August 27, 2015 — it’s 8 p.m. in Enschede, Holland. Alana Westerhof walks through the rain across the Tex-Town Tigers’ home-field. She walks up to the soaked pitcher’s mound which has the consistency of soup. She stands in the middle of it trying to wipe down the ball with her jersey. Once the ball is dry, or as dry as it’s going to be, she shifts her focus towards home plate.
Westerhof holds the ball straight out in front of her. Then she winds the ball back in a quick windmill and launches it at home plate. As she lunges forward, the mud on the mound splashes up her white knee-high socks staining and soaking them through. The rain covers the fact that Westerhof is on the verge of tears — this is her last game and not at all how she’d envisioned it.
Westerhof became the first Thunderbird softball player to go pro when she suited up for the Tigers this summer. Starting where she left off with UBC, she quickly became one of the Dutch-league’s leaders in home-runs, recorded 72 strikeouts and a no-hitter, was selected to the all-star game and even garnered attention from the Dutch national team. But she left Holland mid-way through the season. So why did she leave? What’s next for Westerhof?
Westerhof is now enrolled in UBC’s Bachelor of Education program. “I grew up always wanting to be a teacher,” said Westerhof. She applied to the program in January right after receiving her BA in Geography and Psychology. “I told [Tex-Town], 'I really want to play for you, but I applied for the teaching program and if I do get accepted, I’m going to leave early.’” Otherwise Westerhof would still be there, helping the Tigers battle their way through the playoffs.
During the 2016 season, Westerhof won’t play for the Thunderbirds either. She has exhausted her eligibility, but still hopes she can help out. The current Thunderbirds pitching coach will be on maternity-leave come the season’s start in January. Westerhof hopes she might be able to step in and help out alongside former teammate, Carlyn Shimizu, who will also return to mentor the Thunderbirds. Coaching is nothing new for Westerhof.
“I’ve coached all growing up, and I really enjoy it,” she said. In the past, she has coached her former club teams in Delta and, more recently, the junior Tex-Town Tigers. “I’m now in a teaching program hoping to help kids learn … so I definitely see myself coaching.... But I wouldn’t want to make a career out of it I don’t think.”
The end goal and dream job for Westerhof is still to be an elementary school teacher.
Even as she makes headway with her eventual career, the door is still wide open for Westerhof to play again. The Tigers' coaching staff has made it very clear she is welcome back.
“I’m still in contact with every single one of them, and they are all encouraging me to come back and play with them again,” said Westerhof. The Tigers even told her to watch out for other Thunderbirds who might be interested in playing pro.
After she thrived in the Dutch pro-league, the national team suggested Westerhof look into getting her Dutch citizenship (Westerhof’s grandparents were born in Holland) so she could represent the team at next year’s world championships — a tournament to be played in Surrey, B.C.
In the meantime, Westerhof plays in a local women’s rec league for the North Delta Sunfire keeping her limber should she decide to take Tex-Town or the Netherlands up on their offers.
“As long as I’m healthy, I think it’s always an option,” said Westerhof. “If I have a summer free … I’m always open to the opportunity of going back to Holland and playing for them again.”
Share this article
