Venezuela's women's softball team is competing in the Canada Cup in Surrey, British Columbia, just two weeks after twin earthquakes devastated their home country. The quakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, struck less than a minute apart on June 24 near Caracas, where several team members were training. According to the latest reports, nearly 4,000 people have died and more than 50,000 remain missing.
Surviving the Quake
Outfielder Bailey Olerich, 22, from Tiffin, Iowa, described the experience: “The 45 seconds to a minute felt like forever. We were swaying back and forth for a while and we were like, ‘We need to get out of this building.’ The second we ran out, things started falling behind us.” Olerich, who has Venezuelan heritage through her mother, had been training in Caracas for two months. She recalled a cousin’s call: “I told her, ‘I’m OK. I’m in tears, but I’m OK.’” Her aunt’s home collapsed, and another relative had to be rescued from rubble, suffering a broken arm and leg requiring surgery. Olerich noted her grandmother said it was the worst earthquake in Venezuela’s history.
Playing for a Nation
Half of the Venezuelan team did not arrive in Surrey until Monday morning, hours before their tournament opener. Right-handed pitcher Loreley Francia, 22, from Spring, Texas, who just finished her senior season at St. John’s University, said: “Now, it means even more that we’re playing for the flag. We’re playing for the people who had to stay. We’re playing for the people who passed away and the people who lost family members and friends. We’re really doing this for all of them.” She added that adjusting has been difficult, with some teammates struggling emotionally.
Olympic Qualification
Women’s softball returns to the Olympics at Los Angeles 2028, after being excluded from Paris 2024. The tournament will be held in Oklahoma City, using existing facilities. The U.S. has an automatic berth, with four qualification tournaments in 2027 and a final event by March 2028. Canada, which won bronze at Tokyo 2020, is ramping up. The Canada Cup, a key annual tournament, wraps up Sunday at Softball City in Surrey. Canada entered final pool play at 5-0, while Venezuela was 1-4. Olerich emphasized: “We’re going to keep fighting for our team. We are the very fortunate who can keep going. We’re fighting for the name on our jersey and that’s the most important thing.”
