Get ready to swing some bats.
The South Cariboo Minor Softball Association will be opening its two-month season on April 29, with the deadline for registration on April 20.
“Softball is a great game and a game you can play for a lot of years,” said Pat Findlay, president. “After the minor years, you can transition into slowpitch or fastball. We’re out here to teach the basic fundamentals of the game that can transfer into different games as they get older.”
Last year, the association had between 100 and 110 kids registered and are hoping and expecting to have similar numbers this year. Right now, they have about 70 kids registered.
“I’d hate to see registration go down. I hope we built interest over the last couple of years,” said Findlay.
The association has divisions for under-6s, 8s, 10s, 12s, 14s, 16, and 18s.
“Primarily we get a larger turnout in the younger divisions, like U-12 and down. I think U-6 usually has enough for three or four teams,” said Findlay.
He added that the U-8 probably has the same amount of players to field the same amount of teams.
Registration numbers drop off in the older ranks he said, with the U-12 division possibly fielding two teams and possibly only one team in the U-14s.
The U-16 and U-18 teams don’t have enough registrees to form a team, so Findlay is hoping to create a combined team to play in the men’s league.
Registration for the U-6 and U-8 teams are $100 for the season. For the rest of the age groups, it is $110.
The younger divisions play games amongst themselves but could play teams from Williams Lake.
“Last year, we had a little fun day where we had Williams Lake Down, just to expose the kids to a little real game action,” said Findlay.
The U-12 team, coached by Findlay, will have game time outside of 100 Mile House.
“We have a tournament lined up for Mother’s Day weekend down in Kamloops. Clearwater has a tournament we usually go to on the first weekend of June. Then we have provincials being held in Terrace in early July,” he said.
He wasn’t sure what tournaments the older groups would be involved in yet, except for the U-14 provincials in Barriere on the first weekend of July and the aforementioned possibility of the combined U-16/18 team in the men’s league.
Parents can find the registration forms on the South Cariboo Minor Softball’s Facebook page and at the South Cariboo Recreation Centre.
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