Printer-friendly version

Mites - Birth Years 2002 and 2003

No experience required

Schedule:

• Three days per week.  2 games plus practice 1.5hr each
• Games are Tuesday 6pm and Saturday 10am or 2pm
• Final event date TBD, mid-June.
• No rain makeups
• Parks: Braemar, Trafalgar, McBride, Trimble
• one 75min-90min practice/wk, day and location depend on coach, field availability.  Plan is to schedule pre-season to avoid conflicts.
• Teams assigned to Braemar on Tuesdays will have a pitching introduction by Gary Kingman

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 two 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)

Mite Selects: 

If there is coach and player interest, VWMSA will form a Mites Select team for the second half of season (this occurred in 2009 and 2010).  They can schedule a few exhibition games in the Squirts house rotation late in the season and have typically played in two tournaments, on weekends in June or early July.  If you are interested in forming such a team, contact a member of the competition committee (Gary Kingman, Peter Jackson, Will Gaherty, Chris Harrison).

Coordinator: