Guelph's Kaleigh Rafter to play for bronze with Canada's Olympic softball team

Playing softball at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is "something that everyone's been dreaming of," says Guelph's Kaleigh Rafter.

The catcher for Team Canada spoke with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition host Craig Norris Monday morning after they beat Italy 8-1 to advance to the bronze medal gameon Tuesday.

"I think we're all just really honoured to bear that burden and bear that responsibility for future generations," she said.

Softball hasn't been in the Olympics since 2008, and Rafter played in those Games, but she says not being in the Olympics hasdefinitely had an impact on the sport.

"I think for the momentum of the sport it's been a little bit harder, to kind of be in and be out, be out again and now we're back in," Rafter said.

"That's been a little bit tough to gain momentum, and gain that viewership. I think our game is a viewer-friendly game but it's hard when you don't have that big stage."

Listen to the full interview with Kaleigh Rafter: