one 75min-90min practice/wk, day and location depend on coach, field availability. Plan is to schedule pre-season to avoid conflicts.
Coaching:
VWMSA bases our Mite coaching program on
Softball Canada's Learn to Play program. Coaching requires no
coaching experience or knowledge of softball, and minimal preparation
because of highly structured supporting materials. Preparation for
practice days can be done in as little as 10 minutes (review the CD on
a computer). The program is geared to what the kids can do and enjoy
at a given age. Lesson plans for the entire season are in a booklet provided by VWMSA, with a CD with videos of everything. Recommend practices
based on Softball Canada's Learn to Play Program.
Team:
Prefer 11-13; coach, up to three assistant coaches, manager. Selected based on school and prior years.
Equipment:
Required: glove, batting helmet (batting cage recommended), mouth guard, running shoes; for a child to play catcher, they must have a 'jill' (groin protector). Each team will be provided with one pitcher face protector (infielder mask). Optional: ball cleats, 'jill' for non catchers, ball bag (clips to fence).
Game Format:
General
Rules are standard Softball BC Mite rules except as noted (or emphasized) below:
3 run/inning max
3 strikes and out
3 outs
(this results in lots of moving on and off the field, and reduces boredom)
players must rotate positions and pitching at least every other inning (one inning per pitcher)
relay at the end of the game
home team sets up the field, makes the call on rain at least 90min in advance
no stealing allowed
no sliding
parents umpire
Tuesday 'games' are outside facilitated practices (Gary Kingman and a paid clinician)
focusing on pitching
Until long weekend
Saturday
games are machine pitch at 30ft to focus on teaching hitting in a game setting
No
scores kept
all
players field
Tuesday 'games' at 6:00pm
After long weekend
Tuesday
'games' start at 6:30pm
kids pitch
first
year Mites windmill (preferred) or orthodox (conventional underhand) pitch at 25ft
second
year Mites windmill (preferred) or orthodox pitch at 30ft (standard Mites distance)
at
two strikes, a single good own-coach pitch or tee swing (coach decides). Coach pitch must not be windmill (bad
example or too hard to hit). Not out on a foul.
9
fielders, no one sits out more than onc
we encourage a coach to work on skills with any sit outs
Final day (tentative):
3
games, called at first complete inning after 45 minutes (i.e., roughly 1 hour)
double
knockout relay competition with prize for top team
format
may change based on numbers
participation
award to all participants (and certificate at coach's discretion)
Tournaments:
Interested kids will form a Mites Select
team for second half of season. For them, we plan to schedule a few
exhibition games into the Squirts house rotation late in the season and
likely two tournaments on weekends in June or early July. Contact for
Mites Selects: Bob Mawhinney
WILDCATS REP PROGRAM
