Canadian softball veteran Victoria Hayward has competed through four Olympic cycles — yet she's only played in one.

And so as softball returns for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the 33-year-old Toronto native is still taking a big-picture view. The sport has only been on the Olympic program once since 2008, when the Tokyo Olympics included it for the 2020 Games, where Hayward competed.

"I think the mission to grow our sport has to be bigger than just doing it for that world stage," said Hayward, who joined the national team as a 16-year-old in 2009 but had to watch the 2012, 2016 and 2024 Olympics from afar.

Hayward's mission continues Saturday when she will suit up for opening day of the newest Athletes Unlimited Softball League season. The competition first began in 2020 with a fan

See Full Page