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St. Croix
Valley Girls Fast Pitch
10 and Under Parent Meeting
www.stillwaterfastpitch.org
Welcome! The St. Croix
Valley Girls Fast Pitch Association began in 1984, it added
its 24th year of operation and 13th year of 10 & Under
fast pitch. Again in 2008 the 10U teams will play in the
Tri-County League. A typical roster will have from 12 to14
girls. All players will be evaluated during the spring
indoor instructional and practice sessions to determine
their skill level and ability to focus and pay attention.
The 10U league uses an 11" hard softball, so safety is
a priority when evaluating and positioning players. The
possibility exists that a player may be asked to return to
the VAA softball program for another season. Please do not
get discouraged if your daughter is asked to return to the
VAA program, but encourage her to work hard to improve her
skills. We will recommend the winter development clinic and
another try next year. Truthfully, some of the 12U and 14U
girls have gone this route and made a team the following
year. Selection criteria will include catching, throwing,
and hitting skills, and the ability to focus and pay
attention.
Registration
fees include league fees, tournament fees, facility fees,
socks and uniform.
All 10U players must purchase a minimum of one
pair white sliding shorts and one knee sliding pad.
S.G.V.G.F.P.A.
has decided to order a new style uniform this year.
Players are encouraged to attend the registration
meeting to try on various uniform pieces to ensure correct
sizes.
Philosophy: SCV Girls
Fast Pitch is a competitive program committed to the
development of high school varsity softball players. Our
goal is to have the highest quality softball program in the
state. Participation in this program requires a major
commitment from players and parents. We recognize that 10U
players are inexperienced in fast pitch, and we understand
the fears and anxieties that accompany their inexperience.
Knowing this, our teaching and coaching techniques emphasize
encouragement and positive reinforcement. We want the girls
to feel good about them and have fun. Yet we have high
expectations. The girls are expected to pay attention, work
hard, and attend all practices and games. Their skill level
and knowledge of softball will increase dramatically through
hard work, dedication, and perseverance. We think these
values are what competitive sports are all about.
Pitchers: In
preparation for the summer program, pitchers attend a weekly
clinic from January through March at the Stillwater Junior
High. In addition to the clinic, the girls are asked to
practice on their own every day if possible. All pitchers
who make the team will pitch during the summer, but not on
an equal time basis.
Practices: Pre-season
practices will be scheduled 2-3 times per week indoors and
outside when weather permits. This will continue until
league play begins. Once the games begin, practices will be
scheduled twice per week (possibly weekend too) in addition
to the Tuesday and Thursday night games. Practices may also
be scheduled for Friday nights before tournaments. The
pre-season will concentrate on hitting, bunting, catching
and throwing. The girls will be taught sliding techniques at
every outdoor practice. The girls should have sweatpants and
sweatshirts (not nylon) with them at every practice. It is also advisable to wear shorts or sliding pants
underneath the sweatpants.
Attendance:
Part of our responsibility is to judge how "committed"
your child is to this program.
Practice
attendance is critical. Good attendance saves time and
allows players to grow without having to continually review
specific items for players who miss practices. Once the
season starts, previous games are reviewed, corrections are
made, and strategies are discussed at each practice. It's
also important to show up early so players have time to warm
up. Injuries occur when players don't warm up adequately.
Please be sure to let the coach know if your child will be
absent from a practice and/or game.
Home Practice: All
the girls need to improve their catching and throwing
skills. It is recommended they spend at least 15 minutes
playing catch every day--no grounders, no fly balls,
just catch and throw with someone they can throw hard to, or
practice their form without a ball.
The following is a list of
basic equipment your child will need for this program:
·
Flexible
glove
·
Molded cleats
·
Sliding pants (optional)
·
Batting glove (optional—Louisville and
Franklin are both quality brands)
·
Bag for glove, cleats, etc. (A small duffle
bag or softball/baseball bag)
·
Water bottle
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Old towel to be kept in bag (used for hands,
etc. during rain games)
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Rain or golf umbrella (optional) for rainy or
hot sunny days. Nice to have around at tournaments!
Tournament play
usually begins early Saturday mornings. All players should
bring the following extra equipment to tournaments:
·
Turtleneck or long-sleeved shirt
·
Windbreaker--water resistant if possible
·
Warm jacket
·
Extra socks
·
Cooler with food and drinks. Plain old water
is still the best thing to drink during those hot days, and
a bag of ice is handy to have for the occasional bruise.
(Past experience tells us that eating out is not always
possible due to time restrictions, and concession stand
choices can be limited as well as expensive.)
The association web
site is www.stillwaterfastpitch.org
. Look for added information throughout the season.
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