Girls Softball
Softball is open to all girls age 7-14.
BWLL Softball offers girls excellent coaching, training, skills development, team building and friendly competition. We also emphasize an exciting social environment where your daughter will have fun and make new friends. All softball divisions interlock (play games) with the other leagues in Bellevue, Kirkland, & Mercer Island. The actual interlock may be different for each division. Contact Gregg Parsons (gregg@raincentral.net) for more information.
T-Ball: primarily ages 5-6 (7 year olds with no previous experience can request to play at this level) For children ages 5-6 (calculated based upon player's age as of April 30th, 2009). The league uses a tee for batting. This program will be co-ed and combined with the baseball program, but we will encourage that there are all girls teams. Teams will try to be established by school except when team sizes need to be balanced. Please register under the T-Ball program- not softball.
Minors: primarily ages 8-9 (with some 7 year olds and 10 year olds with no previous experience playing at this level)
For girls ages, 8-9 (calculated based upon player's age as of December 31, 2008). Seven and Ten year olds may play in this league with league approval. The league is a coach/player pitch league. In the first portion of the season, the coaches pitch exclusively. During the coach pitch portion of the season, batters receive a maximum total of 10 pitches unless they have hit the ball in play earlier or strike out. In the later portion of the season, players begin limited pitching. Only the first four batters in each half inning would face a player pitcher. Players pitch until either 3 strikes or the umpire calls 4 balls. After 4th ball is thrown that batter's Coach takes over pitching to her (keeping the player's strike count...unlimited balls, however, the umpire will continue to call strikes when appropriate). Girls will pitch from a 30-foot distance and use safety "incrediball" softball. Girls are introduced to basic underhand pitching technique and other fundamentals of softball. Teams will try to be established by school except when team sizes need to be balanced. There are no "skill evaluations" at this level of play. Game scores and team standings are not kept. The emphasis is on "sportsmanship", "fun" and "fundamental skill development".
Coast: ages 10,11,12
Primarily for girls league age 10-11 (calculated based upon player's age as of December 31, 2008) Players league age 9 may request to "play up" and 11/12 year olds may request to only play in Coast with league approval. Girls must attend player/skill evaluations in early February (Note: All players will be assigned to a team, based on skill evaluations used to balance the teams. Nine year olds must score among top of 10 year old skill evaluation to be eligible to "play up"). This is primarily a player pitch league with limited coach pitching early in the season. Girls will pitch from a 35-foot distance and use an 11-inch softball. During the first month of the season, players provide limited pitching. Players will pitch to a batter until the umpire calls either 3 strikes or 4 balls. After 4th ball is thrown that batter's Coach takes over pitching (keeping the player's strike count...unlimited balls, however, the umpire will continue to call strikes). After the first month, players will pitch exclusively (no Coach pitch). Standard "walk" and "strike out" rules apply. Bunting and sliding are introduced and permitted at this level. Game scores are kept, but no league standings. There will be an end of season tournament. The emphasis is on "sportsmanship", "fun", "knowledge of game", "pitching and position development".
Majors: League age 11-12.
Primarily for girls league age 11 and 12 (calculated based upon player's age as of December 31, 2008). Girls must attend player/skill evaluations in early February (Note: All players will be assigned to a team, based on skill evaluations used to balance the teams. Girls pitch all games. Standard "walk" and "strike out" rules apply. Stealing, bunting and sliding are all practiced at this level. Girls will pitch from 40-foot distance and use an 12- inch softball. Game scores are kept. There will be an end of season tournament. The emphasis is on "sportsmanship", "fun", "knowledge of game", "pitching" and "position development".
Juniors: League age 13-14.
Primarily for girls league age 13 and 14 (calculated based upon player's age as of December 31, 2008). Girls must attend player/skill evaluations in early February (Note: All players will be assigned to a team, based on skill evaluations used to balance the teams. Girls pitch all games. Standard "walk" and "strike out" rules apply. Stealing, bunting and sliding are all practiced at this level. Girls will pitch from 40-foot distance and use an 12- inch softball. Game scores are kept. The emphasis is on "sportsmanship", "fun", "knowledge of game", "pitching" and "position development".
Note: Playing up or down is subject to space on the roster with 12 players per team and requires board approval.
Spring Training Player Evaluations will be conducted on January 24, 2009 at BCC Gym with times to be announced later. This is a mandatory skills assessment.