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Saskatchewan duo to represent Canada at 2025 U15 Softball World Cup in Italy
One of Saskatchewan's rising stars when it comes to softball, Alanya Dimen has been turning a lot of heads this year playing with the Saskatoon U15 Phantoms organization.
That's included Softball Canada as well, as the Saskatoon-based catcher is preparing for the biggest tournament of her life this week.
'They emailed my mom and she called me crying and was like, 'You made the team,'' said Dimen.
For the first time in her young career, Dimen will wear the red and white of the Canadian national softball team as she will represent her province and country at the 2025 U15 Women's Softball World Cup in Italy.
It's a tournament she's spent the last several weeks preparing for, with just a few days left until making her debut with the Canadian U15 roster.
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'I couldn't tell anyone,' said Dimen. 'It was a week of not being able to tell anyone. It was so hard, but I was just excited all week and I couldn't focus.'
Garnering attention from Softball Canada through some national identification camps held in Saskatoon over the past year, Dimen is expected to bring a combination of power and skill to Team Canada according to Phantoms head coach Danny Mantyka.
'I've had the privilege of coaching Alayna for a couple of years,' said Mantyka. 'Got to see her early on in her younger years, we could tell that she had above average skills. Especially her arm strength, her game-calling as a coacher.'
'We are beyond excited.'
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Joining Dimen on Team Canada in Italy will be Regina U15 Fighting Saints pitcher Kenzie Newman, who will be making her second appearance this year for the Canadian roster.
Newman was a part of the Canadian contingent which competed at the 2025 U15 Pan-American Championships in Acapulco, Mexico, in March, helping secure a fourth-place finish at the tournament.
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She said it's humbling to be selected to Team Canada for a second time, given the effort it's taken to get to this point.
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'It's countless hours that I've put in on and off the field, it's just amazing,' said Newman. 'I'm in the weight room, I'm on the diamonds all the time. It's just amazing.'
While they usually play in separate cities, Dimen and Newman have a history of playing with each other as part of the 222's fastpitch travel team and various camps over the years.
Dimen said the pair have developed some chemistry from on the mound and behind home plate which she hopes will be noticeable early in Italy.
'We have always been a really strong duo and connected really well with pitching and catching,' said Dimen. 'I think it will be really good, she's a very good teammate.'
According to Mantyka, elite talent like the pair of Team Canada members is helping to put Saskatchewan on the map when it comes to youth softball and continue their journey of promoting girls to higher levels of the sport.
'These girls have aspirations of playing U17, U19 and beyond,' said Mantyka. 'There's lots of role models out there that have gone to the college level. When they get to this age, and with the help of the Tommy Douglas Softball Academy as well, many girls are realizing their dreams and beyond.'
That's the case for Newman, who is aiming to gain the attention of NCAA Division I programs and earn a full-ride scholarship once she has completed her high school stint.
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Even more than the personal accolades and attention, she said it's important for the group to try and bring some hardware back to the communities that have supported them.
'There's so many different ways that we represent Saskatchewan in our country,' said Newman. 'I just think that it's really an amazing opportunity that I get to be a part of the Softball Canada community and I get to join all the legacies.'
Team Canada will open the tournament on Friday versus Czechia, a game which Dimen expects to bring plenty of emotions out — finally getting the opportunity to stand behind home plate wearing the maple leaf on her jersey.
'I think I'll cry,' said Dimen. 'It will be insane, it's going to be such an amazing opportunity and I cannot wait.'
Canada's opening game of the tournament will be played at 2 a.m. Saskatchewan time on Friday against Czechia, with round-robin games also set against Singapore, the United States, Chinese Taipei and Australia.
