If you occasionally get your oil changed or your tires rotated at Mountain View Dodge, it turns out you might be getting a tune-up from a national team athlete.
During the week, Olds resident Josh Zanolli keeps the service department in order, but come summer weekends, you can find him out on the softball diamond, sporting a Team Canada jersey.
Zanolli is one of the country's best slo-pitch players ñ and if he's not in the batter's box, then he's in the dugout, coaching Alberta's top senior men's team to yet another spot at the national championships.
In July, Zanolli headed to Oklahoma as one of 16 players on the Team Canada roster, for the ninth Battle of the Border, a yearly international tournament against the American national team. For the previous three iterations, Zanolli coached Team Canada, but after some calls from his players to get on the field, he decided this year to step down from coaching so he could pick up a bat instead.
Team Canada went on to eke out a win against the Americans, 31-28 on Canada Day.
Despite drawing some top competition, slo-pitch is a sport that often gets a rap as an all-inclusive, beer-soaked recreational endeavour that isn't for serious athletes.
"It just takes someone to come watch the level and the speed," he said. "The athleticism of some of the players now is just crazy; we have three guys on the team that were professional athletes."
"It's crazy, the level of play, it's so fast."
Zanolli, who was born and raised in Taber, and played baseball for the University of Lethbridge, fell into the sport after finishing up his college career. Looking to keep playing, he joined a local slo-pitch team, and by coincidence landed at the national championships that year as a sub. "I went to that tournament, and I was hooked right there," said Zanolli, getting his first taste of the speed and competitive level of play.
The next season Zanolli, along with his twin brother Jeff ñ who also plays for Team Canada ñ put together a team of serious players, and formed the Alberta Oilmen.
For a decade, they've been the team to beat. They have won the last 10 straight provincial championships, and in 2013, the Oilmen became the first Alberta team to win a medal of any colour at the national tournament since 1986. They followed up with a win in 2015.
"The product in Alberta has gotten so much better in the last six or seven years," he said.
To wit, this year's border battle roster listed four Albertans on a national team of 16.
"We've accomplished some great things in this province, and now nationally," said Zanolli. "It's pretty impressive." MORE: The Alberta Oilmen will head to the national championships for their 10th straight year on Aug. 13, near Montreal, Que.
"The athleticism of some of the players now is just crazy; we have three guys on the team that were professional athletes."JOSH ZANOLLITEAM CANADA SLO-PITCH PLAYER
