Natalie Wideman has been part of the Canadian Women’s National Softball Team for more than a decade, contributing to some of the biggest achievements in Softball Canada’s history. A proud owner of an Olympic medal, three Pan American Games podium finishes, and three World Cup medals, the 33-year-old is a veteran presence on the red-and-white squad. She spoke with the WBSC as part of the Athlete’s View Series, reflecting on the highlights of her career, her mental approach to major tournaments, and the importance of mental health.
Born in Mississauga, Ontario, Wideman earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as a backup catcher, helping Canada secure their first-ever Olympic softball medal. “Being an Olympian means the world to me. Going to Tokyo 2020 was the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she said.
Wideman considers her Tokyo teammates her family for life. “We went through the ups and downs…we faced hard times, good times – all the different things throughout that journey,” she said. “To endure that, push through, show up, have hard conversations, and build character along the way really gave me a lot of confidence.”
The catcher played a key role in winning bronze at the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2024. She hit a clutch, game-tying, three-run, home run in the bottom of the sixth inning of a hard-fought bronze medal game against the Netherlands, giving her team the chance to win it in 11 innings.
Asked about her mental preparation for those big moments, the three-time World Cup bronze medallist says it takes months of hard work. “We often say as a team that pressure is a privilege and we should be excited to be in those moments. So how do we shift our mindset and lean into it? That happens through training,” she explained. “We do all the hard things there – whether it’s facing high-velocity pitching, tricky spins, or putting something on the line. We try to create as much pressure as possible during practice so that when we’re in the game, hopefully I can look at my teammate and smile and say, ‘This is why we’re here. This is what we live for.’”
Wideman also noted that, for many years, the focus was solely on mental performance and being ready to compete at an elite level, but no one really talked about mental health in high-pressure situations. “I think the sports world is becoming more comfortable, and more athletes are speaking out about the fact that we struggle too – we’re not perfect. We don’t always feel 100% confident,” she said. “I think we’re getting there as a community in sports. And it’s important that we keep the conversation around mental health going.”
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