Training basket of Hailey Unger

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This article was published 07/06/2014 (4479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HAILEY UNGER, 20

Team Canada softball player and student athlete as a softball catcher at Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers in Mitchell, S.D.

Accomplishments: A catcher in the sport of softball, Unger led the DWU Tigers in her sophomore university season last year in home runs — and was named a conference first-team all-star for the second straight season. Unger, an Oak Park graduate, won a silver medal with Team Manitoba at the 2013 Canada Summer Games. She represented Canada at the 2013 International Softball Federation Junior Women’s World Championship. Back home in Winnipeg for the summer, Unger is playing with Smitty’s senior team and working with Softball Manitoba to help develop young players. Unger, along with Softball Manitoba, has been hosting Clinics for Catchers. There is a session for catchers aged 13-17 on June 12 and sessions for catchers aged 9-12 on June 10 and 17. To register, email softball@softball.mb.ca or call 204-925-5673. Both will be held at the Home Run Sports Training Centre at 905 King Edward St.

“Growing up, there weren’t very many catchers and I didn’t really get too much one-on-one catcher instruction,” Unger said. “Once I did, I found out there were so many little things I could be doing better.”

1. Favourite workout:

I just started taking some Crossfit classes and I’ve fallen in love with them! They’re no joke! The atmosphere is great and the workouts never fail to leave you sore. Crossfit focuses a lot on lifting and quick circuits of exercises. You tell yourself the eight minute circuit is going to be easy, but hours after you’re done your muscles are still burning!

2. Favourite workout songs:

The Champ by Nelly and The Other Side by Jason Derulo

3. Fitness Tip:

“Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.” As soon as I heard this quote, it changed my life. I had never thought of anything from that perspective before. Then I started applying it to life in general and I had a new thought process on everything. It didn’t necessarily matter if I was good at something at first, if I worked hard and put in the time, I could become the best. It sounds cliché, but in the end, that’s how I approach everything now!

4. What’s in my fridge:

I have a lot of fruit in my fridge! Plus, I’ve got my daily snacks I can’t live without: yogurt and berries, grilled chicken and spinach, and celery and peanut butter. And of course, the only thing I drink besides water… milk. If I could live off one drink for the rest of my life, it’d definitely be milk!

5. Guilty pleasure:

My guilty pleasure is obvious to anyone who knows me… chocolate. I’m a sucker for the stuff. I love fruit covered in chocolate, so I still try to be as “healthy” as I can when treating myself!

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca