Video: Rebels shortstop receives city softball player-of-the-year award

“I was completely shocked,” says Allen, who was the Rebels’ top batter this year. “It was a lot of hard work this summer, and it paid off.”

The big reward for Allen and her team was winning a bronze medal at the national championships. Allen, who also acts as assistant coach for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and played basketball for Algonquin, and her teammates were competing at the senior level for the first time this past summer since a few team members were no longer eligible for the 23-and-under tournament.

“Everyone kept saying, ‘Who’s Orléans and why are they winning?’” recounts Allen, a Colonel By Secondary School grad. “We were huge underdogs heading into nationals and we ended up coming out with a bronze medal.

“We were ecstatic. It’s the biggest accomplishment we could have asked for.”

Look for more coverage from the Ottawa Sports Awards in this week’s Orléans Star.