Fastball player at the top of his game and setting new goals

Earlier this month, Kian Poitras made his family, his community and his country proud when he helped Team Canada earn a bronze in the U18 Pan American Men’s fastball championship in Bahia Blanca, Argentina.

“It was pretty exciting to play that well in front of that many people,” he said.

Poitras traveled more than 12,000 kilometres from his hometown and played in front of the largest crowds of his life and proved he had the skills to be there.

When it was all over, he ranked first in runs brought in (RBIs) and had the second best batting average.

“To represent your country and reserve back home. It felt good,” said Poitras.

The Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation member is not just skilled at the bat, he’s also a pitcher and a first baseman and can play both fastball and baseball.

Poitras said playing for Team Canada was always a dream, but didn’t think it would happen so soon.

“I was in the middle of a baseball game when I got the news – I’ll never forget that moment,” he said. “When I was young I would look up to the Team Canada guys, so it’s pretty unreal to be that guy now.”

Poitras has always been passionate about sports, playing hockey, baseball, and fastball from a young age.

Growing up he watched his dad as a fastball pitcher and it inspired Poitras to apply himself and he played whenever and wherever he could.

His commitment to the sport paid off.

Poitras was scouted while he was playing for Team Sask at the 2025 Canada Summer Games

He was invited to tryout for the national team and ultimately earned a spot on the roster for the Argentina tournament.

“We are so proud,” said his mom Tara Whitecap.

She knows what it’s taken to get him to this point in his athletic career.

“Not a lot make it to this level, and we always remind him of that,” said Whitecap. “A lot of our Indigenous youth don’t get this opportunity.”

Like her son, she was also blown away when he made Team Canada.

“It’s something we didn’t expect but always wanted,” said Whitecap.

Getting Poitras to this level was by no means a walk in the park.

As a single mother, sometimes Whitecap simply didn’t have the money to make ends meet and pay for his athletics.

“You just figure out ways to make things happen and get him what he needs,” she said.

While a student pursuing a social work degree, she would often pick up part-time jobs to support her family.

“It took a lot of sacrifice,” Whitecap recalled. “There were times when every penny went towards getting him to a tournament, or having enough food, but all of those sacrifices were worth it.”

Like mother like son, she persevered reached her educational goal and obtained her degree and currently works for the Saskatchewan Health Region.

Getting Poitras and his fans to Argentina did take a team effort.

Some costs like flights to were covered by Muscowpetung and fundraising covered the additional costs for his family who wanted to be there to cheer him on.

Poitras was one of only two Indigenous players to make Team Canada and also one of two players from Saskatchewan.

“It’s a really good feeling to represent Indigenous people back home,” he said. “Anything is possible. I didn’t think I’d be playing with Team Canada at this age, but hard work and dedication pays off.”

Poitras, now 18 is not quite ready to hang up his bat and already has his eyes set on the U 23 team and if all goes to plan the National Men’s Team.

“He’s a humble kid and doesn’t say much,” said Whitecap. “So we remind him that you are opening doors for kids to come. You’re showing them that doing this is possible.”