St. Croix Valley Girls Fast Pitch

14U Red Team

14U Black Team

Welcome! The St. Croix Valley Girls Fast Pitch Association began in 1984, the 12 & under age group was added in 1993 and 10 & under in 1995. Again this year, our teams will be playing in the Tri-County League. The association is will field as many teams in each age group as we have participants. The typical roster will have 12-14 players per team.  Please do not get discouraged if your daughter does not make the "A" team or is asked to return to the VAA program, but encourage her to work hard to improve her skills. Truthfully, we have players at the 14U and 16U level that were cut and worked hard to improve their skills during the off-season to make a team the following year. The association sponsors hitting and pitching clinics for players who want to continue working on their skills during the winter months.

Registration fees include league fees, tournament fees, facility fees, socks and uniform.  All new 12U and 14U players must purchase a minimum of one pair white sliding shorts, one knee sliding pad, and batting helmet.  Returning players can use shorts, knee sliding pads, and helmets from the previous season or purchase supplemental pieces as needed.   

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:  Participation in the fast pitch program requires a major commitment from players and parents. This is a competitive program committed to the development of varsity softball players. Our teaching and coaching techniques emphasize encouragement and positive reinforcement. We want the girls to feel good about themselves and their experience. Yet we have high expectations. Our goal is to have the highest quality softball program in the state. 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.

Team Selection:  The Association has in place a four-step process:

1.      The first step will be an evaluation of players in each age group done in an indoor try-out format utilizing coaches from all of the other age groups as evaluators. A specific rating system based on evaluation points will be implemented, and players will receive preliminary team assignments based on total points scored during these evaluations.

2.      The second step will be a further evaluation of the players by the coaches in their own age group done through several combined outdoor team practice sessions and/or scrimmages.

3.      The third step will involve consultation with the previous year's coaches to provide further input.

4.      The fourth step will involve the coaches at each level finalizing their teams in the early part of April, depending how soon their seasons begin.

If a disagreement occurs in the placement of a player, the decision will be made by an arbitration panel consisting of one coach from each of the other age groups. Included in this group would be a consultant coach from the individual's previous year's team. 

The association agreed that this process should be flexible to allow for particular circumstances (particularly with pitchers and catchers). Girls not chosen for a team will be given a full refund and encouraged to try again next year.

Please remain flexible with regard to tryout dates. You may receive a last-minute cancellation notice due to weather conditions. In the event of cancellation, we will have tryouts on the first rain date and, if need be, the second and so on.

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. Separate pitching tryouts will be held prior to the full team tryouts to determine which girls are the best pitchers at that time. We encourage all the pitchers to continue practicing during the summer and enroll in the pitching clinic again next winter. Some kids will lose their interest in pitching and others will become more interested after they understand the important role that a pitcher plays in fast pitch. Your child does not have to be a star athlete to be a good pitcher. All it takes is a lot of hard work and determination. There's always room on a team for a good pitcher! 

Practices:  After team selection, pre-season practices will be scheduled 3-4 times per week when weather permits. This will continue until league play begins. Once the games begin, practices will be scheduled 1-2 times per week in addition to the twice weeknight games. Practices may also be scheduled for Friday nights before tournaments. The girls will be taught sliding techniques. They should bring sweatpants and sweatshirts (not nylon) to every practice, including try-outs. It is also advisable to wear shorts or sliding pants underneath 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. It's also important to show up early so players have time to warm up. Injuries occur when players don't warm up adequately. Once the season starts, previous games are reviewed, corrections are made, and strategies are discussed at each practice. Please be sure to call your coach and explain why your child will be absent from a practice and/or game. 

Conflicts:  AAU basketball and soccer have busy spring/summer practice and game schedules. Virtually all sports conduct summer clinics and camps. It is strongly advised that you provide your softball practice and game schedule to coaches of your other activities. Also, if you plan to miss softball to attend another activity, please alert your softball coach as soon as you know of the conflict. 

Our position:  This program is designed to develop Stillwater varsity softball players. We are dedicated and committed to developing girls' softball skills to their fullest potential, and the coaches devote a great deal of their time to the program. As coaches, they sacrifice ALL opportunities to engage in other activities during softball season. When conflicts arise, players and their parents have to make a choice. Coaches make their decisions based on your choices. Your daughter's attendance and commitment to the softball program are definitely considered when determining positions played and playing time.

 Vacations:  Please do not schedule vacations during the weeks before the league, state, and national tournaments! It is imperative that you inform your coach ASAP about any vacation/softball conflicts. Keep in mind that this is a team sport--everyone is in this together!

 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.

Transportation:  If at any time during the season you need help in this area, please feel free to call one of the coaches or another parent. "No ride" is not an acceptable excuse for missing practices or games. In the past, teams have met at a central location to travel caravan style for away games and tournaments. 

League vs. Tournament Lineups:  Coaches have been allowed to bat their entire lineup with free substitution (substitute players at any time) during most of the league games in the past. Coaches from both teams must agree to free substitution, and some teams will not agree to this approach. Equal playing time is not guaranteed in league or tournament play. However, league play is considered as developmental (moving players in different positions) and tournaments as competitive with an emphasis on winning. Equal playing time should definitely not be expected in tournament play. Playing time and positions are based on several factors (not necessarily in order of importance):  ability to handle specific positions; understanding of the game; performance; player development and commitment to the team.

Grievance Policy:  If you have concerns about the way team is being managed, you need to contact the team coach directly.  If you still have concerns, you can contact the appropriate age level coordinator.  If both these attempts fail, you can appeal to the Grievance Committee.  An ad hoc grievance committee (GC) is formed upon receipt of a written and signed grievance by the board of directors.  The committee shall be comprised of three board members who are not directly involved in the grievance.  The president of the Association is charged with selecting the committee.  If the grievance is filed against the Association’s president then the treasurer shall be charged with the selecting the committee.

 The following is a list of basic equipment your child will need for this program:

·        Flexible glove large enough to handle a 12" softball (11.5” or 12” gloves recommended)

·        Molded cleats

·        Batting glove (optional)

·        Bag for glove, cleats, etc. (A small duffle bag or softball/baseball bag)

·        Water bottle

·        Old towel to be kept in bag (used for hands, etc. during rain games)

·        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.)