Larissa Franklin - Team Canada Softball
“My parents played baseball and softball growing up and continued to play slow pitch when I was young. I remember going to the park and watching them throw this massive ball around that I couldn’t even fit in my hand and I thought it was super cool. After their games I’d get to go in the lines and give everyone high-fives. That sparked my love for the game. One day, my grandpa saw an ad in the paper for rep ball and encouraged my parents to have me try out for the team.”
“I was a competitive figure skater as well. I figure skated seven days a week so that was my main focus. I enjoyed playing softball, but when it came to which sport I’d go to, I’d choose figure skating. When I learned that I couldn’t get a scholarship in figure skating, I thought, ‘Do I do Disney on ice, or go for softball?’ I just kept hearing about the opportunities in softball and knew I was good at the sport, so I finally made the decision that I wanted to get an education and play softball there.”
“I never thought that trying to qualify would be more pressure than actually training for the Olympics. Last summer I started putting too much pressure on myself and trying to be perfect. I’d leave practice and think ‘I should have hit more balls; I should have come with a plan’ and no practice was ever perfect. I felt I was never doing enough to prepare. That negative self-talk of feeling like I had to be perfect and feeling like I had to be perfect and meet these certain expectations in order to qualify for the Olympics really lead to burnout.”
“I always ignored the idea of burnout because I thought ‘that won’t happen to me, I love softball.’ I ended up taking too much on my plate. I tried to please everyone. I tried to be this perfect softball player, and that led to me being burnt out. Sometimes I’d step up to the plate and think ‘why do I even care to get a hit right now, why does it even matter.’ We’d be in a tournament trying to qualify for the Olympics so I knew it mattered, I just couldn’t find the motivation within me to actually do it and it was the craziest thing to feel – when you know you care about something but can’t find the motivation to put the action into it.”
“In those moments, the biggest support was my teammates. I’d ask them for help and say, ‘Hey make sure I’m having fun today.’ They’d talk me up and say things like ‘You’re Larissa Franklin protector of all things that are grass.’ They’d make a joke out of things and that’s exactly what I needed - just to laugh and have fun. I committed to my teammates that after every game I’d tell them three things that went well, no matter the outcome. It was those small changes that I had to do everyday that got me back to the place that I needed to be.”
“When I heard Tokyo 2020 was postponed, I was still optimistic. The Olympics were still on, the dream was still alive. It’s shocking to think about how much we’ve pushed our bodies this last year, and to do it again, but I’m excited to have an extra year. It was only last year that I dealt with burnout, and I’m optimistic about getting my mind and different skills to a better place. After experiencing last year, I definitely feel more prepared for the Olympics now, especially with an extra year ahead of me. The dream is still alive.”
“I love Canada. Ever since I’ve been on the national team, my pride for Canada continues to grow. It’s truly special to represent something bigger than yourself and I don’t think that I’ve ever felt it as much as I have playing for Canada. When I look down at my jersey and see the Maple leaf and sing the anthem, it’s the best thing ever.”
“For those that may be struggling mentally or physically, remember, sports are supposed to be fun. They are an opportunity to make friends, stay active and above all to enjoy what you’re doing. We should happily embrace life. If you’re not enjoying something, make a change. That doesn’t mean quitting, but it does mean making some adjustments so you can wake up every day and enjoy the things you get to do.”
