Manitoba Softball Academy - Elite

The Manitoba Softball Academy - Elite Program will be led by Coach Paige Churchill and Coach Dani Klassen. The program will run from November 2025 to March 2026 for athletes born 2008-2014 (11-17). The Manitoba Softball Academy will be for athletes who are working towards goals of playing collegiate softball, provincial team or national team.  

ACADEMY LEADERS

• Coach Paige has been an outstanding and decorated player in Manitoba from the moment she stepped foot on the diamond. While playing minor softball in Manitoba, she cleaned up when it came time for awards. She was awarded Softball Manitoba's Top Female U16 Player and Top Female Player U18 X2, Played on Team Manitoba's Canada Summer Games Team, was a 3-time Canadian National All-Star Player and was a Top 40 Athlete for Softball Canada's Senior National Program. Paige attended Valley City State University where she continued to excel. During her university career, she was named, NAIA DAC Freshman on the Year, NAIA DAC Player of the Year and Female Co-Athlete of the Year at Valley City State University. Post University, Paige started coaching AAA softball with the Smitty's Terminators. After many years, she transitioned to coaching in the off-season with Softball Manitoba's Academy where she has worked her way up to Lead Coach for the program.  

• Coach Dani brings 22 years of playing experience and 9 years of coaching expertise to the table. Dani started playing ball in BC when she was young and finished her precollege years in Manitoba playing for Winnipeg Lightning. Dani went on to play at Dodge City Community College in Kansas, and then to Dakota Wesleyan University in South Dakota. While at Dakota Wesleyan Dani set 5 school records - 3 of those being for stolen bases, as well as being named 1st Team All-Conference Centre Fielder in the Great Plains Athletic Conference in her Junior and Senior years. Dani also played for Team Manitoba at the Canada Summer Games in 2013 helping her team bring home a silver medal. After her college career, Dani moved to the coaching side of the game, starting with private lessons and camps, working her way up to the Manitoba Softball Academy and Churchill Softball Academy. Dani has also been a Head Coach in the Winnipeg Lightning Organization for the past 7 years and enjoys sharing her knowledge and excitement of the game with the next generation of softball athletes.

The Academy will include:

• Classroom sessions covering rules, nutrition, goal setting, mental health and athlete talks
• Strength and conditioning (on a separate day)
• Softball specific skills
• Player apparel
• Players will be required to attend a minimum 10/12 training sessions
• Travel tournament(s) - travel team spots will be created by the beginning of January. Spots are not guaranteed.

The schedule for the Academy will be as follows.

Pitcher/Catcher dates and times are in red.

Position Player dates and times are in green. 

The fees for the Academy will be as follows. The Academy Session Fee will be due on October 1^st. The Team Travel Fee will be due on February 1^st. No payment plans will be offered. 

APPLICATION FORM - Deadline September 5, 2025

• please note that acceptance into the Manitoba Softball Academy is not guaranteed. After the application deadline, our Academy Leaders be sending out acceptance emails to those chosen.