Softball BC Announces Hall of Fame Inductees Class of 2025
Softball BC Announces Hall of Fame Inductees Class of 2025
Softball BC will be adding four distinguished inductees to its Hall of Fame on Friday, July 11th, during a ceremony taking place at Softball City during the 2025 Canada Cup.
The inductees are Erin (Woods) White (Athlete), Kristy Odamura (Athlete), Kelly McGiffin (Coach) and Kelly Hunter (Official)
Erin (Woods) White's impressive career began early as a member of the successful Richmond Islanders team and later with the Richmond Pride under the late, great Mike Woods. Her teams consistently reached the Western Canadian and Canadian Championships, where they captured gold in 1998.
After a standout minor softball career, Erin joined the Cyclones at Iowa State University, quickly becoming a star. She was a four-year starter, earning All-Big 12 Second Team honours in 1996 and 1998. In 1999, she received both All-Big 12 First Team and All-Midwest Region Team distinctions. Erin is also a member of the Iowa State University Hall of Fame and remains the only softball player at Iowa State University to have her jersey retired.
Erin's first appearance with the national team program came at the 1995 Junior Women's Softball World Championship in Illinois. Her national team career spanned nine years and included participation in the 1998 World Championships, the 1999 Pan American Games, the 2003 Olympic Qualifier, the 2004 Prague Cup, and two Olympic appearances in Sydney in 2000
and Athens in 2004.
Erin is a true inspiration for young players who dream of one day wearing the maple leaf.
Kristy Odamura (Athlete) showed signs of greatness early in her softball career. As a member of the Richmond Islanders, she consistently helped her team win titles and place in the top three at both Western Canadian and Canadian Championships.
In 1996, she began her collegiate career as a four-year starter at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. During her time on the Big Island, Kristy became a four-time All-American and received four all-conference awards.
Kristy's talent was recognized nationally when she joined Team Canada in 1998, making her debut at the World Championships, where the team secured a spot in the 2000 Olympics. She remained a key player for Team Canada until 2008, winning silver medals at the Pan American Championships in both 2001 and 2003. She also played a vital role in helping the team qualify for another Olympic appearance at the 2006 World Championships.
Kristy Odamura's outstanding career continues to inspire young athletes, proving what can be achieved through dedication and commitment.
Kelly McGiffin is a talented and highly dedicated men's fastpitch coach who played a pivotal role in redeveloping and strengthening the BC men's softball program. Through passion and drive, he elevated the program and led the BC Men's team to podium finishes in three of their four appearances.
Kelly's coaching success reached the national level, where he led both the junior and senior men's national teams to gold medals at the Pan Am Games. His impact wasn't limited to elite levels; he was also a devoted and successful coach in minor divisions throughout his impressive career.
Coach Kelly exemplifies how vision and dedication can produce exceptional results. His achievements have been widely recognized: in 1993, he was named Softball BC's Coach of the Year and received a 3M Coaching Award. In 2005, he was honoured as the Canadian Aboriginal Coach of the Year.
Coach Kelly's career accolades include 7 provincial gold medals, 3 national silver medals, 2 national gold medals, 2 Western Canadian golds, a Canada Games silver, and a Pan Am gold, just to name a few—an unparalleled accomplishment in Canadian men's fastpitch.
"Dream it, believe in it, and then go achieve it" is not only Kelly Hunter's motto; it's one she teaches to young up-and-coming umpires and a statement that perfectly reflects the remarkable officiating career she has built.
Originally from Dawson Creek, B.C., Kelly began officiating and quickly established herself as a standout umpire in the field. Kelly earned her Level 5 designation at the 2000 Women's Canadian Championship and achieved her international certification just a year later, in 2001. Her rapid rise caught the attention of Merle Butler, the ISF Director of Umpires, which led to her selection for the 2003 Junior Women's World Championship, where she earned the prestigious Gold Medal Plate assignment.
Building on this milestone, Kelly went on to become only the second British Columbian ever selected to umpire at the Olympic Games. At the Games, Kelly was awarded the privilege of umpiring in the Gold Medal Game as the third base umpire.
Beyond her on-field accomplishments, Kelly played a vital role in developing the next generation of officials. As District Umpire-in-Chief for Softball BC in District 11, she was instrumental in growing the umpire program in Kamloops and across the province, mentoring numerous successful officials. She also served as Umpire-in-Chief at three Canadian Championships.
Never one to rest on her laurels, Kelly expanded her officiating expertise into baseball, where she officiated at multiple national and world championships, further cementing her reputation as a trailblazer in the world of officiating.
Nominations for the Softball BC Hall of Fame are reviewed annually by a Selection Committee, who select candidates based on their accomplishments and contributions to the sport of softball in BC. For more information, visit www.softball.bc.ca.
