Meet the Jackfish: James Smibert
Welland Jackfish shortstop James Smibert began the season in the independent Atlantic League. Photo by: BILL POTRECZ
Growing up in hockey-crazed southern Ontario, James Smibert was almost oblivious to it all.
The 26-year-old Mississauga native could skate and occasionally played street hockey, but hockey was far from a passion.
“I consider myself the least Canadian person,” the shortstop for the Welland Jackfish said. “I like all American sports. I played basketball, football, baseball. Never really got into hockey.
“I was the odd ball.”
Smibert concentrated on baseball, playing travel ball for the Mississauga North Tigers, before graduating to the elite level with the Toronto Mets and Toronto Terriers.
“It’s the challenge of the game,” he said. “It’s not only a challenge physically but it’s a mental game. You see guys with different statures. You see Aaron Judge and there’s Jose Altuve. Two very different guys but they can still produce results. It’s a skill sport. It’s not about who’s the biggest and strongest. I like that.”
Smibert’s climb up the baseball ladder continued when he played four years at the University of Mount Olive, an NCAA Division 2 school in North Carolina, where he accumulated a .295 average in 70 career games.
“Then COVID hit and everything went crazy. I decided not to go back to school and just train,” he said.
Smibert played briefly for two teams in independent ball last season and began this year with the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League before hooking on with Capitales de Québec in the Frontier League, where he was released after about a month.
Smibert then signed with the Jackfish where he has solidified the infield while batting close to .400.
“As a baseball player you’re always on the go so you get used to it but bouncing from team to team is an adjustment,” he said. “I obviously would have liked to be in one spot but Welland is great. It’s a great community with great fans.
“The organization is great. They take care of us well. It’s good showing up and you see guys who have been all over the place and we’re here to work and get better and try and dominate the league.”
Away from field, Smibert has an undergrad in kinesiology and runs his own business, JS Training. https://www.facebook.com/journeytosuccess365.
But for now, it’s all baseball, all the time.
“I’m here for the time being to get reps and to play as much a possible. I’m looking forward to pursuing my baseball career and getting to the next level,” he said.
He admits he doesn’t miss being a student/athlete.
“It’s 100 per cent better. You’re fully focused on baseball. That’s what we all want to do, play baseball. School is just like a headache. You have classes. It gets in the way but when you can just focus on baseball and when that’s your thing, it makes things way better.”
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