Question: I understand that eligibility last year was based on age, but now it follows grade. Why is that?

Answer: USA Softball changed its tournament eligibility rules. They are still age-based, but the age cutoff is now September 1, which generally aligns with school grade.

Question: My daughter will be a 5th grader in the fall of 2024. May she try out for the team?

Answer: The team is primarily intended for 6th and 7th graders, but we may consider 5th graders of truly exceptional ability. Please contact us if you think your daughter may fit this category. Stay tuned, however, as we are expecting to announce the formation of a 10U Tournament Team, which generally will be the appropriate placement for 5th graders.

Question: When are the tournaments and how many will there be? Where will they be located?

Answer: Although the exact weekends are not yet known, we are expecting to enter four weekend tournaments in 2024, covering most of the weekends from Memorial Day Weekend through the last weekend in June (inclusive). They will be located within commutable distance from Wellesley, likely in eastern Massachusetts. We will not be doing overnight tournaments.

Question: What are the tournaments like?

Answer: In general, there are pool games on Friday afternoons/Saturdays and playoff games on Sundays. Be prepared for an all weekend commitment.

Question: Our daughter may be unavailable for a weekend or two during May/June of 2024. Is that OK?

Answer: Families should try to plan their vacation, camp, etc. schedules to avoid potential tournament weekends. Girls are expected to be available for most tournament weekends. Please disclose in the registration form when registering for the team if your daughter will not be available for a tournament weekend, or otherwise let the program director and head coach know as soon as possible.

Question: Our family isn’t great with email or scheduling apps. We’ll try our best but communication is not our strong suit. Is that OK?

Answer: No - This team requires parents to be good communicators of their players’ availability for practices and especially tournaments.  If we are asking for availability for a particular tournament, and a family does not respond in a reasonably prompt manner, the player may be left behind. We will typically use TeamSnap or other another scheduling app for this purpose. Likewise we expect families to respond in a reasonably prompt manner when it’s time to pay registration fees, supply required paperwork, etc.

Question: My daughter plays [soccer/hockey/basketball/volleyball/etc.] during the fall/winter. Does she need to attend the fall/winter softball practices?

Answer: We encourage girls to play other sports. We are supportive if, during the fall and winter, girls choose to prioritize other sports over softball, but we ask the girls to attend softball practices when they are available. During tournament season, we expect the girls to treat softball as their athletic priority.

Question: I understand the team will have some practices this fall. Can my daughter both attend the practices, and participate in regular Fall Softball?

Answer: Yes. The practices will not conflict with regular Fall Softball, as they primarily will be scheduled after Fall Softball ends.

Question: When are the practices?

Answer: Winter practices will be held on Sundays, in the late afternoon to early evening, beginning right after the New Year, although the exact times are not yet known.  Fall and spring practice times may vary from week to week.

Question: Where are the practices?

Answer: Fall and spring practices will be held in Wellesley. Winter indoor practices will be held at DC Baseball Academy, 10 Central Street in Framingham.

Question: If we miss the evaluations, can my daughter still be considered for the team?

Answer: Participation in at least one of the evaluation sessions is not required but is highly encouraged. Yes, she can still be considered for the team, but if we are not sufficiently familiar with her level of play we may not be able to offer her a spot.

Question: How will you decide who makes the team? And who decides?

Answer: We will base the decision on our observations at evaluations together with our existing knowledge regarding the girls.  Decisions will be made by the head coach and the program director, neither of whom have daughters in the player pool.

Question: How many players will make the team?

Answer: Right now there is no set limit. It is very possible that we will carry a large roster
and rotate tournament opportunities among the girls on the more developing end of the spectrum.

Question: How will playing time and positions be allocated?

Answer: As this is a competitive team, girls must earn their playing time, as well as opportunities at premium positions. Some girls will play more than others. That said, we are committed to making the team a positive experience for everyone, and all girls on the team will receive significant playing time in each tournament that they attend. It is likely, however, that girls on the more developing end of the spectrum will “rotate” and not attend every tournament.

By “significant playing time in each tournament that they attend,” we mean:

1. During the Friday/Saturday pool games, typically everyone will be in the batting order and play at least ½ of the defensive innings.
2. During the Sunday playoff games, there will be 9 or 10 spots in the batting order, but we will rotate the girls such that typically everyone should get at least 1 at bat and/or 2-3
   defensive innings per game.

These playing time minimums assume players in good standing with team rules (effort, teamwork, sportsmanship, etc.).

Please understand that sometimes games end early (due to mercy rule, time limits or weather) which may prevent playing time minimums from being satisfied.  In that case, the head coach will do her best to balance things out in future games.

Question: Will there be tournament teams for other age groups in the future?

Answer: Yes, we are planning to add a 10U tournament team, likewise to compete in tournaments in late spring/early summer of 2024. Information will be provided to 10U families this fall. In future years, we expect to add a 14U team.

Question: If my daughter doesn’t make the team this year, will she have a chance in future years?

Answer: Yes. The team will be re-selected annually.

Question: If my daughter makes the team this year, does that necessarily mean she’ll have a spot in all future years?

Answer: No. The team will be re-selected annually.

Question: Will there by opportunities for parents to volunteer?

Answer: Yes. We need parents to volunteer as assistant coaches, administrative helper, team parent, etc.

Question: The fee is quite a bit higher than other WGS programs. Why is that?

Answer: The fee pays for professional coaching, tournament fees, indoor practice space, and other expenses over a year-long period. While the fee may be higher than for other WGS programs, we believe it is less than what private “club” teams typically charge for comparable programs.

Question: Will you be offering developmental opportunities for girls in this age group who don’t play on this team?

Answer: Yes. As in recent years, professional instruction will feature prominently in both
spring and fall softball, which are open to all. And if there is sufficient interest, we will offer winter indoor clinics as well.

Question: Who can I contact with additional questions?

Answer: If you still have questions after carefully reviewing all of the material above, you may contact the program director.