Leah Hamilton named Baseball MB.Girls U14 Player of the Year

Leah Hamilton may have only been five years old when her dad signed her up for baseball, well, technically T-ball, but she wasn’t too young to recognize what her heart was already telling her: baseball was something special. That spark never fizzled. Instead, it grew into the kind of passion, focus, and determination that would make her stand out on the diamond and eventually earn her Baseball Manitoba’s Girls U14 Player of the Year award. The ceremony was held November 8 at the Radisson Hotel in Winnipeg, where the province’s top athletes gathered to celebrate excellence.

Leah is the daughter of Trent and Kyla Hamilton of Kenora, Ontario, but her roots stretch back to Glenboro, the community where her dad was raised and where one of her biggest cheerleaders, her granddad Albert Hamilton, proudly cheers (and occasionally eggs her on) from the bleachers.

Although Leah has had many standout moments on the diamond, one of her most memorable came courtesy of Albert’s trademark chirping. As she stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded, he hollered, “How are you going to get out of this one?” Leah answered in the only way a ballplayer can, by sending her first-ever grand slam over the fence. “Running across home plate, I looked over at Grandpa Albert and yelled, ‘Well, that’s how we do it!’” she said, smiling at the memory. It was the first of many grand slams for this rising athlete.

When asked what she brings to her team, Leah didn’t hesitate. “I’m a pretty strong hitter, but I think my loud voice on the field is important to, the team has no trouble hearing me calling out plays,” she said confidently.

This year, Leah’s season was defined by consistency, maturity, and moments that showed she was ready for any challenge. She split her time between pitching and shortstop, and every time she stepped up to bat, outfielders instinctively took several steps back; they knew she could hit, and hit hard.

So what is it about baseball that captured her heart? “I love the strategy of the game and that you have to anticipate what is going to happen,” she said as she sat with her dad waiting to board a plane for Arizona, where she spent the weekend playing with YOLO (You Only Live Once), a high-calibre team out of B.C.

YOLO is the first girls’ travel team based in British Columbia, created to provide competitive opportunities for elite athletes like Leah. Their marquee event took place in Chandler, Arizona, at the 5th Annual Leighton Accardo Invitational—now the second-largest all-girls baseball tournament in North America. The team is coached by Kristy Watson, recipient of the 2021 Baseball Canada Grassroots Coaching Award and Head Coach for the Provincial U14 Girls team.

Beyond her local league and her work with YOLO, Leah also took on a major role with the 15U AA Kenora Selects, the high-performance travel program known for developing strong athletes through off-season training, competitive tournaments, and exhibition games across Manitoba and beyond. Coaches relied on her in high-pressure moments, and her confidence under pressure became one of her calling cards.

Kenora, with a population just under 20,000, may not be as small as Glenboro, but it’s still small enough that Leah has had to play on mixed teams, something she believes only strengthened her game. “It made me better because it was a challenge and I had to work hard.”

Coach Arcade Zilinski agrees. “I feel athletes from smaller towns actually have an advantage, especially having to play on mixed teams. Leah is the type of person who, if doubted by anyone, will use steely determination and grit to prove them wrong and when she does, she’ll stare them down in a cool way that makes them think twice before doubting her again. Another advantage is that most people in town know and cheer for them, which is inspiring, but it can also be humbling. They’re not put on pedestals.”

Coach Z, also quick to point out Leah’s natural athletic range. “I’m a huge advocate for developing players in multiple sports. In time they’ll know which one they’re most passionate about, but in the meantime, having fun is just as important.”

She’s not only a great athlete, she’s a leader. “She’s a great teammate always picking others up. And she has the uncanny ability to go from a giggling teenager on the bench to completely entering the ‘zone’ when called upon. If I had to rate her, I’d give her ten out of ten for determination and focus.”

When asked who her baseball hero is, Leah didn’t hesitate: Dawson Varsho. The answer surprised Coach Z at first, after all, Varsho doesn’t play any of the positions Leah does. But when she explained that she chose the Blue Jays centre fielder because of his relentless dedication to improving his skills, Coach Z just smiled and nodded, as if to say, Yep—that’s Leah.

Coach Zilinski knew of Leah long before she was old enough to join his team; he had been watching her development for quite some time. Ask him if there’s a moment that truly captures who Leah is as a player and person, and he chuckles before answering.

“There are a number, but one time she caught me kind of dozing off during a game when I should have been giving her signals while she was in the batter’s box and I was the third base coach. I forgot to give her the signal and she stepped out of the box and slapped her leg as if to say hey; what’s the signal? I need it before I get back in the box!”

One of the other sports Leah excels at is hockey. As a winger, yes, you guessed it, she’s just as formidable on the ice as she is on the diamond. How does she fit it all in? “I can’t lie, it is busy, but it is worth it; especially when you see the results. It’s all about keeping a routine with homework, practices, and games and being consistent,” she said wisely.

Speaking of routines led us to the topic of rituals. Does she have any pre-game habits or superstitions? With a grin she answered, “Dad and I always have a pre- and post-game talk, but I also always have a boiled egg before a game because that’s what I ate the morning I got my first grand slam.”

Her biggest challenge? Leah didn’t take long to answer. “The mental preparation prior to the game.” That’s something her coach and mentor, Zilinski, works on with her often. He’s instilled a phrase she repeats between innings: “I’ve worked hard and deserve to be here.”

Coach Zilinski is also league president in Kenora, and a guiding force in her development. He is someone Leah credits deeply. “He’s a big part of me growing in skills. He keeps pushing me,” she said with gratitude.

One of Leah’s most electrifying performances came at the Girls U14 Home Run Derby, where she launched eight home runs to take the title and walked away with a brand-new $400 bat. She also delivered a standout game against Team BC, turning a key double play, stealing bases, and delivering clutch hits in a hard-fought matchup.

But what makes Leah truly stand out goes far beyond stats. Coaches and teammates speak often about her leadership; how she arrives early, stays late, encourages others, and works tirelessly to get better. Asked about her dream for the future, she doesn’t shy away: “I’m shooting for the stars, but a global Professional Women’s Baseball League has just been organized and I want to be on one of those teams!”

Leah may have fallen in love with baseball at a very young age, but it’s clear that the sport has fallen in love right back: and her story is only getting started!

PHOTO CAPTION: Kevin Booker (left) Vice President of the Baseball Manitoba Committee presents Leah Hamilton with the Baseball Manitoba’s Girls U14 Player of the Year award. PHOTO SUBMITTED