Gretna softball player took part in tryouts for the Canadian National Senior team in Surrey, B.C., June 25-28, moving on to the Yukon for the second round of cuts less than two months after her record setting season with Valley City State University ended.

Paige Smith said she thought the tryouts went well and is now competing against 26 others for spots on the team.

"It's going good, really good," she said June 30.

Smith has plenty to be proud of already.

This season at Valley City State University, in North Dakota, Smith led the team to their highest ever 12-5 conference record for third place.

She was named the player of the year for the Dakota Conference.

She also won a gold glove award for defense and was named an all conference outfielder, both designations for the second straight year.

In 2010, Smith was named the Freshmen of the year.

Smith said she was pleased with her final season with the Vikings saying the key was simple. "Hard work," she said. "A lot of hard work."

Smith will be attending MSU Moorehead next year.

Vikings head coach Chad Slyter (named the conference's coach of the year) said it's a big deal for Smith to be on the DAC list two consecutive years.

"It's the a testimony to the type of season Paige had for us this year," Slyter said. "She led us or was in the top two or three in every category statistically and was near the top in almost every conference statistic as well." he added.

Smith led the conference in doubles per game with .40, finished third in the DAC in batting average at .423 and hits per game with 1.3.

She earned 52 hits and had three home runs and 13 stolen bases.

Slyter described Smith as a "five tool player" enabling her to be recognized for both offensive and defensive abilities.

"She can hit for power and average, use her speed to get on base and steal bases. But she is also very adept in the outfield at being able to read the ball off the bat and save and take away runs with her glove," he said. "That is probably just as important in a one run game as it is being able to score runs offensively."

It's that ability that has earned her recognition. "When you combine those attributes it makes her one of the most prolific players in the DAC," he said.

Slyter said Smith definitely didn't rest even after performing so well last season. "She continued to make strides, probably more on the defensive side this year," he said.

Her second year with the Vikings, Smith also made an impression outside the stats page.

"Paige took more of a leadership role in her second season with us," he said. "She helped the other outfield players feel more comfortable and really took a hold of the 'coach in the outfield' mentality that I wanted her to take upon herself."