by The Nelson Daily Staff on Sunday Jan 09 2022
Baseball Canada said a long-time member of the Canadian women’s baseball program has died following a ski accident at Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson.
Baseball Canada said Amanda Asay succumbed to injuries following a skiing accident on Friday, January 7th.
Asay, a native of Prince George, was 33 years old.
Whitewater Ski Resort confirmed that an accident occurred Friday, January 7 on the Summit lift side of the hill.
“On the morning of Friday, January 7, 2022 Whitewater Dispatch was alerted that there was an adult female in a tree well on the summit side of Whitewater Ski Resort and patrol responded,” Peter Lonergan, Sales and Marketting Director for Whitewater Ski Resort said in an emailed statement Sunday.
“The woman was then transported to first aid and then to BC Ambulance in critical condition.”
Lonergan said later Friday afternoon, Whitewater Ski Resort Management was notified that the female involved in the incident had succumbed to her injuries.
A GoFundMe campaign has been started to assist the family and loved ones of Amanda Asay by friends in Nelson.
Asay was part of national teams that captured five WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup medals including bronze in 2006, 2012 and 2018 and silver in 2008 and 2016.
She was also part of Canada’s historic silver medal performance at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto – the first time that women’s baseball was included in a major, multi-sport games.
“On behalf Baseball Canada’s Board of Directors and national office, I offer sincerest condolences to Amanda’s loved ones including her parents Loris and George and her brother Brad,” a statement the Baseball Canada website by President and CEO Jason Dickson said.
“Her contributions to women’s baseball and our national team will be remembered forever and will serve as inspiration for future generations.”
Amanda Asay, a a longtime member of the Canadian women’s baseball program has died following a ski accident at Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson. — Baseball Canada photo
Asay, talented athlete who also excelled in the classroom, played hockey and softball for Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island for three seasons (2006-2009) while earning a Bachelor’s in Science.
She continued her studies at the University of British Columbia where she attained a master’s in science and PhD in forestry while playing two seasons for the Thunderbirds hockey team.
Baseball was her first love however and her talent and hard work caught the eye of Women’s National Team evaluators when she was just 17 years old in 2005. In 2006, playing in her first Women’s Baseball World Cup in Taiwan, Asay earned all-tournament honours at first base and later took home the Women’s National Team Most Valuable Player Award.
She would go on to capture MVP honours again in 2016 but this time it was for her dominance on the mound as she shutdown a powerful Chinese Taipei squad at the Women’s Baseball World Cup in South Korea with a complete game, 2-1 victory to send Canada to the gold medal contest.
Whitewater Ski Resort, known for its deep champagne powder skiing, is located approximately 25 minutes south of Nelson on Highway 6 in the Selkirk Mountains.
