In Canada, there is a small town called Boissevain, Manitoba which is mainly known as a connecting town to other popular attractions that border it. It is so small that everyone from the town knows each other, and there is just one school K-12. This is where softball pitcher Danika Nell resides, and she is putting her small town on the map with her softball talents.
Nell grew up watching her siblings play sports and YouTube videos of softball star Jennie Finch. She ended up trying out for her local softball team that was an hour away and made the team, and from there, her own softball journey began. She ended up playing in the United States after one of her teammates mentioned her name to a coach and they liked what they saw from her.
“I thought that maybe I can actually do this because there’s not much exposure in Canada,” Nell said. “Just hearing that encouragement and then getting in front of college coaches, I started to realize [that] maybe I can do this.”
As the competition got tougher, Nell was able to rise to the occasion. She was named the U14 Top Pitcher in Canada at the National Championship in 2019. Then at age 13 she was selected to play for U16 team in Manitoba.
Showing Dominance In The Circle
Nell started with just a fastball and a rise ball. She then developed a curveball and screwball to add to her arsenal. The rise ball is the one that gets the most hitters out as it shoots up at the last second.
Nell plays around with all her pitches, but her curveball has also been getting looks as it has a late break to it. She also has a changeup that can fools hitters. Whatever she throws, it’s all a sequence to keep hitters from making contact which has worked well for her so far in her early career.
Making An Impact Off The Field
When she’s in the circle, she likes the control she has in the game. That resonates off the field with her work on her schools’ student council.
“I know everyone, and it’s a good group of kids,” Nell said. “I thought that if I can help with any activities or anything, that’d be nice.”
Coming from a small town, where everyone knows everyone, Nell searches for that same type of community as she thinks about attending college.
“I’ve been to camps where the team is super tight-knit and that’s really nice to see. I just dream of being part of something like that, and I do have that at here at home right now,” Nell said. “Softball is fun, but when you have a team like that it makes even more fun and doesn’t feel like a job at all.”
Coming from a small town in Canada, Nell is ready for some sunny days.
“Wherever the university is, I hope that the weather’s nice to get out of the cold here,” Nell jokes.
While the university should have better weather, there is no doubt that whatever place she chooses will get a competitor, a natural leader, and someone that wants to bring everyone together.