10 and Under Fastpitch
 The primary goal at the 10U level is to stress fundamentals and player improvement. Less emphasis is placed on winning. There are no tryouts at the 10U level and every effort is made to honor special requests to play with friends, or for a specific coach (however it is often not possible to honor all special requests).
Frequently Asked Questions PDF Version
· What is the MGSA 10U traveling fastpitch philosophy?
The program’s primary focus is player development in nature. Girls will learn the game of fastpitch in a competitive environment. The full roster is batted for all games. Girls on average will play 3-4 different positions throughout the season. During league games, positions are fairly liberally rotated and winning is second behind getting girls at bats and opportunities at different positions. Tournament games are typically more competitive, and coaches will play more to win to enable playing more games in elimination brackets. The commitment to fastpitch is typically at a high level and attendance is important relative to player development.
· How is age determined for 10U fastpitch?
Age is determined based on your daughter’s age on January 1. So, for example, if your daughter is 10 years old on January 1, 2010, she would be considered a 10 year old for the 2010 season, even if turning 11 years old on January 2, 2010.
· My daughter just completed modified pitch, how does she become involved in fastpitch?
Girls who are 7 or 8 year olds should first play in a fall developmental fastpitch league before playing traveling fastpitch in the summer. The competition and time commitment in the fall is much less intense and it gives the girls a chance to “get their feet wet”. This prerequisite is suggested because for 10U fastpitch, there are second or third graders playing with fifth graders, and the discrepancy in ability is typically very large for 7 or 8 year olds joining fastpitch for the first time in the spring. In addition, safety is a factor, as a hard ball is used. Finally, the transition from modified pitch to fastpitch tends to be a bit overwhelming for the younger girls.
· How are teams selected?
Given that 10U fastpitch is the youngest age level of fastpitch and is more developmental in nature, team selection philosophy is to have each Minnetonka 10U team be equally competitive, as it enables more girls to have a positive experience. Approximate roster size is 12-13 players per team. At this level there are no tryouts nor does MGSA “stack” one team with all the best players. Having said that, there are four main criteria for team selection:
1. Ensure each team has at least one or two experienced pitchers
2. Ensure each team has a somewhat equal mixture of experienced and inexperienced players
3. Honor special requests (only 1 request per player!!!)
4. Geographic proximity (usually this means by school and/or city) as this makes it easier for practice location scheduling
NOTE: Depending upon the number of players registering in any year relative to the number of teams created, a few younger and/or inexperienced players may be required to play in the modified in-house league.
· Who are the coaches?
Coaches are volunteers making a significant time commitment to the girls. If you are interested in coaching, please check the appropriate box on the registration form. Typically, it is a good idea to be an assistant for one fall or summer before becoming a head coach.
· Why is fastpitch more expensive than in-house slow pitch?
There are several reasons for this:
1. Fastpitch teams play in 2 tournaments per year and the registration fee helps to subsidize the cost
2. Fastpitch uses adult umpires whereas the in-house league uses mainly high school players.
3. There is more equipment requiredin fastpitch (e.g., full catching gear).
4. Fastpitch is a traveling league and the league fees are more expensive than an in-house league.
· How many games can we expect to play and on what days of the week?
You can expect your daughter to play in 25-35 games over the course of the spring and summer. Games typically start the first week in May and end with the state tournament in the first or second week in July. Nothing is scheduled over Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends. More specifics on games are below:
LEAGUE GAMES: 10U teams have played in the suburban league. League games are doubleheaders one night per week and are scheduled over an eight-week period. Home games are typically played at Legacy Fields on Monday nights. Away games can be anywhere in the west or south metro. These games are typically on Monday nights, but may vary based on the community. In the past these communities have included Wayzata, Bloomington, Edina, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Chaska, and Eden Prairie (to name a few). Each game is 65 minutes long.
TOURNAMENTS: Each team will play in two spring tournaments, usually one in May and one in June. Then at the end of June and/or early July there are the State Qualifier Tournament and State Tournament. Locations of the tournaments vary. The two spring tournaments are usually in the southwest metro, depending on what the coach chooses. Teams have no control over the location of the State Qualifier or State Tournament. In the past, tournament locations have been as close as Eden Prairie and as far away as Ham Lake. Tournament games are usually both Saturday and Sunday and games times will vary. On average, a team will play 4-5 games in a tournament. For teams that qualify and opt-in financially (non-MGSA funded), there is the potential to play in a 4 day Northern League National Tournament in late July.
· How many practices per week are there?
There are usually 2 practices per week as well as one day per week of batting cage time, where the focus is purely hitting. Practices are usually one and a half to two hours long. The day of the week and location vary. Typically, cage times are at Legacy Fields or Bennett Park and practices are at one of the local fields in the Minnetonka area.
· What is the difference between the in-house modified league and the travel fastpitch league?
The main difference between the in-house modified fastpitch league and the travel fastpitch is the time commitment. As mentioned above, the fastpitch time commitment can be several days per week, the season is longer and there can be some travel around the Metro area. The in-house modified fastpitch typically practices once per week and games are two days per week. In addition, for modified, all games and practices are in Minnetonka at Legacy Fields. Third, the season for in-house modified fastpitch is shorter. There are some different rules and you can consult the respective league directors on those specifics.
· How can my daughter become a pitcher?
Given that there are so many other things to cover during practice time, coaches aren’t expected to go over basic pitching fundamentals. For a nominal fee, MGSA holds pitching clinics at various times throughout the year, including the winter. These clinics cover the basic pitching fundamentals.
· What is the fall developmental fastpitch league about?
The fall developmental league is a six-week season that starts in mid-August and ends in late September and is run through MMFL (Minnesota Metro Fastpitch League). It is a good introduction to the game of fastpitch. Games are played as double-headers on Sunday afternoons (no games over Labor Day weekend) and does require some travel around the Twin Cities area. At the end of the season, there is a State Tournament. Teams typically have 1-2 practices per week.
|
