Our Program

Canada East Softball was created to offer world-class softball instruction in every facet

of the game. Aligned with Softball Canada’s Athlete Development Matrix, Sport

Canada’s high performance athlete development pathway and supplemented by

decades of international playing and coaching success that has delivered multiple

podium performances at world championships and Olympic Games.

Pitching and hitting instruction is led by former men’s national team athletes, coaches

and hall of famers Mark Smith and Jeff Ellsworth, supported by former national level

softball players from the Atlantic region and guest instructors. This Academy program

approach has been designed in collaboration with high performance sport specialist

who work with Olympic programs across a variety of sports.

Areas of Focus

  • pitching mechanics, velocity, pitch mastery, fielding skills and game management
  • catching mechanic, throwing skills, defensive skills and game management
  • bat selection, bat speed, swing mechanics and barrel control and pitch recognition
  • fielding skills, throwing mechanics
  • self-confidence
  • mental resilience
  • softball specific fitness & nutrition

If playing at the provincial, national, JUCO or NCAA level is your goal this is the

program.



OUR STAFF


​​​​​​​Mark Smith

Lead Pitching Instructor – Hitting Instructor

Mark has a wealth of experience as a player, coach and senior administration in high

performance sport.

As an athlete and coach in the sport of fastpitch softball, he is considered among the

very best to ever play and coach the sport. Mark is a member of four sport Halls of

Fame and was named one of Nova Scotia’s top 15 athletes of all time alongside the

likes of other legendary athletes like Coleen Jones and Sidney Crosby.

As a coach he has led his teams to national and international championships including

Olympic Games, World Championships, and Pan American Games podium finishes. He

is the winningest coach in Canadian softball national team history and a six-time

recipient of the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award.


Mark has been honored as the most outstanding high performance coach in Canada by

the Coaching Association of Canada and in 2021 he led the Canadian women’s softball

teams to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Although widely recognized for his athletic and coaching achievements, Mark is equally

recognized for his mentorship and commitment to sharing his expertise and helping

others develop their coaching and leadership skills. He served as a mentor to targeted

Olympic coaches in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics Games. He currently

serves as the Head of Player Development and Pitching Coach for the Kingdom of the

Netherlands women’s Olympic softball program. Mark received an honorary doctorate

degree from Acadia University in Civil Laws in 2026.

Some of his career highlights include:

  • Former Team Canada Player - 1979 - 1994
  • Former Team Canada Coach - 1996 - 2021
  • 2021 Olympic Bronze Medalist - Head Coach
  • International Softball Federation World Champion
  • Multiple ISC World Championships
  • 6 time Pan American Games Gold Medalist
  • Multiple WBSC podium finishes



Jeff Ellsworth

Lead Hitting & Outfield Instructor

is one of the longest-serving members of the Canadian Men’s National Team, first

representing Team Canada in 2004. Known for his tremendous work ethic and hard

nosed play Jeff has been a central figure with the men’s national team program for over

a decade.

At the Canadian Championships, Jeff represented Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland

and Labrador, and Ontario, earning six All-Star Outfielder selections and Top Batter

honors in 2008 and 2014. Jeff was recently inducted into the Softball Canada Hall of

Fame and will be inducted into the ISC Hall of Fame in 2026 cementing his legacy in

men’s fastpitch softball. Jeff is the owner of Heals Smoothies and Bowls in

Charlottetown, PEI.

Some of Jeff’s career highlights include

  • Former Team Canada player 2004 – 2017
  • WBSC Bronze Medallist - 2009
  • WBSC Word Champion – 2015
  • Multiple time Pan Am Championships medallist (silver 2006, gold 2012 and bronze 2014)
  • Pan American Games Gold Medallist – 2015



Jeff Cameron

Pitching & Hitting Instructor

was a member of Nova Scotia 1989 Boys Canada Games team and played senior

men’s fastpitch in Nova Scotia for 15 years winning the 1998 senior men’s national

champion Halifax Jaguars. Jeff played professionally in Venezuela for 1999 – 2001

winning multiple national championships and has also played in New Zealand,

Dominican Republic and the US. Jeff is a graduate of Acadia University with a Batchelor

of Physical Education. Jeff is the owner of Prodigy Sports.



Matt Haliburton

Catching Instructor & Mental Preparation

Is a former catcher/infielder at the senior men’s level having played in national

championships and International Softball Congress events during career that spanned

two decades. Matt is a member of the 2029 Girls Canada Games coaching staff.

In his life away from softball Matt was a physical education specialist and school

administrator for 38 years in the public-school system for the Tri County Regional

School Board preparing him as a coach at all levels of sport. Matt is a graduate of

Acadia University with a Batchelor of Physical Education degree.



Ricky Leblanc

Fielding Instructor & Short Game Specialist

was an All-Canadian shortstop known for his explosive speed, smooth fielding skills and

exceptional short game ability. A former men’s national development middle infielder

Ricky played a key defensive and offensive role with the 1998 senior men’s National

Champions Halifax Jaguars. Ricky is the owner of 1stop Electric in Dieppe, New

Brunswick.


Katelyn Munro

Fielding Instructor

Katelyn brings a wealth of playing and coach experience. She played in the 2009

Canada Summer Games and has represented Nova Scotia at several national

championships. Sinc 2017 she has been a member of Nova Scotia’s Canada Games

programs in an Assistant coach capacity. Katelyn is an NCCP Learning Facilitator and

Coach Evaluator. In addition to her softball specific abilities Katelyn is a certified

Strength & Conditioning Specialist and certified Clinical Physiologist. Katelyn is a

graduate of Dalhousie University with a Batchelor of Kinesiology degree.


Rowan Marcil

Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Rowan has always had a strong passion for sports and was a multi sport athlete herself,

having played varsity volleyball as well as ringette for Team Nova Scotia.

A recent Kinesiology graduate from Acadia University. She spent 2 years participating in

Acadia’s Strength & Conditioning Internship where she worked closely with varsity

athletes.

She was the senior Strength & Conditioning intern with the Women’s Varsity Basketball

Team where she was responsible for team warm ups and recovery sessions, assisted

athletes with injury rehabilitation programs and facilitated team strength & conditioning

sessions.

Rowan was recognized as Acadia Athletics Performance Intern of the Year (2025-2026).