In the early 1960s Helen Layes was living on the farm of her parents Dan and Mary(McKay) Hasey, in Clydesdale, Antigonish Country. A man by the name John D MacDonald came to the farm to buy cattle, and spotted Helen, realizing her potential as an athlete. John asked Helen if she wanted to play softball on a team he was sponsoring. She agreed and joined John D’s Marketeers. It was the start of a career that saw her play for many years and took her to many parts of Canada to play against many of the best players in the country.
Helen Layes Representing Nova Scotia Softball
Helen’s first team was the Marketeers on which she played for a number of years, playing in a women’s league. She competed against local teams from Canso, Guysborough, Louisdale, Richmond County and New Glasgow. She later progressed to play on the 1969 Canada Games Nova Scotia Women’s Team representing the province in Halifax against other provincial teams from across Canada. This was Helen’s first taste of national competition in a sport she loved.
As a 21-year old playing on the Canada Games Team, Helen was spotted by provincial coaches. She was asked to try out for the Nova Scotia Senior Women’s Team playing in the Canadian National Softball Championship Tournament. She made the team and played on the 1973 team in Richmond Hill, Ontario. In 1975 she played for Nova Scotia in Calgary, Alberta and later played in Quebec in 1976 and British Columbia in 1977.
One provincial team coach Helen particularly remembers was Terry Henderson of Brookfield, Nova Scotia, one of the greatest softball coaches to come out of the province. In 1985 Helen once again played on the Nova Scotia team in the Canada Games held in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Nova Scotia Team, and coach Terry Henderon
During her spell at the national level, Helen was also catching and playing a steady 3rd base in Antigonish for Ray MacDonald and his Kell’s Angels women’s team. That career lasted a number of years and saw the team win a number of provincial championships and also a Maritime title in 1974.
Kell’s Angels, an Early Group Photo
Left to Right : Martha Durant, Hugh Kell (Team Sponsor), Helen Layes, Ethel Tobin, Carol Broussard, with Maritime Trophy
Over the years Helen was also involved in the sport of bowling. She worked for 27 years at Braeside Bowling lanes and bowled on a number of teams including the Antigonish Scotts. That team was very successful in Helen’s second favourite sport. While heavily involved in her pursuit of excellence in two sports, Helen also successfully parented her two children, Mary K. and Michael.
Helen Layes (Leftmost) and the Antigonish Scotts Bowling Team
Helen Layes is an example of a person who has exemplified all the best qualities of sportsmanship and dedication to sport and has done so successfully against the best of the best in Canada. It also gave her the opportunity to travel to this great country and meet athletes in different provinces, many of whom became her friends.
She is a true National Competitor in the sport of softball.
Submitted by Doug MacLellan, August 11 2026