Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) & answers pertaining to our upcoming Spring softball season:
When does the season start and how long does it run?
Spring seasons will begin as soon as the weather allows - generally we are able to start practicing right around the end of March/early April. Most age groups will have practices and games through most of June. Note that for 15U & 18U, the Rec season is delayed a bit to accommodate the Middle School softball season, so those teams typically run early May through the first week of July.
When will I find out who my daughter's Head Coach is?
Once registration closes we typically need about 2 weeks to sort everything, form teams and lock in rosters - we then ask our Head Coaches to email their teams to formally announce/introduce themselves as your coach for the season. If you haven't heard from your coach by mid-March (say St. Patrick's Day) let us know.
What does a typical practice/game schedule look like?
For teams 6U & older, the first ~2-3 weeks of the season are practices only and should be twice per week (one on a weeknight, the other on a weekend day - more on that below). Once games begin, expect to have, on average, 2-3 softball events (combination of practices/games) per week. 4U teams should expect only 1 event per week (on the weekend - more on that below).
Our practice schedules are picked/determined by the Head Coaches. Each team 6U & older will have two field slots per week - one on a weeknight, the other on a weekend day. Your coach will utilize those slots for practices and later in the season some of those slots will be used as Home games. Away games can be any day of the week, including (potentially) the same night as your team's typical practice/Home games. 4U teams only have one field slot per week on a weekend day.
When will I find out what the practice and game schedule is?
Your Head Coach should share your practice schedule (i.e. field slots) with you in their introductory email. Game schedules are typically not known until ~1-2 weeks after practices have started. Once game schedules are known, coaches will adjust practice schedules to accommodate games.
What kind of equipment does my daughter need to be ready to practice/play?
REQUIRED for all age groups: a glove, fielder's mask and batting helmet with face mask/cage
REQUIRED for age groups 8U+: softball/baseball pants (black)
RECOMMENDED for all age groups: hair tie, water bottle, softball/baseball pants (black), spikes/cleats (rubber only for 12U & younger)
OPTIONAL for all age groups: a bat, softball/baseball equipment bag, softball/baseball belt, softball/baseball socks and other uniform/similar accessories
NOTE: we will have coupons to Dick's Sporting Goods that can be used by our members. Check the main page on the website and monitor your emails for more information on that.
How are teams formed?
For age groups 8U & older, the CMYGSA Board firmly believes that all of our teams should be formed with player talent and coaches distributed as evenly as possible. The process we use is somewhat flexible to accommodate the unique circumstances of each season, but players are divided considering pitching ability (10U+), ability to play the catcher position (10U+), overall talent and associated team staff (Assistant Coach, Team Parent). Additionally, we MUST divide the oldest players in each age group evenly according to CVC rules (CVC is the league we play our 8U & older teams in). For the 4U & 6U age groups, teams are formed only with regard to distributing team staff.
Can I make requests for my daughter to have a certain coach and/or teammate and/or practice schedule?
In short, no. As noted above, for age groups 8U & older there are so many other areas we must consider when forming teams that the added complexity of special requests is not possible. For 4U & 6U, we have a little bit of flexibility but we cannot guarantee any accommodations.