What are the different Recreational Divisions?

6U - In 6U, basic game concepts and skills are taught with the primary focus on fun. non-scoring games continuous batting every girl bats every inning coach pitch or players hit from tee no strike-outs teams are school based ​ 8U - The 8U division introduces pitching with specific skill development with the emphasis still on fun. games are scored with a limit on runs in the first 3 innings continuous batting coach pitch and player pitch (limited to keep the pace of play moving) teams are frequently school based ​ 10U - The 10U division introduces additional strategies and skills specific to hitting, base running and defense. regular scoring with a mercy rule after 4 innings player pitch with some exceptions players can steal 1st, 2nd, 3rd and home drop third rule in effect win/lose records are recorded season-ending playoff tournament teams are formed to balance skills (evaluations are conducted) across teams and are not school-based buddies will be considered at registration only 12U - The 12U division emphasizes age-appropriate advanced strategies and skills. regular scoring with a mercy rule after 4 innings players can steal all bases, including home player pitch only with each pitcher allowed a maximum of 6 innings per week a few games are played against teams from other leagues win/loss records are recorded season-ending playoff tournament teams are formed to balance skills (evaluations are conducted) across teams and are not school-based buddies will be considered at registration only 14U - The 14U division emphasizes the age-appropriate advanced strategies and skills similar to high school level play. regular scoring with a mercy rule after 4 innings player pitch only with each pitcher allowed a maximum of 7 innings per week almost all 14U games are played against teams from other leagues win/loss records are kept, but there is no placement within the league based on these standings teams are formed to balance skills across teams and are not school-based Summer Stars - Summer Stars is a summer program that offers a different kind of softball experience compared to any other division, inspiring skill building, healthy competition and interpersonal development. primary focus is on player development each game is played with newly blended teams no scores or statistics recorded

When are practices and games held?

During our spring recreational season, we practice two weeknight evenings a week with a game on Saturday. For our competitive division, there are often 3-4 practices a week with games all weekend.

What is the difference between Recreational and Competitive divisions?

Our recreational softball plays in the spring and is for girls aged 6 through 14. Everyone plays and tryouts are helpful in balancing teams. In our younger divisions (6U, 8U) teams are mostly school based. For our competitive division, girls play in the summer and fall and tryout for these teams.

When are the Division seasons?

6U, 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U - March through May Summer Stars - June through July Nova Summer Ball - Last weekend of May through July Nova Fall Ball - Late August to early November

What are the different Competitive Divisions?

Competative Divisions Nova - For girls in 8U and above who want to play at a more competitive level, we offer our MVLAGS Nova Travel Ball program. The main Nova program offers 8U - 14U summer and fall seasons, consisting primarily of ASA B/C level tournament play. Nova also offers a Nova 12U-B spring/summer team and the Fusion 14A & 16A Program, which gives the most experienced and skilled players the opportunity to play year-round at a high level and against tougher competition. Fusion - 14A, 16A and 18A travel softball teams playing year round in Silicon Valley

What is the time commitment for my division?

Practices are typically 90 minutes and games can range from 1-2 hours.

What is your withdrawal and refund policy?

Refunds for Spring Recreation season are only offered prior to January 7th. Refunds for Select or Nova are not provided.

When do I sign up?

Our spring recreational registration opens on November 1st for play beginning in March.

What do I need to do to register?

Registration is easy. Click on the 'register now' tab.

What equipment does my daughter need?

Starting in 2021, we have implemented an equipment lending program. If any player needs any equipment, please reach out to equipment@mvlags.org. For 6U and 8U MVLAGS provides the uniforms, fields, bases, batting helmets, bats, balls and catcher's gear. Uniforms in the 6U and 8U divisions include jerseys, visors and socks. Players must provide:

• a softball glove (please put her name on it!) - recommended minimum sizes - 10" glove for 6U and 11" glove for 8U. See below for additional glove information.

When does my daughter recieve her uniform?

For spring recreational division, uniforms are handed out prior to the first game.

What if I want to purchase additional softball equipment?

• Helmets must have a face-mask and be NOCSAE-approved.

How are teams formed?

6U and 8U In the 6U and 8U divisions, teams are formed primarily with girls from the same school. Practices are typically held on their own school grounds or at a nearby park where MVLAGS has field space reserved. Neighboring schools may be combined if individual schools don’t have enough players or coaches to form a complete team. Some players prefer to play on a team at another school which we try to accommodate. Sisters in the same age division will be put on the same team unless the parent requests otherwise during registration. Teams meet for the first time at Team Meeting Night in mid-February. Check the Calendar for info about the team meeting night for your daughter's division. You will get an email from your Team Manager ahead of the Team Meeting Night, letting you know you are on their team and inviting you to come to the team meeting night. 10U, 12U and 14U Teams in the upper divisions are no longer school-based, but are skills-based in order to have balanced teams within each division. Players in these divisions attend a skill evaluation clinic in early January to determine skills and aid in the formation of balanced teams. In 10U and above, teams are determined by a system that is primarily focused on equalizing the skill levels of each team by evaluating such factors as: skill sets (e.g. pitchers, catchers, travel players); skill level; and age. All teams will have some experienced players and some players who haven’t played much or at all before.
Teams meet for the first time at Team Meeting Night in mid-February Check the Calendar for info about the team meeting night for your daughter's division. You will get an email from your Team Manager ahead of the Team Meeting Night, letting you know you are on their team and inviting you to come to the team meeting night. Summer Stars Summer Stars is a group of girls in the same age division and 'teams' are formed each week at practice. There are no true teams with Summer Stars as all girls play and are rotated weekly. Nova Travel Ball Teams are formed after tryouts for each division based upon skill level. Not every girl makes the team.

What's the buddy policy?

All girls in the recreation divisions 6U and up can request to play with a buddy. Please read our Buddy Policy for more information.

How do I play up or down?

Please refer to league info tab on home page.

Are there try outs?

Yes, for our competitive division, girls tryout to determine teams. For our recreational division, evaluations are conducted to determine skill level for balanced teams, and every girl is placed on a team.

When are the teams formed?

For our spring recreation division, teams are formed in January with games beginning in early March.

How are the games scored?

Please refer to rules for your childs division.

What are the rules?

Rules at A Glance

Where are the softball fields located?

For directions, click on the field name below. Stevenson Park Diamond Girl California Girl American Girl Graham Middle School Graham Softball Field Crittenden Middle School Callahan Field Oak Elementary School Oak Softball Field Springer Elementary School Springer Full Diamond Springer Grass Corner

How will I know if a field is rained out for a game or practice?

Field status will be updated on the homepage.... You should recieve a message from MVLAGS through TeamSnap.

How can I volunteer?

MVLAGS is an all volunteer run organisation. During registration you will be required to choose your preferred team volunteer role. Non team leadership and project based positions are also available. Please email president@mvlags.org to volunteer.

What's a Field Agent?

The Field Agent is responsible for assessing our field conditions during our rainy season. Field closures will be updated on our home page.

Who are the coaches?

We rely on parents to help coach our teams and are all volunteer positions. We hold coaching clinics and a mentor program to assist coaches throughout the season. MVLAGS also offers various clinics throughout the year with seasoned providers to supplement parent coaching.

Who are the umpires?

MVLAGS hires professional umpires from Peninsula Youth Umpire Association as well as other experienced softball umpires for10U and above. For 6U and 8U teams, we have paid youth umpires that have been trained through the MVLAGS training program.

Who are the managers?

Team Managers are a volunteer female parent role.

Who are the scorekeepers?

Scorekeepers are volunteer parent roles.

What should the parents do?

Since MVLAGS is a volunteer run organization, all parents are required to volunteer in some capacity.

Can my daughter be an umpire?

Yes, our MVLAGS Youth Umpire Program has successfully trained and employed dozens of girls over the years. The younger girls love seeing the other girls out on the field and their presence encourages girls to imagine themselves playing softball for years to come. Girls must be twelve (12) years old on January 1st prior to the spring recreational dvision in order to attend the umpire training. Players as well as former players are welcome! In other words, you do not have to be a current MVLAGS player to be one of our youth umpires. Spread the word to friends who love softball and might be interested. The majority of our youth umpires officiate games in our 8U division. However, some of our older girls are eligible to umpire games in the 10U and sometimes 12U divisions. Please note that if you have a younger sister who plays in the 8U division, you will not be umpiring her games. MVLAGS offers online training, one night of classroom training, and one morning or afternoon of field training. The training is a lot of fun, we promise! You'll learn all the rules, all the hand signals, how to call strikes, and various things to watch for on the field. You'll receive guidance on how to handle unruly parents and grandparents. You'll even be given a handy cheat-sheet to refer to! Please note: Classroom Training is usually held in late February. Watch the League Calendar for a date and time. Pay is commensurate with with level of training you complete and are certified for. Our youngest umpires, who are eligible only to officiate 8U games, earn $25 per game*. Older girls, who can be trained and certified to umpire games in the upper divisions, earn $30 per game*. If your daughter is interested, plesae fill out the Umpire Application. Take a clear picture of it (or scan it) and email it to uic@mvlags.org. Put "Youth Umpire Application" in the subject line, please. ​

Do you offer clinics?

Yes, we offer a variety of clinics (pitching, catching, fielding, hitting) throughout the year. MVLAGS will host many of these clinics although some may require a nominal fee.

How will I know about upcoming clinics?

Please check our league calendar for upcoming clinics. MVLAGS will also send out emails to families that are registered.

What are the different Recreational Divisions?

6U - In 6U, basic game concepts and skills are taught with the primary focus on fun. non-scoring games continuous batting every girl bats every inning coach pitch or players hit from tee no strike-outs teams are school based ​ 8U - The 8U division introduces pitching with specific skill development with the emphasis still on fun. games are scored with a limit on runs in the first 3 innings continuous batting coach pitch and player pitch (limited to keep the pace of play moving) teams are frequently school based ​ 10U - The 10U division introduces additional strategies and skills specific to hitting, base running and defense. regular scoring with a mercy rule after 4 innings player pitch with some exceptions players can steal 1st, 2nd, 3rd and home drop third rule in effect win/lose records are recorded season-ending playoff tournament teams are formed to balance skills (evaluations are conducted) across teams and are not school-based buddies will be considered at registration only 12U - The 12U division emphasizes age-appropriate advanced strategies and skills. regular scoring with a mercy rule after 4 innings players can steal all bases, including home player pitch only with each pitcher allowed a maximum of 6 innings per week a few games are played against teams from other leagues win/loss records are recorded season-ending playoff tournament teams are formed to balance skills (evaluations are conducted) across teams and are not school-based buddies will be considered at registration only 14U - The 14U division emphasizes the age-appropriate advanced strategies and skills similar to high school level play. regular scoring with a mercy rule after 4 innings player pitch only with each pitcher allowed a maximum of 7 innings per week almost all 14U games are played against teams from other leagues win/loss records are kept, but there is no placement within the league based on these standings teams are formed to balance skills across teams and are not school-based Summer Stars - Summer Stars is a summer program that offers a different kind of softball experience compared to any other division, inspiring skill building, healthy competition and interpersonal development. primary focus is on player development each game is played with newly blended teams no scores or statistics recorded

When are practices and games held?

During our spring recreational season, we practice two weeknight evenings a week with a game on Saturday. For our competitive division, there are often 3-4 practices a week with games all weekend.

What is the difference between Recreational and Competitive divisions?

Our recreational softball plays in the spring and is for girls aged 6 through 14. Everyone plays and tryouts are helpful in balancing teams. In our younger divisions (6U, 8U) teams are mostly school based. For our competitive division, girls play in the summer and fall and tryout for these teams.

When are the Division seasons?

6U, 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U - March through May Summer Stars - June through July Nova Summer Ball - Last weekend of May through July Nova Fall Ball - Late August to early November

What are the different Competitive Divisions?

Competative Divisions Nova - For girls in 8U and above who want to play at a more competitive level, we offer our MVLAGS Nova Travel Ball program. The main Nova program offers 8U - 14U summer and fall seasons, consisting primarily of ASA B/C level tournament play. Nova also offers a Nova 12U-B spring/summer team and the Fusion 14A & 16A Program, which gives the most experienced and skilled players the opportunity to play year-round at a high level and against tougher competition. Fusion - 14A, 16A and 18A travel softball teams playing year round in Silicon Valley

What is the time commitment for my division?

Practices are typically 90 minutes and games can range from 1-2 hours.

What is your withdrawal and refund policy?

Refunds for Spring Recreation season are only offered prior to January 7th. Refunds for Select or Nova are not provided.

When do I sign up?

Our spring recreational registration opens on November 1st for play beginning in March.

What do I need to do to register?

Registration is easy. Click on the 'register now' tab.

What equipment does my daughter need?

Starting in 2021, we have implemented an equipment lending program. If any player needs any equipment, please reach out to equipment@mvlags.org. For 6U and 8U MVLAGS provides the uniforms, fields, bases, batting helmets, bats, balls and catcher's gear. Uniforms in the 6U and 8U divisions include jerseys, visors and socks. Players must provide:

• a softball glove (please put her name on it!) - recommended minimum sizes - 10" glove for 6U and 11" glove for 8U. See below for additional glove information.

When does my daughter recieve her uniform?

For spring recreational division, uniforms are handed out prior to the first game.

What if I want to purchase additional softball equipment?

• Helmets must have a face-mask and be NOCSAE-approved.

How are teams formed?

6U and 8U In the 6U and 8U divisions, teams are formed primarily with girls from the same school. Practices are typically held on their own school grounds or at a nearby park where MVLAGS has field space reserved. Neighboring schools may be combined if individual schools don’t have enough players or coaches to form a complete team. Some players prefer to play on a team at another school which we try to accommodate. Sisters in the same age division will be put on the same team unless the parent requests otherwise during registration. Teams meet for the first time at Team Meeting Night in mid-February. Check the Calendar for info about the team meeting night for your daughter's division. You will get an email from your Team Manager ahead of the Team Meeting Night, letting you know you are on their team and inviting you to come to the team meeting night. 10U, 12U and 14U Teams in the upper divisions are no longer school-based, but are skills-based in order to have balanced teams within each division. Players in these divisions attend a skill evaluation clinic in early January to determine skills and aid in the formation of balanced teams. In 10U and above, teams are determined by a system that is primarily focused on equalizing the skill levels of each team by evaluating such factors as: skill sets (e.g. pitchers, catchers, travel players); skill level; and age. All teams will have some experienced players and some players who haven’t played much or at all before.
Teams meet for the first time at Team Meeting Night in mid-February Check the Calendar for info about the team meeting night for your daughter's division. You will get an email from your Team Manager ahead of the Team Meeting Night, letting you know you are on their team and inviting you to come to the team meeting night. Summer Stars Summer Stars is a group of girls in the same age division and 'teams' are formed each week at practice. There are no true teams with Summer Stars as all girls play and are rotated weekly. Nova Travel Ball Teams are formed after tryouts for each division based upon skill level. Not every girl makes the team.

What's the buddy policy?

All girls in the recreation divisions 6U and up can request to play with a buddy. Please read our Buddy Policy for more information.

How do I play up or down?

Please refer to league info tab on home page.

Are there try outs?

Yes, for our competitive division, girls tryout to determine teams. For our recreational division, evaluations are conducted to determine skill level for balanced teams, and every girl is placed on a team.

When are the teams formed?

For our spring recreation division, teams are formed in January with games beginning in early March.

How are the games scored?

Please refer to rules for your childs division.

What are the rules?

Rules at A Glance

Where are the softball fields located?

For directions, click on the field name below. Stevenson Park Diamond Girl California Girl American Girl Graham Middle School Graham Softball Field Crittenden Middle School Callahan Field Oak Elementary School Oak Softball Field Springer Elementary School Springer Full Diamond Springer Grass Corner

How will I know if a field is rained out for a game or practice?

Field status will be updated on the homepage.... You should recieve a message from MVLAGS through TeamSnap.

How can I volunteer?

MVLAGS is an all volunteer run organisation. During registration you will be required to choose your preferred team volunteer role. Non team leadership and project based positions are also available. Please email president@mvlags.org to volunteer.

What's a Field Agent?

The Field Agent is responsible for assessing our field conditions during our rainy season. Field closures will be updated on our home page.

Who are the coaches?

We rely on parents to help coach our teams and are all volunteer positions. We hold coaching clinics and a mentor program to assist coaches throughout the season. MVLAGS also offers various clinics throughout the year with seasoned providers to supplement parent coaching.

Who are the umpires?

MVLAGS hires professional umpires from Peninsula Youth Umpire Association as well as other experienced softball umpires for10U and above. For 6U and 8U teams, we have paid youth umpires that have been trained through the MVLAGS training program.

Who are the managers?

Team Managers are a volunteer female parent role.

Who are the scorekeepers?

Scorekeepers are volunteer parent roles.

What should the parents do?

Since MVLAGS is a volunteer run organization, all parents are required to volunteer in some capacity.

Can my daughter be an umpire?

Yes, our MVLAGS Youth Umpire Program has successfully trained and employed dozens of girls over the years. The younger girls love seeing the other girls out on the field and their presence encourages girls to imagine themselves playing softball for years to come. Girls must be twelve (12) years old on January 1st prior to the spring recreational dvision in order to attend the umpire training. Players as well as former players are welcome! In other words, you do not have to be a current MVLAGS player to be one of our youth umpires. Spread the word to friends who love softball and might be interested. The majority of our youth umpires officiate games in our 8U division. However, some of our older girls are eligible to umpire games in the 10U and sometimes 12U divisions. Please note that if you have a younger sister who plays in the 8U division, you will not be umpiring her games. MVLAGS offers online training, one night of classroom training, and one morning or afternoon of field training. The training is a lot of fun, we promise! You'll learn all the rules, all the hand signals, how to call strikes, and various things to watch for on the field. You'll receive guidance on how to handle unruly parents and grandparents. You'll even be given a handy cheat-sheet to refer to! Please note: Classroom Training is usually held in late February. Watch the League Calendar for a date and time. Pay is commensurate with with level of training you complete and are certified for. Our youngest umpires, who are eligible only to officiate 8U games, earn $25 per game*. Older girls, who can be trained and certified to umpire games in the upper divisions, earn $30 per game*. If your daughter is interested, plesae fill out the Umpire Application. Take a clear picture of it (or scan it) and email it to uic@mvlags.org. Put "Youth Umpire Application" in the subject line, please. ​

Do you offer clinics?

Yes, we offer a variety of clinics (pitching, catching, fielding, hitting) throughout the year. MVLAGS will host many of these clinics although some may require a nominal fee.

How will I know about upcoming clinics?

Please check our league calendar for upcoming clinics. MVLAGS will also send out emails to families that are registered.