Briercrest is proud to announce that the first head coach of the Briercrest women’s softball team will be Carlie Pagens.

Pagens is an alumnus of both the college and the seminary and has a great softball resume combined with a deep love for Briercrest. Briercrest Athletic Director Nigel Mullan said he is excited to have Pagens aboard.

“I am looking forward to seeing the contributions that Carlie is going to make in our first year in women’s softball,” Mullan said. “She brings a wealth of experience to the program and I believe the team will benefit greatly from her leadership.”

Like many other Briercrest students before her, Pagens moved to Caronport planning to stay for just one year.

“I moved out to Caronport in 2007 to do a year of Bible school and have been living in Saskatchewan since,” the B.C native explained. “I have lived in Moose Jaw for about four years now and am currently working as a Mental Health and Addictions Counselor for the Five Hills Health Region- on the Youth team.”

From an early age Pagens has been involved in playing high level softball while also coaching younger players.

“My first coaching job was actually a paid job when I was 12 years old as an assistant coach in a night school softball program for younger kids,” Pagens said. “After that I continued to coach weekend clinics, and eventually realized that I loved to coach.”

Her softball career has even taken her around the world.

“Probably the most interesting part of my softball career was that I was asked to play on the Great Britain Jr National team and spent a year with them playing on the 16-U and 19-U teams- playing in a tournament in Germany and in the Junior World Championships in 2006 in Florida.”

Pagens is looking forward to being part of Briercrest’s inaugural softball team. 

“It is exciting to get an opportunity to start a new program and be a part of helping the sport of softball grow and develop at the collegiate level in Canada- which is something that I have wanted to do since high school. It also excites me that Christian athletes have an opportunity to play a sport that they love in an environment where they can grow and be challenged in their faith, while staying in Canada.”

When asked to describe what a Carlie Pagens team will look like it was clear that the bar would be set high.

“Above all else I expect our girls to work hard, play as a team, and be willing to serve their team,” she said, “I think these athletes have an amazing opportunity to be a part of a new growing program and am excited to see what this will look like. I expect my players to be leaders on and off the field, to commit to hard work, but also to enjoy playing the sport that they love at a new level. I think a Briercrest Softball team will be able to play competitively within the WCSA and I am excited to begin to see athletes help to build this program.”