Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Ashley Stephenson Named Speaker for 2027 Best Ever Coaches Clinic

Trailblazing Canadian baseball legend to headline the all-new Women’s Baseball Stream at the 2027 clinic

CAMBRIDGE, ON – October 13, 2026 – The Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) is thrilled to announce that Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Ashley Stephenson will be a featured speaker at the 2027 Best Ever Coaches Clinic, taking place January 15–17, 2027, at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre.

Stephenson’s appearance will be a highlight of the clinic’s all-new Women’s Baseball Stream, an exciting addition for 2027 designed to provide enhanced education, development and networking opportunities while supporting the continued growth of women’s baseball and female leadership in coaching across Ontario.

One of the most accomplished and influential figures in Canadian women’s baseball history, Stephenson brings an extraordinary combination of international playing experience, coaching expertise and groundbreaking achievements to the Best Ever Coaches Clinic.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Stephenson spent 15 seasons representing Canada as a member of the Women’s National Team, competing in eight World Cups and helping Canada capture seven international medals. A two-time Women’s National Team MVP, she was widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Canadian uniform.

Following her remarkable playing career, Stephenson continued breaking barriers in coaching. In 2022, she became the first woman to manage Canada’s Women’s National Team and was later named Baseball Canada’s Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year, becoming the first woman to receive the prestigious honour.

In 2023, Stephenson made history once again when she joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization as a position coach with the High-A Vancouver Canadians. She currently serves as the bench coach for the Dunedin Blue Jays, the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, where she continues to make her mark in professional baseball while helping develop the next generation of talent.

Her extraordinary contributions to the game were recognized in 2024 when she was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, cementing her legacy as a pioneer and ambassador for women’s baseball in Canada.

The introduction of the Women’s Baseball Stream marks an important step forward for the Best Ever Coaches Clinic, creating a dedicated space to share knowledge, encourage collaboration and inspire more women to pursue coaching and leadership opportunities throughout the sport.

The 2027 Best Ever Coaches Clinic will once again bring together outstanding speakers from across amateur, collegiate and professional baseball, offering coaches of all experience levels valuable insights and practical tools to take back to their teams and associations.

2027 Best Ever Coaches Clinic Details

Dates: January 15–17, 2027
Location: Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre
Featured Speaker: Ashley Stephenson, Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer
New for 2027: Dedicated Women’s Baseball Stream
Registration: Now Open

Additional speakers, session details and programming announcements will be released in the coming weeks.

Coaches are encouraged to register early and be part of an exciting weekend dedicated to learning, leadership and growing the game.

For more information and to register, visit www.registeroba.ca/best-ever.