The Mississauga native reflects on her softball career, her experience at the Tokyo Olympics and the importance of embracing one’s unfiltered self.
There’s nothing truer than the advice Shakespeare has Polonius give in Hamlet: “To thine own self be true.” Those words are fully reflected in the life of Olympic Bronze Medalist Natalie Wideman and of the journey she is on. In addition to her noteworthy achievements as a 14-year Canadian National Softball Team member, including that of being recognized as the NFCA DII Diamond Catcher of the Year in 2014 and the recipient of a CAN Fund #150Women grant, she is also a coach, leader and founder of Unedited Self Co. and a co- owner of Body By Chosen Mississauga.
Wideman grew up in Mississauga, Ont., in a highly competitive sports family where both her brothers played professional minor-league baseball. She was always around a ball field with the goal of getting better every day.
By the time Wideman was about 11 or 12, she was determined to establish a career in softball. She attributes this grit to her parents, who always pushed her to value the little things and set the right example. “All the morals and values they instilled in me have made me the person I am today,” she says. “Without them, I don’t know if I would be this person.”
Wideman has assumed many roles, but their underlying theme has always been to inspire others to be their best selves. She says that when she coaches athletes, she wants them to know how, why and what needs to be done. Similarly, when someone comes to her gym, she motivates them to develop the knowledge and discipline to be their best self. Although her responsibilities are different for each type of client, she finds them aligned and in sync with each other.
She describes her business, Unedited Self Co., as a movement to inspire people to be themselves unabashedly, embracing their unique potential. As a motivational speaker, she stresses the importance of handling circumstances gracefully — to do one’s best and, at least, try to improve something from how it was when one found it. She says, “Whether it’s sports, business or life, it’s not about winning, but showing up consistently.”
“WHETHER IT’S SPORTS, BUSINESS OR LIFE, IT’S NOT ABOUT WINNING, BUT SHOWING UP CONSISTENTLY.”
She describes the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the most exhilarating experience for her. Team Canada had done a huge amount of training before the games, she says, so they had a sense of confidence that made the games a fun time. While they were aiming for gold, winning the bronze medal, Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal in softball, was in itself an historic win.
The Tokyo Games took place during COVID, so the medals were handed directly to the team. Wideman reminisces about the moment when all teammates put medals on each other, and how it was a symbolic celebration of collaboration and commitment. That moment completely changed her world. She adds how the team may not have been the strongest in terms of skill, but certainly were in terms of competitiveness and culture.
She also shares the immense pride she takes in representing her country at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and that she still feels butterflies when wearing her jersey. For her, not only is it an absolutely special feeling to represent Canada but also to train every woman she works with in the gym. By doing so, she says, she is representing something bigger than herself.
In the face of violence and war, she sees the Olympics as bringing solidarity as a place where people from all backgrounds come together. There is respect for every story and a chance to celebrate every one of them. At the same time, participating in the Olympics is challenging for all athletes, she says — they have all reached this milestone after facing many adversities, so they are all champions who should be celebrated, and so should the joy and light that such events bring with them.
When asked about a lesson she learned the hard way, she mentions that she thought of retiring from softball post-Olympics. Wideman was expected to go on to leadership, but she wasn’t performing the way she was supposed to. Her head coach had a conversation with her, asking “What are you so afraid of?”
For the next few days, the question was constantly in Wideman’s mind, she says, and made her come to the realization that she had a fear of not being good enough. Since then, she has been in touch with all her fears. If she does not feel ready for speaking events, for instance, she makes sure to prepare. Fighting her fears has changed the trajectory of her life.
Wideman adds that spring is typically a focused and transitional period. Currently in Tokyo for the Mexican Softball League, she will return home to Canada at the end of March and shift into full training mode as she prepares for Team Canada and the upcoming season. Wideman will also use that time for coaching locally in Ontario, as well as for a few fun trips supporting and coaching teams around Canada. She is also proud of her continuing involvement with organizations including @canfund and @150women, which support athletes on their journey to success.
INTERVIEW BY MARC CASTALDO
