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n The 2000B
Richmond Islanders softball team all wore something pink for last week’s game against the Fleetwood Force, in honour of Catherine ‘Cat’ Wheatley, their assistant coach of nine years. Wheatley, 22, died last week in hospital after sustaining critical injuries in an April 6 car crash. Team coach Chris Davies, far right, said the girls, who had known Wheatley for 10 years, played through their grief en route to a memorable victory. Photo submitted
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Playing on for ‘Cat’ Softball team battles for win despite loss of loved coach ALANCAMPBELL Staff Reporter
ACAMPBELL@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM
I
t was as if she was looking down on them from heaven. Softball coach Chris Davies had no doubt his longtime assistant Catherine “Cat” Wheatley had a hand in the game last Thursday when his Richmond Islanders 2000B girls took on the Fleetwood Force at London Steveston Park. Just two days earlier, the girls received the tragic news from Davies that Wheatley — who had been volunteering with the team for 10 years, nine of those years as assistant coach — had succumbed to critical injuries sustained in an April 6 car crash in Ladner. Given the circumstances, Davies had offered to postpone the game, but the girls refused, opting instead to play in 22-year-old Wheatley’s honour. And despite trailing late in the ball-game, the Richmond girls battled back to claim an emotional 7-6 victory.
“It was a pretty touching moment. The girls and the opposition all wore something pink in Cat’s honour,” said Davies. “They played in a tournament on the weekend as well; they all wanted to play and win in Cat’s memory. They didn’t win, but I told them that playing in her honour is what’s important, as she’d be looking down on us.” Davies said the girls, having known Wheatley since they were six years old, were “devastated” by the loss of their mentor. “My daughter was very close to her; she trained my daughter to pitch,” said Davies. “And if the girls had any boy issues, for example, she was there for them. She was their role model. She was very close to these girls. “About two years ago, I lost my younger brother and this has hit me just as hard. She was just 22 and was starting to get her life together.” Davies said, beyond the 2000B Islanders and even outside the Richmond Girls Softball Association (RGSA), Wheatley was also well known. “She ran pitching clinics and helped with a whole bunch of teams; it’s a pretty close-knit
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n Catherine ‘Cat’ Wheatley. Photo submitted
community,” he said. “She stopped playing when she was 18 due to a leg injury, but before that, she had played and coached in the provincials and played in the Canada Cup. “She’s been involved with the RGSA since she was 12, volunteering her time.” See Wheatley page 3
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