Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association

2012-01-30T08:33:00.000-08:00

ASA Recreational and Travel Programs

SIGN UPS

Aligned to College Level Play
Serving Humboldt County and Beyond

Registration: February 18th, 10 am to 2 pm
Locations Include:
Fortuna’s Sport & Cycle
Eureka’s Sport & Cycle
Arcata’s Community Center

“Bridging, Blending, Building Softball Communities”
Email: MadRiverGirlsSoftball@gmail.com
Like us on Facebook too!

ASA Update

2012-01-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

Nor Cal ASA was awarded the 2013 USA/ASA Girls 16u "A" National Championships today at the ASA National Council meeting! The tournament will take place in Sunnyvale/San Jose area July 28 - August 4, 2013. In 2011 that tournament had 172 teams.

Participation in this "local" venue is a worthy goal for Mad River!

Registration Open for 2012 Recreation Season

2012-01-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce the opening of registration for Mad River's 2012 Recreation Season. Included on the Rec-Program registration form, which is available for download on this website, is a section to indicate interest in Mad River's Travel Program, the Mad River Mist. Registration forms are due by February 17th (forms received after the deadline will be charged a $10 late fee). We encourage you to sign up early, as it will help us to organize and schedule the 2012 Recreation Program season and plan ahead based on interest for the Travel Season.

For those who participated in the Travel Program in 2011, we'd like to give you something to think about: Competing in the Mad River Recreational Program will allow the Mist Travel Teams to compete at the "B" level - else we are locked into playing "A" tournaments only. For the Mist's 2011 inaugural season, we petitioned to play at the "B" level and were granted a one-year waiver, which has expired. As one would expect for a developing program, we are not quite ready to successfully compete at the "A" level.... but soon!!! In addition, we are looking to start the 10u/12u/14u Travel season earlier than last year. Our intent is to run the Travel Program beginning in spring and through the summer, with a short break prior to the start of the Mist's "fall ball" season. This extended spring through fall program will provide a much greater opportunity to develop and refine our local talent. Note that we are aware of the demands that this may create, especially for those who play little league... we will do our our best to accommodate! Within the ASA Mad River Program, we will work to mesh the schedules of the Recreation and Travel programs to minimize potential conflicts.

Please note that we need to assess interest in the Travel Program as early as possible so we can develop the travel schedule and calculate costs. As such, we have placed an "INTEREST LEVEL" for the Travel Program Mad River registration form. If you are remotely interested in playing travel ball, please indicate on this form and return to us - even if you do not plan to play in the recreational league. Right now, we are planning on two practices a week and one travel tournament per month while school is in session and then possibly two tournaments for the months of June and July. The 16u/18u programs would not start until late May/early June until the conclusion of the high school season. We are very excited about the upcoming softball season and the many changes that we have made in the Mad River Program. We will be providing you with updates as they occur. If you have any questions, please be sure to email any one of us! Board members include: Jessica Beckett (jessicabrookep@sbcglobal.net), President, Kelly Helms (helms_kelly@hotmail.com), Shanna McCracken (shannalynn33@gmail.com, Sarah Jones (jeter_kayla@yahoo.com), and Nick Hetrick (nicknstep@sbcglobal.net). Updates can also be found on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/155033233999/

We look forward to working with you all! Thanks!
Jessica Parker, President & Kelly Helms, Travel Facilitator
Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association

Tune-Up Clinics at CR - Jan 15, 29, Feb 12

2012-01-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

We hope that you and your families have had a very joyous holiday season! To start the New Year off right, we’re pleased to share with you great news about the winter softball clinics we proposed online last fall. Maggie White, softball coach at College of the Redwoods, has agreed to take the lead in running a series of three tune-up clinics in the CR Fieldhouse prior to the start of the 2012 softball season! Coaches from the Mad River Mist, the travel program of the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Association, will be assisting Maggie by leading the group sessions of the clinics. This is the first of hopefully many more partnerships between our local colleges and Humboldt County’s only ASA sanctioned, not-for-profit youth softball organization. A flyer and regestraion form is available for download on this website. Group discounts are available, with a group classified as 10 participants or more($5 clinic session per person per day rather than $10). If you are interested in attending these clinics, please let us know at your earliest convenience so that we can arrange the group rate with Coach White. Another clinic opportunity is available at HSU January 28th and 29th. Information for this clinic can be found at: http://www.hsujacks.com/sports/2011/12/20/SB_1220115344.aspx?path=softball

Happy Holidays....

2011-12-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association

Association Update

2011-11-14T21:11:00.000-08:00

Thank You... On behalf of the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association, we sincerely thank the summer and fall players, parents, coaches, volunteers, and sponsors for their support and enthusiasm for our organization’s newly established travel ball program, the Mad River Mist. At the onset of forming this ASA sanctioned program, our goal was to provide a positive fastpitch learning experience in a fun environment – one that fosters a love of the sport in the young players that is clearly evident in the Mist’s talented array of experienced coaches. The Mist’s 12u, 14u, and 16u summer travel teams participated in two out-of-area tournaments and hosted one “round robin friendly” event that brought in teams from outside our local community, including the Willits Hot Shots!. The success, excitement and momentum generated by the summer travel season translated into the formation of 12u and 16u fall ball teams that played in three out-of-town tournaments. The combined registration for the Mist’s summer and fall travel teams included nearly 100 players that came from Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Fieldbrook, Fortuna, McKinleyville, and Trinidad. These positive statistics for this rapidly developing program were overshadowed, however, by the words of encouragement and volunteerism of parents, supporters and sponsors, the growth in player skills, and the many smiles observed from players, parents, and coaches during the summer and fall seasons!

Winter "Tune-up" Clinics... Now that the rains have arrived and the fall season has ended, we are taking November and December to prepare for next year. We are currently dialoging about hosting "tune up clinics" in January and February to, in part, get our high school players in shape and ready for their JV and varsity seasons. These clinics will also provide a system where progress made with both the younger and older players during the spring, summer and fall is not lost in the off-season, but rather maintained or advanced. This has great potential to improve the caliber of play in our local communities, especially given the talented collection of former college players/coaches we have lined up as instructors for the clinics! Please stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

Change in the Association's Board Of Directors... We also want to share several organizational changes that have been made in the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association. This past summer, Jeff Denny resigned from his role as the Association’s President and as a member of the Board of Directors. This fall, Tammy Flint also stepped down from her tenure as Secretary for the Association and from her position on the Board. We sincerely thank both Jeff and Tammy or their unselfish service to the Association and to the youth of our community. While they will be absent from the Board meetings, we look forward to seeing Jeff, Tammy and their families at the ballpark next season!

These and two other long-standing vacancies on the Board have since been filled, making the five member Board of Directors whole, as directed in the Association’s bylaws. We are very excited about these additions to the leadership of our organization, which now includes notable individuals such as NCAA Hall of Fame pitcher Kelly Helms, NCAA Division II National Softball Champion Sarah Jones, and former CR Pitcher and Eureka Coach Shanna McCracken. Jessica Beckett will serve as President for the Association and brings a wealth of knowledge and history of the Mad River recreation program to the Board. Nicholas Hetrick rounds out the Mad River Board with his experience as a former NCAA Division I athletic-academic scholar and as a Board member for other not-for-profit public foundations.

New Committees Being Formed... We are also in the process of creating committees to help run various aspects of Association’s recreation and travel ball programs. These committees are where the “rubber meets the road” and will target specific aspects of the Association such as player recruitment, public relations, sponsorships and fundraising, field maintenance, uniform and equipment managers, player representative, tournament host, webmaster, etc. When functioning in unison, these newly established committees will help make the overall organization run more smoothly and efficiently, and do so without overly taxing any one individual… like Kelly! We also thank Valerie Neumeyer, Joe McDonald, Tiffany Morais, Katrina Anderson, and Heather Goodwin, among others, for helping to fill these essential committee roles in our interim “reorganization phase” and for providing valuable input at our Board meetings. As soon as the remaining details have been worked out, we will be posting the new structure for the Mad River Organization on our website, along with a call for individuals to take an active role in these committees. In addition, the Association will also be posting approved minutes from its Board meetings and financial reports for the organization as the new Board of Directors is committed to establishing and maintaining an open, transparent organization….so stayed tuned for updates!

Oct 8th Tourney Switch for 12Us

2011-10-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

Please Note: Due to cancellations in the 12u division, the 12U Mist will be going to Roseville instead of Fairfield for the Oct 8th tournament date. Game times are scheduled for 11:45, 3:15, and 5 on Saturday. The website for the tournament is http://www.asatournaments.com if you want to check out the bracketing. Valerie is working on a switch of hotels so 12u parents, please make sure that you cancel your Fairfield accommodations. Additional updates will be provided via email and our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/155033233999/. The goods news is that the 12Us will be playing... now set for the 3 game guaranteed tournament in Roseville! The 16u Mist team will be participating in the Fairfield Tournament as planned. Great job Kelly for making this adjustment!

Mad River Mist Fall Ball Hotel Information

2011-09-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

A Note from the Mist's Travel Coordinator, Valerie Neumeyer

So far I have secured hotel accommodations for our two tournaments. Both hotels offer a complimentary hot breakfast and have indoor pools and hot tubs.

Roseville Tournament - October 22-23
The most time sensitive hotel reservation is for our Roseville tournament for the weekend of October 22-23. The best discount group rates are made a month or more in advance. We have reservations at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott at Roseville for Friday and Saturday night. They are all 2-queen rooms and include a hot breakfast for $79 per night as long as you book by this Saturday, October 1st. Any reservations made October 2nd or later will be charged $104 per night, which is still a $10 discount off their regular rates. Not all rooms have microwave and refrigerator so please request one when booking. To book a room, please call the front desk directly at (916)772-3500 and use group code: MRM.

Fairfield Tournament - October 8-9
For the Fairfield tournament, we have reservations at Comfort Suites Vacaville for Friday and Saturday night. They are all 2-queen rooms and include a hot breakfast for $85 per night. All rooms have a microwave and refrigerator. They would only give us this rate by me securing all the rooms with my credit card so I will be cancelling any unclaimed rooms on Wednesday, October 5th. Please make sure you reserve your room before then. To book a room, please call the front desk directly at (707)446-3000 and reference our group name: Mad River Mist.

Please feel free to contact Valarie directly if you have any questions or need assistance making your reservations. She can be reached through the Mad River ASA facebook page or by email (address can be found on previous Mist emails)

Reminder:

2011-09-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

16u practice has changed to 5-7 pm @ EHS on Tuesdays & Thursdays. Please bring any registration forms and/or fees, tournament date feedback form, and all spiritwear and glitter headband order forms with payment ASAP. Many thanks...

Updates from the Mist

2011-09-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

1) The 12u's will be practicing on Tuesdays at Hiller Park from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and Sunday's from 3:00 to 5:30 pm at Winship School. Additionally, any 12u who cannot attend Tuesday's practice or who want extra practice can attend the Thursday evening 16u practice listed below.

2) The 16u's will be practicing on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and Sundays from 9:30 am-12:30 pm at Eureka High School.

3) As of Sept. 20th, all players should have a $50 registration deposit on file. By October 1st, the remaining $100 registration fee is due, along with a $35 uniform deposit (one time fee for new players). If you have any question about where you stand with registration fees, please speak with one of the Coaches or email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com .

4) The 16u's are still looking for a few more players to fill their roster! If you participated on the summer 14u or 16u and would be interested in being a "pick up player", please let us know! This means you are available for maybe one tournament but can't necessarily commit to the whole season.

5) The teams we expected to participate in our fall ball home tourney have not been as fortunate as we have in assembling fall ball teams. As a result, we are developing a backup plan to get our third tournament in, possibly adding an additional travel date. All players should have received a “Fall Ball Dates” feedback form. Please fill out this form, which can be downloaded off this site, and return to your Coaches or email to madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com by next Sunday’s (Sept 25th) practice. Thank you!

5) Also on our Blog Page you will find order forms for the Epically Fabulous Glitter Headbands and Mad River Mist Spirit Apparel. All orders need to be returned by October 1st as the group order will be placed on October 2nd. Payment also needs to be included upon return of the completed forms. Thank you!

6) If you have any questions regarding this exciting new ASA Fastpitch program, which is open to all girls in the Humboldt County area, please ask or drop us an email! Thank you!

Fall Softball anyone? It's happening here! Info meeting Thursday, Aug 25th!

2011-08-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

Who's up for some fall softball? Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball launches it's 2011 fall ball season with an information meeting for players and parents on Thursday, August 25th at the picnic tables at Winship Fields in Eureka. The meeting begin at 6:30 pm.

Assessments are tentatively scheduled for September 11th and first practices on September 18th. We're looking at three tournaments for the fall season (along with a little fundraising fun, of course.)

If you've got a love of fastpitch softball and want to play 'til it rains, join us at the meeting next Thursday and see what's in store for the next couple of months!

Car Wash! Lot Sale! BBQ! Raffle! Benefit Fundraiser for Mad River Girls ASA Softball Program - Saturday July 30th - Leon's Car Care Center, Eureka

2011-07-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association and the Mad River Mist ASA travel teams are hosting a major fundraiser to benefit the league and travel teams.

Saturday, July 30th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
At Leon's Car Care Center, 929 Broadway in Eureka

Car Wash!
Multi-Family Lot Sale
BBQ!
and a huge assortment of donated raffle items, including:

A 42" Flat screen TV, donated by Hideaway Self-Storage,
2 $100 gift certificates from Pastori Landscaping,
A $100 gift card from Best Western Arcata Inn,
A cord of firewood from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office,
A $50 gift card from Pierson's,
1 Month of tanning from Blondie's Beauty Shop,
2 $50 gift certificate from Miller Farms,
5 yards of topsoil from Wes Green,
A round of golf for 2 from the Baywood Golf and Country Club,
An entertainment package from Figueridos,
A $10 gift certificate from Don Juan's Mexican Food,
A $25 gift certificate and glass pendant from Mirador Glass,
A $25 gift certificate from Silver Lining,
A Personal Detail kit from Hirsch Hubcaps,
A Mikita power drill from Matlock Construction,
A Free car wash from Valley West Patriot and Tetrault Car Wash.

Food will be available thanks to donations from Ray's Food Place in Arcata, Franz Bakery, and Murphy's Market.

So please join us on Saturday, meet our players and coaches, have some great food, and drive away with something old or something new.

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball and the Mad River Mist thank everyone for your continued generous support!

Mad River Mist kick off the summer travel season in Redding this weekend!

2011-06-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

The Mad River Mist, Mad River Girls Softball's new ASA summer travel ball program, jumps into its first live action this weekend in Redding. Three teams - 12 & Under, 14 & Under, and 16 & Under - are on the road June 18-19 at the Summer Heat Tournament at Big League Dreams in Redding. Each team will play at least four games this weekend. While the heat is new to most of our players, expectations for an exciting and fun weekend are high.

Mist head coach and program coordinator Kelly Helms says, "Our goal is to truly provide a positive experience while finishing the weekend better than we started. Two critical questions are the foundation of our program: Did you finish better than when you started? And did you have fun while you were doing it? If those two questions are answered yes , then it has been a very successful weekend for the Mad River Mist!"

Stay tuned here, on our Facebook page, or our twitter feed for updates on this weekend's games.

(click here for the link to the tourney brackets)

Go Mist!

Spring Season End-of-Season Jamboree, Saturday, June 11th!

2011-06-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

Our End-of-Season Jamboree happens this Saturday, June 11th, from 9-2 at the Arcata Sports Complex!

Click here for the official Schedule of Events for the Jamboree.

Events include a 9 & Under ball game at 10am on the South field where Cindy and Vince's team pair up to take on the combined team coached by Kintay and Vince. This "move-up" game features our developing pitchers and a chance to field full outfields for the game.

The 12 & Under teams will play a mini-round robin tourney beginning at 9am on the north field. Since several players will be missing Saturday's event due to other "end-of-season" events and recitals, all players are encouraged to be there from 9 to 12 to fill in positions on the other teams and share in the fun of our final day. Who's up for three games?

And, at noon, we'll all have a chance to watch our 16 & Under team take on the visiting LL team from McKinleyville.

We will be collecting all uniforms at the field on Saturday, so bring a change of clothes. A changing tent will be available.

Coaches: We will be also be collecting all your equipment on Saturday. Please remember to bring it all with you to the game.

And as a very small thank you to all our coaches, assistant coaches, and umpires...y'all get to eat free at the snack shack which will open all day.

It's nice to know that at least our final week will be rain-free. Let's enjoy a beautiful sunny Saturday morning with some great softball! We'll see you there on Saturday!

Mad River ASA summer travel team assessments - Sunday, May 22 3-5pm

2011-05-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association will hold its assessments for ASA summer travel teams this Sunday, May 22nd at Pacific Union School in Arcata. Teams are being formed at all age groups - 10U, 12U ,14U, 16U and 18U.

All players should plan to attend the assessments from 3:00 to 5:00. Pitchers and catchers are asked to remain for a supplemental assessment from 5:00 to 6:00.

Registration for our summer program is $150, plus a $35 uniform deposit. $50 is required at registration, the remainder by June 1st.

We'll see y'all on the field this Sunday!

ASA Summer Travel Ball - Registration & Assessments moved to Wednesday, May 18th

2011-05-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is forming summer ASA travel teams in four age divisions: 12U, 14U, 16U, and 18U.

Update: Monday, 5/16/11
Due to the weekend rains, we are extending the registration period. Player assessment and registration will be held at Pacific Union School this Wednesday, May 18th from 5:30-7:30.

Registrations for ASA travel teams will remain open through June 1st. The first practice is scheduled for Sunday, May 22nd.

Registration and Assessment Info:
Date: Wednesday, May 18th
Location: Pacific Union School
Cost: $150 for the season. A $50 deposit is required at registration with the balance due by June 1st. (Travel expenses for out of town games are the responsibility of the player.) A $35 uniform deposit is required for players not currently registered with MRGFSA.

Questions? Please contact us via our email address: madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com. Please bookmark this page for updates on all matters related to our travel program or our regular ASA spring rec ball season.

2011-05-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Mad River Girls Mid-Season Scramble!
Saturday, May 14th at the Arcata Sports Complex

Join us for a fun-filled day of mixed-up teams this Saturday, May 14th. Players from our 9U and 12U teams have been put in a dropped in a bowl, scrambled up, and placed on new teams for the day. Games begin at 9am on Saturday. Game schedules and our one-day team rosters can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

2011 Mid-Season Scramble Schedule

In addition to the games, players who purchased spirit packs can pick up their orders between 9am and noon on Saturday. Solo Sports will be on site to customize your gear with player names, team names, numbers, and other cool things (at a small additional cost).

We'll see y'all on Saturday!

ASA Travel Teams Forming Soon. Planning meeting set for Wed. May 4th

2011-04-26T09:13:00.001-07:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is developing ASA summer travel teams in the next few weeks. Teams will be formed at the 12 & Under, 14 & Under and 16 & Under levels. (And maybe even 18 & Under if the interest is there.)

We are excited to be partnering with several experienced local coaches who will lead our teams and to see this program of ASA travel ball develop and continue in the coming years. We are anticipating two travel weekends and at least one weekend of home games during June and July.

Parents and players are invited to attend a planning meeting on Wednesday, May 4th at 6:00 pm at the Arcata Community Center. Coaches and league officials will be on hand to discuss travel plans, costs, important dates, tryouts and team formation, and other important issues with you. Please download the meeting flyer and share with others who you think may be interested.

Please join on us next Wednesday, and don't hesitate to contact us via phone (822-3575) or email (madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

We'll see y'all next week.

Spring Break Pitching Clinics. 2 Great Opportunities!

2011-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

For all of you sticking close to home during spring break, there are two great opportunities for some quality pitching instruction this week.

Kelly Helms continues her Friday night pitching clinic for Mad River Girls Softball pitchers on April 29th at the Pacific Union ball field. 5:00 to 6:00 for beginning pitchers, and 6:00 to 7:00 for pitchers with three or more seasons on the mound. Cost is $5.00 per player, and please bring an adult catcher along with you!

On Sunday, May 1st, Kelly is leading a 2-hour pitching clinic at Hiller Park in McKinleyville for pitchers of all ages and experience. The clinic runs from 10:00 to noon and costs $20.00. To reserve a spot at the clinic, contact Tiffany Morais at 845-4524. (Here's the official flyer for the McKinleyville Pitching Clinic.)

Pitching is the foundation of fastpitch softball. As all our local pitchers get better, so will our hitting and fielding. Don't miss these great opportunities to develop your pitching skills!

Pitching clinics set for Friday night, 5:00 and 6:00

2011-04-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

Kelly Helms' Friday night pitching clinics will be held this Friday (4/22) and Friday 4/29 (during spring break), weather permitting of course, at Pacific Union School.

Our clinics are designed for all Mad River Girls Softball players who want to learn the basics of fastpitch softball pitching. Players are asked to bring $5 and an adult catcher with them to the clinic.

Beginning pitchers, those with 2 or fewer years of pitching are asked to come between 5:00 and 6:00. Advanced pitchers, those with 3 or more years of experience should come to the 6:00 session.

From experience let me tell you, that those players who have participated in Kelly's clinics this year and last year have learned so much, and raised the standard for youth pitching in our program. Dont' miss the chance to learn from one of the best instructors around.

We'll see y'all Friday night!

Who'll Stop the Rain? This weekend's clinics and games postponed.

2011-04-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

"Long as I remember, the rain been comin' down...
And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain."
- Creedence Clearwater Revival

Well, tonight's pitching clinic and tomorrow's ball games have all been canceled cuz of this lousy rain. We'll hope for clearer skies over the weekend, and better luck on Monday night.

Have a great weekend nonetheless.

Game Schedules Online Now!

2011-04-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

2011 Game schedules are online. Check the link to the right for your division's game times. And, check back often as things will change as the weather does. (Games for the 16U team will be scheduled shortly.)

Friday Pitching Clinics Begin This Week

2011-04-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

Do you want to learn how to pitch?

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball is excited to announce the return of our Friday Night Pitching Clinics beginning this Friday, April 8th. Clinics will be held every Friday night at the Pacific Union Field from now through the end of the season.

The clinics are led by former HSU standout and Arcata High softball coach Kelly Helms. The clinics are intended to provide pitchers quality coaching and instruction from beginners all the way through pitchers who have been throwing for a few years.

Beginning pitchers (those that have been pitching for 2 years or less) should plan to attend from 5:00 - 6:00.

Advanced pitchers (3 years or more experience) should report from 6:00 to 7:00.

The clinic is open to all registered Mad River Girls Softball's players. Players are asked to bring $5.00 and an adult catcher to the clinic.

Opening Day! Jamboree Set for Saturday, April 9th.

2011-04-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Opening Day is finally here! Due to our wet weather, the Jamboree is moving over to the Pacific Union School field.

The schedule of games and team photos are online now! Check out the link to the right. Your coaches will have more information for you before Saturday.

Remember to bring your order forms for your spirit packs and drop them off with us on Saturday. Orders placed by Saturday will be received within 2 weeks!

A couple damp days lie ahead, but all looks clear for the weekend. Let's play some softball!

March 2011. And we're off...

2011-03-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

...if not quite running. With all this rain you'd think we live in a rainforest! Once again, the sky gods are frustrating our season's start with torrential rains. Though the forecast this week shows a little sunshine peeking through, we're anxiously on that dry stretch to get our fields open and playable. Stay tuned to this website for daily updates on field conditions, or call us at 822-3575 after 3pm for the latest news.

Pitching Clinics begin Friday, April 1st: Kelly Helms will once again lead our Friday night pitching clinics beginning this coming Friday. Clinics will be held at the Pacific Union Field. An n introductory clinic for pitchers with less than 3 years experience will be held from 5:00-6:00. Advanced pitchers, those with 3+ years of pitching will meet from 6:00-7:00. The cost is $5.00 per player, and each player is asked to provide their own catcher (preferably an adult). These clinics were invaluable to those pitchers who participated last season. Join the fun and learn how to pitch...every Friday between now and the end of the season.

Season opening Jamboree, Saturday, April 9th: Please mark your calenders for April 9th. That's the official first day of the season with short scrimmages and team and player photos, all at the Arcata Sports Complex. Regular season games are schedule to begin on Monday, April 11th. Schedules for the Jamboree and the season will be out shortly.

Yes, we're still taking new players! Though teams have been formed and are starting to pull together, we're still taking registrations for new and returning players for our spring season. Registration forms can be downloaded from the links on the right. Send it in to our office asap to get your spot on a team. (If you call or email us when you send that in, we'll do what we can to expedite the process.

For those that have registered already, you should have heard from your coaches by now, even if you haven't been able to get out on a field. If you haven't heard from anyone yet, contact us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com and we'll figure out where you supposed to be.

The rain will end. It always ends. Doesn't it?

Player Assessment Day Today!!! Saturday, March 19th at the HSU Field House

2011-03-17T04:38:00.001-07:00

Player assessments for our 2011 Spring softball season happen now!....Saturday, March 19th at the HSU Field house. All players already registered, or still wanting to register, should plan to attend a one-hour assessment for their age group.

Times for the assessments are:

7 & 8 year olds 10:30 - 11:30
9 & 10 year olds 11:30 - 12:30
11 & 12 year olds 12:30 - 1:30
13 and older 1:30 - 2:30

(A player's age is determined by their age on 12/31/2010.)

Please show up early enough to warm up your arm, get your shoes or cleats on, and ready to play. Rubber cleats are fine. (Metal cleats are prohibited.) And bring your own glove. We will have bats and balls, but you're welcome to bring your own if you have them.

We are still taking registrations for the season! If you haven't registered yet, don't worry. You can sign up to play at the assessments. Forms are available online here, or we'll have them at the field house.

This is not a try-out. Every player who registers is guaranteed a place on one of our teams. This assessment is a tool to help our coaches draft the teams and ensure that teams are balanced going into the season.

We will also have uniforms on hand so you can check your sizes. And this year, the league is offering a variety of spirit packs loaded with Mad River Girls Softball gear like hoodies, tie-dye tees, sweatpants, sliders, and compression shirts. Check it out on Saturday. Order with us by March 25th and you'll have the coolest gear on the planet by Opening Day! We'll have the order forms at the assessments.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com or call our office at 822-3575.

We'll see all of you on Saturday!

2011 Spring Registrations Continue Through March 19th.

2011-03-07T11:39:00.001-08:00

Still looking to sign up for spring softball? There's still time!

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association will accept registrations for our 2011 Spring Season through our March 19th player assessments. Registration forms can be downloaded from this webpage, and either mailed in to our office, or brought with you to our Player Assessment Day Saturday, March 19th Day at the HSU Field House. (Check the registration form for the appropriate time to attend.)

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball provides a recreational fastpitch softball experience for girls ages 7-16. Participation is open to anyone who lives in northern Humboldt County, including the towns of Arcata, McKinleyville, Eureka, and all the surrounding communities.

As an ASA sponsored organization, our divisions are divided into age groups, including:

The 8 & Under Rookie league - a coach-pitch program for those in their first years of learning the game.
The 10 & Under Division where players begin to pitch on their own, but with modified game rules to ensure everyone learns the game.
Our 12 & Under Division where pitchers take over the game, and most of the rules are based on the game played at the High School and ASA tournament level.
Our 16 & Under Division is ideal for those players hoping to compete at the high school level, and for players who don't wish to play High School ball, but want to keep playing for a love of the game.

Download a registration form now and join us for an exciting 2011 Spring Season!

2011 Spring Season Registrations continue this Saturday, February 19th, 9-3 at the Arcata Community Center

2011-02-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

Registrations for our 2011 Spring Season continue this Saturday, February 19th from 9am to 3pm at the Arcata Community Center. We'll have the registration forms at the table, or you're welcome to download one from this here website (links on the right) and bring it with you.

Can't make it this weekend? No problem. We'll likely have one more registration day in early March, and you're always welcome to mail your registration form in to our league office. (The address is on the form.)

Our player assessment day is scheduled for Saturday, March 19th at the HSU Field House. Practices begin the following week, with games planned for the first week of April.

Join the fun for 2011! We'll see y'all on Saturday.

Interested in playing summer softball?

2011-02-04T13:58:00.000-08:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is looking to develop ASA travel teams at the 12U, 14U and 16U age levels. Nationally, ASA tournaments are recognized as the highest level of amateur softball play before college.

Local teams would travel to tournaments in northern California and southern Oregon. The number and location of tournaments would be determined by the teams themselves. Additional practices and fundraising for the travel teams is expected.

Past Mad River ASA teams have participated in ASA tournaments in Cloverdale, Vacaville, Sunnyvale and others. Local High School coaches use summer travel teams as the foundations for their varsity programs.

If you're interested in playing on an ASA travel team this summer, please email your contact information (name, age as of 12/31/10, telephone and email address) to: madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com. We'll be scheduling an organizational meeting as soon as we know we have enough players to form the teams.

2011 Registration Day - Saturday, February 5th, 9-3 at the Arcata Community Center

2011-01-31T13:58:00.001-08:00

The first day to register for
the 2011 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Spring Season
is this Saturday, February 5th.
We will be registering new and returning players
at the Arcata Community Center from 9:00 am through 3:00 pm.

We will also be registering players Saturday, February 19th, also from 9-3 at the Arcata Community Center.

All girls ages 7-16 are encouraged to join us for an exciting and rewarding fastpitch softball season. Remember, there is absolutely no geographic requirement to play in our league. Last year, we had players from throughout northern Humboldt County participate in our program.

Our registration form can be downloaded here and brought to the registration, or you can mail in your registration to the league address shown on the right.

Player assessments will be held at the HSU Field House on March 19th, and practices are scheduled to begin on March 21st. Opening Day is slated for Saturday, April 2nd.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call us at 822-3575 or email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com.

We'll see you on Saturday!

It's 2011 and it's time for some softball!

2011-01-26T10:34:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011 y'all! With all this great, sunny weather, it's about to get our 2011 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Season underway. We'd like to invite all of our past players and all those new to our area, our league, and our game to join us for another fun-filled, exciting spring softball season.

REGISTRATION: Our 2011 Player Registration Form is available online now! Returning players will also find these forms in the mail in the next few days.

Fees this year include a $50 per player registration fee and a $35 one-time, non-refundable uniform fee. If you played with us last season, and returned your uniform in good condition, no uniform fee is required. We do require all families to contribute 2 hours of volunteer time to the league, either on the field as coaches, in the dugout as team parents, in the concession stands, or assisting with the management of league equipment, uniforms, fundraisers etc. For those who already have too many commitments, we do offer a $25 volunteer buy-out option.

2011 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Player Registration Days
Saturday, February 5th, from 9am-3pm at the Arcata Community Center
or
Saturday, February 19th, 9am-3pm at the Arcata Community Center

While we would love to have all of you join us at these registration days, we will also accept applications mailed to our league office.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:

Our player assessments are scheduled for Saturday, March 19th at the HSU Field House. Your registration form will show you the times for you to be there.
Practices begin on Monday, March 21st.
Our Opening Day Jamboree is Saturday, April 2nd.
Games begin on Monday, April 4th and run through June 10th.

There will be much more news in the coming days on this website so please bookmark this page and keep up to date with all the information regarding our spring program.

To keep in even closer contact, you can now find us on Facebook (Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association) or our new Twitter feed (@madriverasa).

We'll be in touch, and as always, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns, don't hesitate to email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com or call the office at 707-822-3575.
Facebook and on Twitter

Uniform questions?

2010-07-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

A few of you have contacted us regarding uniform deposits recently. Beginning with the 2010 season, the league instituted a new uniform policy that we hope makes it easier (and less costly) for families, particularly those who remain with the program through several seasons. A link to the Uniform Policy is available on this web page.

Here is the policy:

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association
Uniform Policy
Effective 2010 Spring Season

Beginning with the 2010 spring season, every registered MRGFSA player will pay a one-time, non-refundable uniform deposit of $30. (Subject to change by the MRGFSA Board.) Players are expected to return their uniform (shirt and pants) at the end of the conclusion of the season.

Players who register and return for the following season, and for additional consecutive seasons, will not be charged a uniform deposit for the duration of their enrollment with the league.

Players who leave after one season, then register and return for a later, non-consecutive season, will be charged a new uniform deposit.

Players who choose to keep their uniforms at the end of a season will be charged a new uniform deposit at the beginning of their next season.

Parents may request a refund of their uniform deposit following their first season only. The request must be made in writing (or email) to the league office. Should the player register and return the following season, they will be charged for a new uniform deposit.

If you have any questions at all, or would like to request a refund of your 2010 uniform deposit, please don't hesitate to contact us at 822-3575, or email us madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com.

We hope everyone's enjoying a wonderful summer!

Our 2010 All-Star Teams

2010-06-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

As announced at Saturday's end of season Jamboree, here our your 2010 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball All-Stars!

8 & Under Division
Grace Rosebrook
Maria Morehouse
Sophia Belton
Liberty Hutchison
Hileana Wilkinson
Devin McGill
Clair Monge
Kaelynn Simmons
Pectasan Feliz
Ava Killoran
McKenna Turner
Jayme Willis
Zoe Hilton

10 & Under Division
Cassie Flint
Leticia Resendez
Amelia Parker
Emily Robbins
Emerald Bartolotta
Caitlin Larson
Allie DiPiazza
Marlie Thornburgh
Maddie Maher
Brianna Stone
Kiana Simmons
Milea Lewis

12 & Under Division
Emily Denny
Cait Parker
Kate Harvey
Mae Rosebrook
Taylor Goldston
Angel Goodman
Tara Silva
Morgan Mahan

16 & Under Division
Kelsi Spaulding
Hannah Ward
Brittany Ward
Molly Dohring
Alix Flint
Lacey Anderson
Dayna Morris-Punch
Liberty Gonzalez
Caitlin Nieri
Kayla Reed
Hannah Bill
Courtney Wilson

Congratulations to all our all-stars, and to all the young women who played so well all season long. See y'all next year!

Thank you Dan Duncan

2010-06-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

As many of you now know by now, our league President for the past 10 years has decided to ease himself into retirement. Effective at the end of our 2010 season, Dan is stepping down as president to move on to other projects and pastimes. Here is Dan's letter to the board of directors:

MRGFSA Board members and friends:

I love our ASA league, and I have given it my best for the last 10 years (the last 6 years as ASA), but it is time for me to move on. I am retiring, and I want to see things and do things that older folks get to do, like take a vacation in the middle of winter, or buy a Harley and hit the road and dream of being 16 again. Such things are hard to do when you’re busy putting up softball banners at strategic locations all over town in January, or bouncing around from one to another of the nine public schools north of Eureka in March asking the school secretary to put our assessment notice into their bulletin announcement the next morning and the morning after that. I’m not complaining. I just want to do something else now besides this (important!) stuff.

As of July 1, 2010, I am resigning as president of MRGFSA. The league has a great bookkeeper in Katie, so the business of the league will continue uninterrupted. I will be keeping my office and will continue to share it with the league. I will also continue my role as the ASA go to person for Humboldt County. I may or may not continue coaching in the future, depending on the league’s need, and my availability. I will train the next president, if needed, but on the job training works just as well in a role like this one. In short, whatever the league needs as it transitions over to the next leader, I will be happy to help with.

I will miss all of you but I will miss the girls most. When you’re not a parent of children anymore (they grow up and go away!) the contact in sports is the best place to stay in touch with youth. I don’t see myself ever letting this go entirely. Such contact is important; kids keep you young inside, where it matters. So don’t look for me to go away entirely. However, come this summer... if you see me go by on a Harley,

Wave!

Dan

From all the players, parents, coaches, umpires, board members and fans of quality fastpitch softball,
Thank you Dan for your time, your passion, and your dedication to the softball players of Humboldt County.

Is the Season Over? Nope.....not yet.

2010-06-05T05:02:00.000-07:00

Well, we were supposed to be done by now, but this never-ending rain is not going to wash our season down the drain completely. There will be one more week of games, and we will host an end-of-season mini-tournament next Saturday, June 12th at the Arcata Sports Complex. Here's the scoop:

There will be some make-up games this coming week. Coaches were asked last week who would have players available for some make-up games this week. Several teams whose coaches responded affirmatively have been scheduled for games this week. Your coach should be in contact with you about these games. (You can also check the master game schedule on this site to see if your team is playing.)

On Saturday, June 12th, the league will host a rapid round-robin tournament for teams in all divisions at the Arcata Sports Complex. The games are intended as fast-paced 40 minute affairs in which all teams will participate. It promises to be a fun event...and the weather looks good already. Join us for Saturday in the sun (finally) and our last day of spring softball. Division schedules are as follows:

8 & Under Division plays from 10am to noon on the north field.
10 & Under Division plays from 10am t0 noon on the south field.
12 & Under Division plays from noon to 2pm on the north field.
16 & Under Division plays from noon t0 2pm on the south field.

All Stars!
Coaches have been asked to select 4 players to represent their teams as our 2010 All Stars! Our 2010 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball teams will be announced on the field at the conclusion of each divisions tournament.

Saturday, June 12th will also be our chance to wrap up a few other things.

Player uniforms will be collected at the end of the tournament so plan on bringing a change of clothes to the field. You must return your uniform in order to receive a refund on you uniform deposit, or credit towards next year's uniform deposit.
All candy bar money must be turned in by Saturday as well. Each player is responsible for for selling at least $50 worth of candy bars. (This is our league's biggest fundraiser!) Please bring your $50 to the field on Saturday.
Coaches, please have all your equipment ready to turn in on Saturday afternoon as well.

The MRGFSA board of directors would personally like to thank each and every one of you - players, coaches, parents and fans - for your patience and positive attitudes throughout this very wet and trying season. The rain has messed with us more than ever before, but it is our hope that our hardworking, fun-loving players have had a rewarding and positive fastpitch softball experience through it all. Let's hope that next year dries out a bit and gives us a better opportunity to play a few more games.

Thank you all, and we'll see you next week.

Saturday May 22nd games are cancelled

2010-05-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Darnit...Mother Nature wins again. No games today.

We'll see y'all on Monday.

Pitching clinics cancelled tonight, Friday 5/21

2010-05-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry y'all, but with the rainy, showery, sometimes ugly weather today, we're postponing tonight's pitching clinics.

We won't have the clinic next Friday due to the Memorial Day holiday.

There will be one more night of pitching instruction Friday, June 4th.

Now let's all do what we can to push next week's rain out of the weather forecast. Enough already!

Arcata Sports Complex is now open and ready for games! Please note the schedule changes.

2010-05-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

We got the word yesterday that the fields at the Arcata Sports Complex are finally open! So here's the plan.....

All scheduled PU games scheduled from this Saturday, May 8th onward have been moved to the Arcata Sports Complex. All division schedules have been updated on this here website. Please make sure you and your kids are using the latest schedule!

All of your game dates and game times are the same as the last schedule. Only the location has changed....

...except for the 8U division. All 8U games are moving to a 5:00 pm start time starting next week.

Coaches: Please contact Jeff in order to schedule practice times. You can check for available times by looking at the Master Field Schedule. Any block of time not scheduled for games, or not grayed out on the spreadsheet may be available to you. However, you must reserve your time in advance. (Games will take precedence over scheduled practices should we need to rearrange things again.)

Kelly Helms' pitching clinics will continue on Friday nights at Pacific Union School: 5pm for the 10U division, 6pm for the 12U and 16U players.

It finally feels like softball season, doesn't it? We'll see y'all out on the field.

Update on Kelly's clinics

2010-04-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

With our new, rain-delayed game schedule in place, we've had to adjust Coach Kelly Helms' clinics.

The Friday Pitchers' Clinics will continue at Pacific Union School through May...5pm for the 10 & Under division; 6pm for the 12 & 16 & Under players.

The Saturday Morning Skills Clinics won't be held until we have alternative fields. We need the PU field on Saturday mornings for our games.

Now, if we can finally get a good stretch of sun, we'll be on our way to great spring season.

Sun's out! Revised Game Schedules now available online.

2010-04-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Wait! Is that the sun up there? Are we finally going to get a chance to play softball?

In light of all the recent rain, and knowing that our Arcata fields won't be available for at least another couple of weeks, we have revised the game schedule significantly. For the next few weeks, we will be utilizing the fields at Pacific Union School in Arcata and the Hiller Sports Complex exclusively. The previous version of the schedule that you received a couple weeks ago is officially retired.

Please download a copy of your division schedule from the links below (or to the right). Game times and nights have changed. Questions or conflicts should be brought up first with your coach who can pass significant team concerns on to us. With dry fields at a premium throughout the county, the opportunity for schedule changes are limited.

Saturday, May 1st Picture Day Schedule

8 & Under Schedule - revised

10 & Under Schedule - revised

12 & Under Schedule revised

16 & Under Schedule - revised

Hopefully, this sun lasts a while and we can get some games in. Thank you all for you patience during this rainy pre-season.

Saturday, May 1st is Picture Day at the Pacific Union Field

2010-04-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

Team picture day is Saturday, May 1st at the Pacific Union School softball field. A schedule of picture times now available.

We also have four games scheduled on Saturday as well. Please check the Picture Day Schedule to see if you're team is playing. (A new revised season schedule will be posted shortly.)

Schedule changes coming...stay tuned

2010-04-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

There will be no games today, Wednesday, April 28th. We'll wait and see what the weather does for tomorrow's scheduled games at Hiller.

Team pictures will be taken at Pacific Union School on Saturday, May 1st. Times to be announced here shortly.

We will also play the 4 games scheduled for Saturday, May 1st on Saturday, May 1st at Pacific Union School. Game times on Saturday will change...times to be announced as soon as coaches get back to me to confirm their teams are available.

Significant schedule changes are in the works. We should have a new schedule available to all of you shortly.

Thanks for your patience!

Jeff

More delays, unfortunately

2010-04-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Our frustrating start to the 2010 season continues. With rain in the forecast for Monday through Thursday this week, it's likely that the Arcata Sports Complex will remain unavailable through the week. We're hopeful that things clear enough to get games in by Saturday, May 1st.

As of this writing, our scheduled games at the Arcata Sports Complex this week will be postponed. We will reschedule all Tuesday and Thursday games to be played at Hiller Park. (weather permitting) Your coaches will be in touch with you regarding game times.

In the meantime, we are working on making the Pacific Union field playable for our program. It is currently built for the adult leagues, but the city has recently installed a 40' mound for our 12U and 16U divisions, and has also provided us with a tap-in mound for our 10U division. We are working to provide temporary bases that are safe for our players. Once those are in place, we can work to get games at PU when it is available to us.

Thank you for your patience. Please help your coaches by continuing to encourage your players to practice and enjoy the opportunities to learn this great game.

Speaking personally, in my 9 years with the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association, this is by far, the latest start we've ever had to a season. Unfortunately, those that control the rain haven't bothered to read our schedules, nor have they noticed the desire of our girls and their coaches to get out on the field.

Thank you for your patience, and if you have any questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to email us or call us at 822-3575.

Friday's pitching clinic is on. Saturday's skills clinics are not.

2010-04-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all. We finally got our first games of the season in. Yeah!

Kelly's pitching clinics for Friday night will be held tonight. 5pm for the 10U pitchers and 6pm for the 12U and 16U players at the Pacific Union Field.

Saturday's skills clinics will not be held this week.

Schedule adjustments for the week of April 19th...please read!

2010-04-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

We're limping into the season, but given all the rain we've had, and a bit more anticipated this week, we're going to get started anyway. The Arcata Sports Complex fields are unavailable, mostly likely through this week. Please make note of the following schedule changes:

The 12U and 10U games scheduled on Mon and Wed in Arcata will be rescheduled at a later date. There will be no 12U and 10U games this week.

The 8U and 16U games will both be played at Hiller Field on Tuesday and Thursday. The 16U games will be played at 4:30 pm with a 1 hour 20 minute time limit. The 8U games will be played at 6:00 with their standard 1 hour 10 minute time limit.

Questions? Feel free to email us here, or contact your coaches.

An Update for Coaches, Players and Parents. (April 15th)

2010-04-15T10:50:00.001-07:00

Well, I guess it's not as bad as the picture above, but the rain is really messing with all our plans for softball this month. Please take a moment and read through the notes below for an update on where we are as of today, Thursday, April 15th.

Jamboree canceled, 4/17: It's not without a little frustration that we are canceling this weekend's Jamboree. The heavy rains this week makes it impossible for the city to have the Arcata fields ready by Saturday. So, no Jamboree events are planned this weekend.

Team pictures rescheduled: We have rescheduled team pictures for Saturday, May 1st. 8 of 12 teams have scheduled games that Saturday already. We may add a few games to the schedule that Saturday (including some doubleheaders) to make up for the games we're likely to miss next week. We will have a schedule for the pictures out to coaches shortly.

Likely delays to the season: It's likely we'll lose a few games in Arcata at the beginning of next week. We remain hopeful that the conditions improve between now and then, but we may end up with only the Hiller Field available to us next week. We'll be talking with coaches about game time adjustments and looking for alternative fields in the next couple of days. Keep your eyes on your email and the website for updates to the game schedule you received this week.

Candy Bars: Our primary fundraiser is the sales of $50 boxes of "America's Best Chocolate" candy bars. Last year, this fundraiser brought in several thousand dollars to the league. They're easy to sell to friends, family, and co-workers. Every player in our league is responsible for selling at least one box. (And if you can sell more, we have more!) All coaches need to be at the Pacific Union Field at 6pm this Friday night (April 16th) to pick up your team's candy bars. If you can't be there, you must send a team parent to pick them up for you. Please help us make this another great fundraiser for the league this season.

Uniforms: By now, most of you have received your uniforms. With some late registrations and team changes, some players are still waiting for their uniform. Lori Reed will be at the PU field at 6pm Friday to provide coaches with the missing uniforms or uniform parts you need.

Pitcher and skills clinics are on for this weekend: Kelly Helms will lead our pitcher clinics this Friday: 5pm for the 10Us and 6pm for the 12U and 16Us, as well as the skills clinic on Saturday morning: 900-1030 for the 8-10Us, and 1030-1200 for the 12-16Us. Both clinics are scheduled for Pacific Union School. The turnout last weekend was great. In lieu of the Jamboree, let's keep our girls excited about softball, and keep 'em learning by attending these great clinics.

As always, if you have any questions or issues, don't hesitate to contact us via email or phone.

Today's an absolutely beautiful sunny day. If any of you have any pull with the folks who control the weather, now would be a great time to make those requests.

We'll see y'all on the fields very soon.

Opening Day! Saturday, April 17th.....Game Schedules are now available online

2010-04-11T22:00:00.002-07:00

Our 2010 Opening Day is just a few short days away!

Saturday, April 17th is our season opening Jamboree. A schedule of team events is now available online. (Link on the right.)

2010 game schedules are also available for all divisions. Click on the links on the right-hand side of the page for your division.

It's about time we started playin' some ball. We'll see you out on the diamond this Saturday!

Coach Kelly talks about last Friday's pitchers' clinic!

2010-04-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

"Wow! What a turn out Friday night! We easily had 7-10 young pitchers each session! It was fantastic!

"With the first group, I didn't get a chance to recap the drills we practiced, however, for those in attendance, a great way to start every time your young pitchers practice is with those drills! Coaches and parents may not remember every detail about them but that's okay. Just do the best you can with what you have!

"As for the second group...great talent! Each young pitcher had a different aspect of the pitch to practice and develop. I would suggest making that individual element the focus of the week for your pitcher.

"Special thanks to all my adult catchers who helped their young pitchers work to be successful. It really helps to have you out there and involved with what is happening. (And hopefully in the process, coaches and parents can learn too!)

"I hope to see all of you again next Friday evening. Thanks for coming!"

We will hold our pitchers' clinic next Friday, April 16th at Pacific Union School: 5:00-6:00 for the 10 & Under pitchers; 6:00-7:00 for the 12 and 16 & Under pitchers.

There will be no players' clinic on Saturday since our Season Opening Jamboree is finally here!

New Opening Day....again

2010-04-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

Once again, we're adjusting our 2010 season starting date. All this rain has prevented several teams from getting on any field at all. So, in order to let our teams get ready for real games...

We will kick off the season with our Jamboree (and team pictures) on Saturday, April 17th.

Real games will start (rain, shine, or otherwise) on Monday, April 19th.

Season schedules will be posted online in the next couple of days. Thank y'all for your patience.

And, for what it's worth, it looks like dry weather is coming soon!

Rain washes away this weekend's clinics. Back next week.

2010-04-02T12:42:00.001-07:00

Well, we had one good day, didn't we?

Today's downpour has washed out our Friday night pitching clinic and tomorrow morning's player clinic.

Join us next Friday and Saturday for a special Spring Break edition of our ongoing clinics for all Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball players (and coaches). It should be dry by then.

Pitchers' Clinics:

Friday nights at Pacific Union School in Arcata

8-10 year olds from 5:00 to 6:00

11-16 year olds from 6:00 to 7:00

No charge, but every pitcher needs to bring a catcher (adult preferred).

Player Clinics:

Saturday mornings at Pacific Union School

7-10 year olds from 9:00 to 10:30

11-16 year olds from 10:30 to 12:00

$5 per player per session helps cover the cost of Kelly's assistant coaches.

Coach Kelly Helms talks about our Pitcher & Player Clinics!

2010-03-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

A nice break in last week's rain allowed us to hold the first of our weekly pitcher and player clinics last weekend. Here's what coach Kelly Helms had to say about the girls (and coaches!) who participated:

"I just wanted to thank the young ladies and their parents who committed their time this weekend to softball. Friday night I had a chance to work with five young ladies pitching. The younger girls worked on basic technique, while the older girls fine tuned their pitching motion. We even did a bit of work on a change up.

"Saturday we worked with three young ladies and their dads/coaches working on throwing technique and defensive stance. Dads and Coaches even got a chance to participate and learn too! We worked on skills like shuffle step, forehand, and backhand and then practiced them with simulated ground balls. To wrap up the session, we worked a bit on base running. We worked on running through the bag and rounding the bag in the event of a base hit.

"Next session we will expand on the skills we worked on this time but add defensive skills like flips, fly balls, crow hop, and more! We hope to see you there!"

We'll be back out on the Pacific Union School field this Friday and Saturday (April 3-4)! Coaches: This is a great opportunity, not only for your players, but for you to learn some great new skills and drills as well!

Pitchers' Clinics:

Friday nights at Pacific Union School in Arcata

8-10 year olds from 5:00 to 6:00

11-16 year olds from 6:00 to 7:00

No charge, but every pitcher needs to bring a catcher (adult preferred).

Player Clinics:

Saturday mornings at Pacific Union School

7-10 year olds from 9:00 to 10:30

11-16 year olds from 10:30 to 12:00

$5 per player per session helps cover the cost of Kelly's assistant coaches.

New Dates for Opening Day and the Jamboree

2010-03-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

Due to our beautiful Humboldt County spring rains and the lack of dry playing fields, we have officially moved Opening Day to Monday, April 12th. Our traditional season-opening Jamboree and team pictures will happen on Saturday, April 17th. A late start to be sure, but at least we'll all get some quality practice time before the games begin.

Now, if the rain would just quit for a bit, we can really get started. It's way past time for the umps to holler, "Play ball!"

Special Pitcher and Player Clinics Begin This Week!

2010-03-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is excited to add former Arcata High softball coach Kelly Helms to our coaching staff this season. Kelly will be leading pitching and player clinics all registered MRGFSA players on Fridays and Saturdays for this season. Kelly is an outstanding coach and a great teacher of softball skills. We're excited to have her on our "staff".

Pitchers Clinics:
Friday nights at Pacific Union School in Arcata
8-10 year olds from 5:00 - 6:00
11-16 year olds from 6:00 - 7:00
No charge, but every pitcher needs to bring a catcher (adult preferred).

Fri 3/26: The PU field is open and the clinic will go on as scheduled!

Player Clinics:
Saturday mornings at Pacific Union School
7-10 year olds from 9:00 - 10:30 am
11-16 year olds from 10:30 - 12:00.
$5 per player per session helps cover the costs of her assistant coaches.

All registered MRGFSA players are invited to participate in these clinics throughout the season.

We'll see y'all out on the diamond.

Our first weekly update!

2010-03-17T21:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our 2010 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball season! Due a great turn-out at last Saturday's assessment we've nearly matched last years numbers and we're on the verge of creating yet another team in one of our divisions. Here are a few notes and updates from the first few days.

Fields: Due to the wet weather of late, all the fields in Arcata are unusable until at least the week of March 22nd. McKinleyville's Hiller Field is available for practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Board officials are working with the city of Arcata to know as soon as possible when we can get out on the infields. Your coaches will let you know when your practices are able to begin.

Coaches' note: There's a link on the right side of this page to the practice field schedule for the next 3 weeks. Please contact Jeff at 845-0106 or coachjeff14@sbcglobal.net to reserve your practice field and time. We may end up sharing field times with each other, at least until the weather clears up a bit.

New dates for the season's start and the Jamboree: Thanks again to the rain, we've decided to push the start of the season back to Monday, April 12th. Games will begin in earnest that week. We will hold our traditional season-opening Jamboree and take our team pictures on Saturday, April 17th.

New players = More teams: We can still accept late registrations (again, thanks to the rain) for girls wanting to play this season. Currently, we have 3 teams in each of our 4 divisions. We are very close to creating 4th team in our 12 & Under division. If you know of girls who want to play but didn't get the chance to sign-up, tell them to contact us at 822-3575 or email us at: madrivergirlssoftball.org. (3/25 update: The 10 & Under and 12 & Under divisions are full at this time. We may still have room for additional 8 & Under or 16 & Under players. Contact us at 822-3575 for more information. Thanks!)

Haven't heard from your coach? Have no fear...that call is on the way. Several of our coaches are waiting to hear about practice field availability so they can give the best information to parents and players. You should be hearing from your coach this week. If you haven't heard by Friday, please call (822-3575) or email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com to find out how to contact your coach.

We're still looking for league sponsors for this season. If you know of an individual or a local business that would like to help us in creating and rewarding and fun softball season, we invite you download a copy of our sponsorship form and contact the league office. Thank you for your help in soliciting and supporting our local sponsors.

Feel free to contact us with any questions now or during the season. Our email address is madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com, or call the hotline at 822-3575.

And don't forget to join and contribute to our new Facebook Page. Check it out now!

Player Assessment Day: Saturday, March 13th at the HSU Field House

2010-03-10T14:48:00.000-08:00

Our annual player assessment day will be held this Saturday, March 13th at the HSU Field House in Arcata. All prospective players should plan on attending!

The assessment is not a tryout. We will take about an hour to give the players a chance to hit, field, run and throw, to help the coaches determine team assignments for the season.

It is not too late to register for the 2010 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball season! If you haven't registered yet, please download our registration form from this website and bring it with you on Saturday!

Players should arrive on Saturday ready to play with gloves and cleats or sneakers (no metal cleats!) with their appropriate age group. A player's age for team assignments is based on their age as of December 31, 2009. Assessment times are:

7 & 8 year olds 11:30 to 12:30

9 & 10 year olds 12:30 to 1:30

11 & 12 year olds 1:30 to 2:30

13 years and older 2:30 to 3:30

We will have volunteers on hand to help players order the proper sized uniforms, and to place orders for knee pads and sliding shorts.

Coaches will gather on Sunday, March 14th to determine team assignments. Parents and players should receive a call sometime in the following week from their coaches informing them of practice times. Practices may begin as soon as Monday, March 13th pending the availability of fields.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at 822-3575 or by email at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com.

Once again, it's not too late to register for the 2010 season. Download the registration form here and bring it with you to the assessments on Saturday.
See y'all on Saturday!

Umpiring Clinic Set for March 13-14, 2010

2010-03-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

The Second Annual Humboldt Area Softball Umpiring Clinic is scheduled for the weekend of March 13th and March 14th. This clinic is affiliated with Amateur Softball Association and CA State High School Athletic Association.

The clinic will be held on Saturday, March 13 and Sunday March 14 on or near the campus of HSU from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm daily. It will be taught by qualified instructors with experience in collegiate, high school, and ASA softball.

We plan to cover:

· Up-to-date rules and mechanics (where to move for different plays)

· Umpire signals

· Placement drills

· Plate “mechanics”, for both Fast pitch and slow pitch

· Slow pitch and Fast Pitch positioning

· We will also attend (at least a part of the) HSU Women’s Softball game on Saturday.

There is a two-day commitment to be certified as ASA umpire. Initial high school official training is also being built in to the clinic. Upon certification, you will receive 2010 Membership in ASA, recognizable across USA and Canada. And, you’ll be Insured for $2,000,000 liability coverage.

Lunch will be provided on Saturday.

The cost for the clinic is $50.00.

We are offering a rebate of up to $25 if you agree to umpire five (5) dates for Humboldt County’s only ASA softball league, the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association during April and May. Rebates will be provided with regular payment for games. (Regular pay is $30/game… normally 2 games per evening.)

A clinic registration form is available by contacting Gary McLachlan at umpiringisgreat@gmail.com or call him at 707-502-9361.

We'll see you there!

2010 Player Registrations - One More Time!

2010-03-04T20:17:00.001-08:00

Our final on-site registration day arrives this Saturday, February 27th at the Arcata Community Center from 9:00 am through 3:30 pm.

Our new reduced player registration fees are just $45 plus a one-time $30 uniform fee (pay the uniform fee just once and you'll have a uniform for the rest of your MRGFSA career!)

And, if you can't make it this Saturday, that's ok. Download our application from this website (link's on the right) and bring it to our Assessment Day on Saturday, March 13th at the HSU Field House. If you could, drop us an email or give us a call at 822-3575 and let us know you'll be there.

See y'all on Saturday!

2010 Softball Registrations - The Final Two Weeks!!

2010-02-25T20:38:00.000-08:00

Registration continues this weekend and next for the 2010 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball season continue.

Saturday, February 27th,

we'll be at the Arcata Community Center from 9:00 am through 3:30 pm.

We'll also be at the Safeway in McKinleyville from 10 am to 3 pm.

Our new reduced player registration fees are just $45 plus a one-time $30 uniform fee (pay the uniform fee just once and you'll have a uniform for the rest of your MRGFSA career!)

You're welcome to download our application from this website and bring it to us on Saturday, or simply mail it back to us at anytime prior to March 13th.

We'll see y'all on Saturday!

We'll be back at the Arcata Community Center next weekend, Saturday, March 6th from 9am to 3:30 pm for our final on-site registration day.

2010 Registrations Continue: This Week in McKinleyville

2010-02-19T13:50:00.000-08:00

Player registrations for the 2010 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball season continue this weekend. On Saturday, February 20th, we'll at Safeway in McKinleyville from 10 am to 3 pm. Over the past 20 years, McKinleyville players have made up about half of all our teams. This year, as in the past, we will hold practices and games at Hiller Park.

Our new reduced player registration fees are just $45 for all a one-time $30 uniform fee (pay the uniform fee just once and you'll have a uniform for the rest of your MRGFSA career!)

You're welcome to download our application from this here website and bring it to us on Saturday, or simply mail it back to us at anytime prior to March 13th.

We'll see y'all on Saturday!

In addition to this Saturday, here are other registration days:

Saturday, February 27 at the Arcata Community Center from 9 am to 3:30 pm
Saturday, March 6th at the Arcata Community Center from 9 am to 3:30 pm.

Our 2nd Annual Winter Warm Up clinic: Sunday February 21 at the Arcata Community Center

2010-02-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

Announcing our 2nd Annual Winter Warm-Up Clinic
Sunday, February 21st 12:30 - 3:30
at the Arcata Community Center

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association welcomes players ages 7 to 12 to join us for a fun-filled afternoon of softball this Sunday, February 21st, at the Arcata Community Center.

Under the guidance of MRGFSA's ASA certified coaches and alumni, players will have the chance to learn (or re-learn after the long off-season) basic hitting and fielding skills. A separate station for pitchers will be held for players 9 and older.

A $10 registration fee gets your player three hours of quality softball instruction and a t-shirt. You do not need to be a registered MRGFSA player to attend.

We look forward to seeing y'all there!

2010 Player Registrations Continue this Saturday!

2010-02-11T17:05:00.001-08:00

Player registrations for the 2010 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball season continue this weekend. Thank you Eureka for your turn-out last weekend!

On Saturday, February 6th, league representatives will be at Los Bagels in Old Town Eureka from 10 am to 3 pm....a free bagel for all newly registered players.

We'll also be at Staples in Eureka from 10 am through 3 pm as well.

Player registration fees are just $45 for all new players plus a one-time $30 uniform fee (pay the uniform fee just once and you'll have a uniform for the rest of your MRGFSA career!)

You're also welcome to download our application from this here website and mail it back to us at anytime prior to March 13th.

We'll see y'all on Saturday!

In addition to this Saturday, here are other registration days:

Saturday, February 20 in McKinleyville (times and location to be announced)

Saturday, February 27 at the Arcata Community Center from 9 am to 3:30 pm
Saturday, March 6th at the Arcata Community Center from 9 am to 3:30 pm.

2010 Season Player Registrations Begin Saturday, February 6th

2010-02-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

Hey softball players and parents....

Our first registration day for Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's 2010 season is Saturday, February 6th. We'll be in Eureka this weekend at Los Bagels in Old Town and at Staples on Harrison Avenue between 10 am and 3 pm. We'll be at both locations again next weekend as well!

Come on down and talk with our league representatives for more information on our program, pick up a registration form and either sign up on the spot, or pick one up and mail it back to us anytime before March 13th.

Player registration fees are $60 for the season, plus a one-time $30 uniform fee (pay the uniform fee just once and you'll have a uniform for the rest of your MRGFSA career!)

In addition to Saturday, here are other registration days:

Saturday, February 13 in Eureka at Los Bagels and Staples, 10 am to 3 pm
Saturday, February 20 in McKinleyville (times and location to be announced)
Saturday, February 27 at the Arcata Community Center from 9 am to 3:30 pm
Saturday, March 6th at the Arcata Community Center from 9 am to 3:30 pm.

You're also welcome to download our application from this here website and mail it back to us at anytime prior to March 13th.

See you Saturday!

ASA Softball Comes to Eureka (Eureka Times Standard, Sunday, January 24, 2010

2010-01-24T06:50:00.001-08:00

There's a quick article on Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball in today's Sunday sports pages....

ASA Softball Comes to Eureka

For the first time in a long time, families living in Eureka won't have to drive all the way to Arcata this year for high-quality softball.
Beginning in March, Mad River Softball will offer a competitive league that is sanctioned by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA). For the last five years, Arcata has been the only place locally to offer such a program.
”We have been north of Eureka for a long time, and we thought that there is softball in Eureka, but it's mainly Little League,” said Dan Duncan, president of Mad River Softball and the commissioner of the ASA in Humboldt County. “But ASA is different. We have rules that are consistent with high school and college softball, so players who go through the program will be ready for higher development in the sport.”
Practices begin March 15 and you can register on-line at madrivergirlssoftball.org (also check the scoreboard page for on-site registrations).
For more information on the league, call 707-822-3575.

2010: It's almost here!

2010-01-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. 2010 actually began a couple weeks ago, but around here the year really doesn't get going until the gloves are loosened up and the pop of a big yellow ball on soft leather is heard throughout the neighborhood.

The Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is gearing up for another great season of girls fastpitch softball! Changes are afoot on the field and off, and we invite you to join us for an exciting 2010 season.

Our big news?

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball is coming to Eureka in 2010!

Our quality ASA-sanctioned recreational program has served the Arcata and McKinleyville communities for the past 20 years. In 2010, we're bringing our special brand of recreational ASA fastpitch softball to Eureka. Through agreements with the City of Eureka, MRGFSA will hold practices and games at both Kennedy and Hartman Fields. Along with quality, certified coaches, Eureka players will benefit from our positive coaching environment, a laser focus on age-appropriate skill development, and trained and certified umpires, all wrapped in a supportive team environment.

We welcome all interested Eureka players, parents and coaches to contact us for more information on our program. We look forward to building a strong ASA fastpitch softball program throughout northern Humboldt County.

To our loyal players and parents further north, our program continues to grow in Arcata, McKinleyville and the surrounding communities. As in years past, practices and games will be scheduled at Hiller Park in McKinleyville, the Arcata Sports Complex, and at our new field in Samoa!

Important Upcoming Dates

On-site Registrations:

Saturday February 6 and February 13 at the Eureka Los Bagels and Staples from 10am to 3pm
Saturday, February 27 and March 6 at the Arcata Community Center from 9am to 3:30pm.
You can also download our 2010 registration form here and mail it into us at any time, or call us at 822-3575 and we'll send one out to you.

Our Winter Warm-Up Clinic, Saturday, February 21st for all players ages 7 to 10 at the Arcata Community Center.

Player Assessments on Saturday, March 13th at the HSU Field House, 11:30 to 3:30 (times will depend on your player's age)

Practices begin on Monday, March 15th and our 2010 season runs from April 12th through 11th.

New Coaches, Umpires, Volunteers and Sponsors are always welcome!
Are you interested in being part of our exciting and expanding program? The MRGFSA board welcomes all interested coaches and parent volunteers. With our expansion to Eureka, we welcome all Eureka softball fans to help us make our program the premier fastpitch softball experience on the North Coast. Please feel free to email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com or call our office at 822-3575 for information.

And....we're now on Facebook! Join our group by typing in "Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association" and join in on the fun. Let's share some photos, great plays, game chatter and story telling with all our softball friends.

I don't know about all of you, but it's gettin' about time to PLAY BALL!

We're looking forward to seeing everyone very soon.

2009 All-Stars!

2009-06-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

We'd like to take a moment to congratulate our 2009 Mad River Girls ASA All-Stars for 2009. Players were selected by their teammates and coaches to participate in the All-Star exhibition games last Friday night. Congratulations to all of you for your success on and off the field in 2009!

10 & Under Division
Jenelle Bourgeois (Demons)
Sarah Bullaro (Demons)
Terra Clark (Fog)
Brittany Dawson (Fireballs)
Emily Denny (iGuanas)
Cassie Flint (Demons)
Taylor Goldston (Demons)
Angel Goodman (Demons)
Haley Hogan (Fog)
Brenna Killoran (Fireballs)
Daisy Nutter (Fog)
Cait Parker (Fog)
Hannah Pomerantz (iGuanas)
Maddie Pomerantz (iGuanas)
Mae Rosebrook (iGuanas)
Krista Scholz (Fireballs)
Terra Silva (Fog)
Sierra Smith (Fireballs)
Taylor Smith (Fireballs)

12 & Under Division
Lacey Anderson (No Names)
Dakota Carlson (Junkyard Dogs)
Alix Flint (No Names)
Allegra Flint (Junkyard Dogs)
Margo Karp (Ice)
Bella Ibarra (Ice)
Sophie LeFuel (Junkyard Dogs)
Morgan Mahan (Junkyard Dogs)
Paige Nickols (No Names)
Caitlyn Nieri (Ice)
Madelyn Nutter (Junkyard Dogs)
Mikayla Orlandi (Ice)
Karuna Purcell (Junkyard Dogs)
Kayla Reed (Ice)
Zoe Rossman (No Names)
Brittany Ward (No Names)
Courtney Wilson (Ice)

16 & Under Division
Kasey Aveggio (Bruisers)
Camille Flint (Bruisers)
Alex Harris (Bruisers)
Erin Haynes (Shasta)
Kona Orlandi (Bruisers)
Maricela Resendez (Bruisers)
Kelsey Spalding (Shasta)

Congratulations to our 2009 Division Champions!

2009-06-14T11:23:00.001-07:00

Our softball season ended in grand style with the crowing of our 2009 season and tournament champions.

In the 12 & Under Division, Lori Reed's Ice, sponsored by the Borgie Churchwell Benefit Fund, defeated Willie Ward's No Names, sponsored by the Soroptimists, in the championship game. Congratulations to the Ice for also posting the best season record in the 12U division.

The 10 & Under Division crowned co-Champions this season. Coach Craig Parker's Fog, sponsored by Northern Redwood Federal Credit Union, took the regular season title. In the championship tournament, Jeff Denny's iGuanas, sponsored by Coast Central Credit Union, won the final game, forcing a share of the 2009 10U tourney title with the Fog.

And congratulations to all the great players, coaches and parents who helped make our 2009 season one of our best ever.

Thanks!

Championships and All-Stars. What a way to end a great season!

2009-06-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

The Division Championships are set!

In the 12 & Under Division, the Borgie Churchwell team will face off against the Soroptimist squad on Tuesday night, June 9th at 6pm at the Arcata Sports Complex.

The 10 & Under title will be fought out between the Northern Redwood Federal Credit Union "Fog" and the Coast Central Credit Union "iGuanas" on Thursday evening, June 11th, also at 6pm in Arcata.

All-Star Extravaganza - Friday, June 12th at the Arcata Sports Complex

All three all-star games will be played on Friday, June 12th at the Arcata Sports Complex. Players from all Mad River teams will face off against players from the Cutten-Ridgewood program in exciting, season-ending matches.

The 12 & Under game begins at 5:30.

The 10 & Under match begins at 6:00.

And, the 16 & Under game will be played under the lights at 7:00.

Coaches eat free on All-Star Friday, our small token of thanks for all the hard work you've put into this season.

Updates for Thursday, June 4th

2009-06-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

Due to schedule complications and player availability, the remainder of the 16 & Under tournament has been cancelled. The next stop for 16 & Under players will be the All-Star game, currently scheduled for Tuesday, June 9 at 6pm at the Arcata Sports Complex. Your coaches will be in contact with you shortly.

For updates on field availability today, please call the Mad River Softball hotline at 822-3575 after 3pm. Conditions at the Arcata Sports Complex, Hiller Park, and Winship school will be available there. (Your usually reliable webmaster has prior commitments and may not be near a computer later today.)

Rainy Wednesday tournament games have been rescheduled.

2009-06-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Dateline: Wednesday, June 3, 2009...

Tonight's Tournament games have been rescheduled due to our local thunderstorms.

The 10 & Under Tournament will stay intact with no changes to the existing schedule.

The 12 & Under and 16 & Under Tournaments have been rescheduled. Click on the links to the right for the updated schedules.

Thanks!

12 & Under ASA Travel Team Forming! Tryouts Saturday 5/30 and Sunday 5/31

2009-05-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is forming a 12 & Under ASA Travel Team for the summer.

Tryouts for this team will be held on Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st from 10:00 to 11:30 am at the Arcata Sports Complex. Interested players need attend only one of the two days for skill assessments.

The player's age on December 31, 2008 determines their ASA eligibility.

The travel ball season will run from mid-June through mid-August with three practices per week.

Any local 12U player is eligible.

For more information, contact Dan at 822-3575.

Let the Games Begin: Championship Tournaments Begin on June 1st!

2009-05-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

Schedules for our annual end-of-season tournaments are now online. (Check the links on the right.)

A double-elimination tournament for all teams in the 10U, 12U and 16U divisions begins on Monday, June 1st. Championship games for the 12U and 16U divisions will be held at Winship School on Saturday, June 6th. The 10U division plays their Championship game at the Arcata Sports Complex on Wednesday, June 10th in Arcata. All games begin at 6:00 pm.

Final seedings for the tournament will be determined by Friday, May 29th.

Schedule adjustments as of 5/10/09

2009-05-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Revised schedules reflecting last week's rainouts are posted on the league website and available now. Changes effect games as soon as tomorrow, Monday 5/11. The Master Schedule and individual division schedules should match.

Please look over the revised schedules closely. It is the coaches' responsibility to communicate the changes to your teams.

8 Under Division: No changes to the existing schedules. The rained out interleague games will not be rescheduled.

10 Under Division: There were changes reflecting rainouts.

12 Under Division: There were changes to adjust for rainouts and schedule conflicts.

16 Under Division: There are no changes to the remainder of the schedule.

We've tried to fit in as many rescheduled games as we could. In some cases, either coaches' requests or field availability left me without good options for rescheduling. Changes from here on out will take place on a case by case basis. With just three weeks remaining in the season, and fields and umpires in short supply, please understand that we may not be able to make up each and every game.

Thank you all for your support and patience as we find times for games missed due to weather or school conflicts.

Remember that a post-season championship tournament for the 10U, 12U and 16U divisions will take place during the week of June 1st.

A few scheduling changes as of 4/20/09

2009-04-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

We've made a few adjustments to the 8U, 10U, and 12U schedules to cover some rain-outs, additional games, and schedule conflicts. Please check the league's website to get hold of the latest schedules. (The 16U schedule thankfully remains as it was prior to the break.)

8Under teams: You now have two weeks of interleague games between Mad River and Cutten-Ridgewood teams, the weeks of May 4-7 and May 18-21. Note that all Cutten games are played at Winship School in Eureka with a 6:00 start time. All Mad River home games start at 6:30. There is one 6pm game at Hiller Park in McKinleyville, and one 6pm game in Manila.

10Under teams: The two games lost to rain on Thursday 4/09 have both been rescheduled for Monday 5/11.

12Under teams: The rain-out on 4/09 has been rescheduled to Wed 5/13. And, to accomodate the Cutten teams who can't get to Arcata prior to 6pm, I've shuffled the schedule a bit on the week of 4/28 to accomodate the time issue.

Please download the latest copy of your division schedule from the website and make sure your players and families have the latest version.

And, as always, stay tuned for additional adjustments as they come up. Your coaches should have the latest information, but if you have any questions, don't hesitate to email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com.

Schedules! April 4th Jamboree and 2009 Season Schedules are now online!

2009-04-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

It's time for softball!

Saturday, April 4th...yes, that's this weekend...is our Opening Day Jamboree for the 2009 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Season. A schedule of the days events - which includes team photos, 1-inning mini-games, chocolate bar fundraiser distribution, and the concession stand - is posted in the link to the right.

Game schedules for the complete season are located to the right as well. This season as in the past, we will be partnering with the Cutten-Ridgewood Softball Association, our ASA neighbors in Eureka, for a 12-13 game season. Games begin on Monday, April 6th and will run through the end of May. A championship tournament and divisional all-star games will close our season the first week of June.

We'll see y'all on Saturday!

Forgot to sign up? It's not too late!

2009-03-18T08:15:00.001-07:00

Coaches, parents and nearly 110 softball players enjoyed a great Saturday afternoon testing their softball skills on assessment day last weekend. On Sunday, your coaches spent another afternoon divvying up the kids in to 12 teams and 4 divisions. You should be hearing from your coaches about practice schedules this week.

If you missed our assessments or haven't registered, it's not too late! We're still accepting registrations for new and returning players of all ages (7-16). Please download the player registration form on the right of this page and send it in to us as soon as possible. High school JV players from any area high school looking for quality playing time and coaching after the JV season ends are encouraged to join our program.

If you would, please drop us an email at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com and let us know you plan on registering. Late registrations are not necessarily guaranteed placement with specific teams or coaches, but everyone will have a chance to play.

Practices have already started and games begin on Saturday, April 4th.

Player Assessments: Saturday, March 14th at the HSU Field House

2009-03-10T14:17:00.001-07:00

Softball Season has finally, finally arrived!

Player assessments for the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's 2009 Spring Season will be held this Saturday, March 14th, at the Humboldt State University Field House (on campus at the north end of Union Street).

Players need to bring only their softball gloves. Rubber softball cleats are permitted in the field house.

These are not try-outs! Every player registered will be placed on a team. Saturday is a simple skills assessment to help coaches determine the best team placement to ensure a competitive and rewarding softball experience for our players.

Players should show up at the times set for their age groups. A player's division is determined by their age on December 31, 2008. Here are the times:

7 & 8 year olds: 12:00 - 1:00

9 & 10 year olds: 1:00 - 2:00

11 & 12 year olds: 2:00 - 3:00

13 to 16 year olds: 3:00 - 4:00

Registration forms and fees will be collected at the assessments (f you've not pre-registered already). Please download the registration form here, and bring it with you, along with the $60 registration fee and $30 refundable uniform deposit. Players will not be able to participate in practices or games until all fees are paid.

The player draft is scheduled for Sunday, March 15th. You should be hearing from your coach during the week of March 16th. Practices may begin as soon as coaches have contacted their players. (And after the fields are dry enough for us to play on.)

If you have any questions about the assessments or team placement, please don't hesitate to contact us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com , or call the league hotline at 822-3575.

We'll see you Saturday!

Coaches Meeting - Sunday, March 8th, 2-5pm, St Mary's School, Arcata

2009-03-05T13:24:00.001-08:00

Calling All Coaches!

Our pre-season Coaches' Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 8th, from 2pm -5pm at St. Mary's School in Arcata (on Janes Road, right next to St. Mary's Church). This meeting is critical for all new and returning coaches to attend...and any potential coaches. Assistant coaches are encouraged to attend as well.

We will be covering a variety of issues including:

Schedules for the upcoming spring season
2009 Rules updates
Plans for next weekend's player assessments and draft
Our new and improved umpiring crew
Coaching skills instruction by Kelly Helms, Arcata HS varsity coach
ASA Coach Certification

Please plan on attending this important meeting. Let's get our 2009 spring season up and running in style.

Any questions, please email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com or call the office, 822-3575.

Note: We are still looking for interested coaches for the 8 & Under "Rookie" division and our 16 & Under division. If you're interested in coaching opportunities (in any age division) please contact us now!

Pitchers Clinic Cancelled...But wait, there's more....

2009-03-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's 2009 pitchers clinic, scheduled for March 21st has been cancelled.

However...instead of a one-time, two-hour clinic, league pitching coach, Hannah Whitlow, will be conducting weekly pitching lessons for Mad River pitchers beginning in March and running through the season. Two pitchers per team will be eligible to participate in these lessons. Lessons will be scheduled for specific age divisions (10U, 12U, 16U). If you're interested in participating, please talk to your coaches.

The 1st Arcata Area FastPitch Umpire Clinic - March 21-22

2009-03-03T10:41:00.001-08:00

The Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is excited to announce our first annual

Arcata Area Fastpitch Umpire Clinic

March 21 and 22

8 am - 4 pm

at Pacific Union School

on Janes Road in Arcata (next to Mad River Hospital)

Registration is $25 for both days

and includes lunch on both days, free t-shirts,

and certificates to all who complete the training.

Click right here for your downloadable registration form!

Registration deadline is Saturday, March 14th.

Late registration is possible, but will not guarantee a t-shirt or lunch.

Please send a an email of your intent to register to umpiringisgreat@gmail.com.

Advance registration is required for this first-of-its-kind umpire training in Humboldt County. The registration deadline is Saturday, March 14th. Contact league Umpire-in-Chief Gary McLachlan at 707-502-9361 or via email at umpiringisgreat@gmail.com to register.

This special clinic will develop basic fastpitch softball umpiring skills for the participants, regardless of previous experience. We will focus on correct field positioning, umpire movement on each play, responsibility as part of the team of umpires on the field, basic rules, pitching positioning. Umpire decorum and how to handle coaches and players will also be covered.

While ASA Fastpitch umpiring standards will be emphasized, the clinic is open to all umpires, regardless of experience or affiliation, in area fastpitch softball programs, including ASA, Little League and High School programs.

Please join us for this important training.

Meet Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball's new Umpire-in-Chief: Gary McLachlan moved to Humboldt County from Atlanta last summer. An active umpire for many years, Gary has officiated ASA, High School and Junior College level softball. He has umpired in three national tournaments in his 40 year career. Gary's emphasis is to assist the recreational softball umpiring in the Arcata-Eureka-McKinleyville area.

Opportunities for umpiring in Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's spring season are available now! Contact Gary at umpiringisgreat@gmail.com or the league at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com for more information.

Spring Season Registrations Continue! Saturday, February 28th at the Arcata Community Center

2009-02-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Softball Registrations Continue This Weekend!

Saturday, February 28th from 9am 'til 2pm
at the
Arcata Community Center

League officials will be on hand to register new and returning players and answer any and all questions you might have about our upcoming season.

Registration forms will also be available at Pacific Union and Sunny Brae Schools during the Arcata Youth Basketball games today. They can be downloaded right here and brought to the registration table as well.

Registrations may be handed in in-person today, mailed in to the league before our March 14th player assessments at HSU, or brought directly to the assessments.

Fees are $60 for player registration and $30 for the uniform deposit which is refundable at the end of the season.

If you have any questions, find us today, or email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com.

We'll see you out there!

2009 Spring Season: Important Dates!

2009-01-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

Let's get ready for spring softball?

2009 Player registration forms went out in the mail this week to all of our returning players. Downloadable Registration forms are also available by clicking on the link on the right hand side of the page (--->>).

And, we'll be registering players in person at the Arcata Community Center on Saturday, February 21st and Saturday, February 28th between 9:00 and 2:00 (during Arcata youth basketball games). Register early...and invite your friends to join in the fun!

Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

Monday, February 16th: College of the Redwoods Softball Clinic, 9am-1pm at the CR Field House

Saturday, March 14th: Player Assessments at the HSU Field House: use your child's age as of 12/31/2008 to determine your child's assessment time:

7 & 8 year olds: 12:00 - 1:00

9 & 10 year olds: 1:00 - 2:00

11 & 12 year olds: 2:00 - 3:00

13 to 16 year olds: 3:00 - 4:00

Monday, March 16th: Team practices begin.

Saturday, April 4th: Opening Day Jamboree and team pictures.

Monday, April 6th: Let the games begin. (No games are scheduled during Spring Break, 4/13-17)

June 1-5: End of season tournament week.

Saturday, June 13th: All-Star games (tentative)

If you have any questions, check this site regularly. And, don't hesitate to contact us via email at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com

College of the Redwoods Softball Clinic, Monday, February 16th, 9am to 1pm

2009-01-28T08:42:00.001-08:00

The College of the Redwoods is hosting a softball clinic on Monday, February 16th at the CR Field House. That's President's Day folks, so our players and at least a few of us parents and coaches have the day off to participate in this great clinic. The clinic is open to all players from grades 3 to 12.

$30 if you register by February 12th; $40 to register at the door. Doors open at 8:30 for early registration.

Check out the CR Softball website for more information. We'd love to see a great turn-out of Mad River players at the clinic.

It's 2009! Spring Softball is just around the corner!

2009-01-27T19:02:00.000-08:00

Has it really been this long?

By mid-June last summer, our seasoned players had drifted off to summer camps and family vacations. The Mad River 12 & Under travel team played on a while longer, competing in tournaments across northern California in July.

By August our softball players had become soccer players. Older coaches took their kids to college while our older players headed off to high school. October slid into November which eased into December. Soccer goalies became basketball point guards.

And now, finally, it's a new year. Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's spring season is barely a month away. We're pulling our gloves out of the closets or breaking in the new ones we got for Christmas. When the sun shines (which it's doing quite frequently these days), you'll even hear the sharp pop of ball on leather. Muddy cleats, still stinky from last season, begin to scratch the edges of the community center grass.

Spring Softball. You can feel it. It's almost here.

Your Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball coaches and board members are already hard at work getting ready for the coming season. Registrations for returning players are stamped and on their way to your mailbox.

Stay tuned to these pages in the coming days for important dates, updates, registration forms, schedules, and all the info you'll need for the coming season.

Let's play some softball!

2008 All Star Extravaganza!! Saturday, June 14th at the Arcata Sports Complex

2008-06-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, June 14th we mark the end of our 2008 Spring Softball Season with an All-Star Extavaganza at the Arcata Sports Complex.

First pitches will be thrown at 10:00 am.

On the North Field, you’ll find the 16 & Under Tournament Championship game featuring our most experienced Mad River players and some of the finest pitching, hitting, and fielding this side of the Pecos.

On the South Field, the 10 & Under All Stars challenge themselves to an intraleague game highlighting some our league's best young talent.

At noon, the 12 & Under Division treats their 2008 All Stars to a host of fun activities and softball challenges.

We finish the day at 2 pm with Mad River's 16 & Under All Stars taking on the All Stars from our partners and rivals in the Cutten-Ridgewood softball program.

And, the Snack Shack is open all day!

Following the final out of the final game, coaches and families are invited to stick around for a quick coaches meeting and equipment/uniform return and a thank you BBQ.

Congratulations to our 2008 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball ALL STARS!

10 & Under Division

Krista Sholz

Taj Peterson

Danielle Debeni

Samantha Lake

Brenna Killoran

Karissa Bradley

Emily Denny

Dakota Carlson

Hannah Pomerantz

Kate Harvey

Olivia Hoffman

Adrianna Tatom

Mercedes Butterworth

Morgan Mahan

Tenayah French

Angel Goodman

Delaney Rice

Cait Parker

Madeline Nutter

Haley Hogan

12 & Under Division
Kayla Reed
Makayla Orlandi
Rachael Miller
Bella Ibarra
Lacey Anderson
Alix Flint
Chloe Lang
Marissa Bianca
Brittany Ward
Nina Farias
Caitlin Nieri
Analora Barsuglia

16 & Under Division
Hannah Denny
Frankie Christen
Erica Biggs
Maggie Martinez
Jenni Phillips
Stephanie Hurt
Dana Morris-Punch
Liberty Ingraham-Gonzales
Petey Levesque
Cavanaugh Carter
Amanda Kunst
Tara Harpe-Whetstone

Congratulations to our 2008 League & Tournament champions!!

2008-06-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

We have had a wonderful (and rain-free for a change!) spring softball season here in northern Humboldt County. All of our teams, regardless of their final records, have played like champions, learned a tremendous amount about the game and about teamwork, and hopefully made some great friends along the way.

We'd like to take just a moment and congratulate our 2008 Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's Season and Tournament Champions.

In the 10 and Under Division, our season champions (best record at the end of the season) are the Fog, coached by Mike Rice and sponsored by Hank's Coffeehouse.

The 10 & Under Tournament winners this season are the Swinging Monkeys, coached by Rob Flint and sponsored by Alves, Inc.

In the 12 & Under Division, the Black Widows, sponsored by Soroptimist International, and coached by Melissa and Willie Ward, captured both the the regular season championship and the tournament championship!

The 16 & Under Division's regular season was won by Evergreen Pulp's Donkers, coached by Jeff Denny. The Donkers also won the tournament championship game for the 16 & Under division capping a 14-0 season.

Congratulations to all our outstanding softball players and teams on a successful and wildly fun 2008 softball season!

It's Tournament Time!

2008-05-30T16:37:00.001-07:00

It seems like our season began just a few days ago, yet it's now time for our annual end of the season tournament. Our final regular season games are played this weekend, and the double-elimination tourney to crown division champions starts on Monday.

Due to a variety of scheduling issues, this year's tournament is a Mad River only affair. Schedules for the 10 & Under, 12 & Under, and 16 & Under divisions are available at the click of these buttons:

10 & Under Tournament
12 & Under Tournament
16 & Under Tournament

Tournament results updated, Thursday 6/11/08!

And stay tuned here to follow the progress of your favorite team through the tourney.

All-Star games between the Mad River and Cutten-Ridgewood leagues will be played on Saturday, June 14th at the Arcata Sports Complex. Stay tuned here for a complete list of our 2008 All-Stars and a schedule of the games.

(A coaches' appreciation BBQ and equipment/uniform return time will follow the All-Star Games. More details soon.)

Good luck to all our teams and softball players in this years tournament!

...And the weather holds on for a great opening week of softball!

2008-05-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

The north coast's weather teased us a bit both on opening day and the middle of this week, but the skies stayed mostly dry for us. Despite the wet threats and a few showers, the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's 2008 spring season kicked off this week. Even a brief hailstorm on Tuesday night couldn't drive our teams off the fields!

16 games have already been played in this young season, in three towns, on five fields, and among 21 teams. And there's plenty more to come.

Check out the photos from last Saturday's games between our own Mad River 10 & Under teams. Our youngest pitchers are already looking like seasoned pros out there.

We'd love to share your photos or hear your softball stories on this website. Coaches, parents, kids, grandparents...please email us your photos, classic moments, or play-by-play game commentary, and we'll do our darnedest to get them up for all to see. It'll be great to share the fun we're having playin' softball in Humboldt County.

And if you want to catch some really great softball, the HSU softball team begins their hunt for the CCAA championship tournament this week, and HSU and the city of Arcata host the NCAA Division II Western Regional Tournament May 7-11 at HSU. Check out the papers or the HSU softball website for updates.

Updated schedules are now posted!

2008-04-28T23:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the watchful eye of many a reader, we found a few changes that needed to be made in the schedules. Updated schedules are now available with a click on the right hand side of this page.

Changes in the 8 & under and 10 & under divisions are fairly minor involving only a couple of games.

Changes for the 16 & under division are pretty significant since the Fortuna team failed to materialize.

Also check out the concession stand schedule for the Arcata fields. Every team gets 2 or 3 turns at staffing our snack shack. This is the biggest fundraiser for our league so please make sure your team is helping when it's scheduled. If you don't show up when scheduled, the snack shack is closed and the league has no income. Thank you for helping ensure the girls have everything they need for a quality softball experience.

Keep an eye on this website for updates and changes. And don't forget to check our hotline (or this webpage) for daily field conditions at Hiller and Arcata fields.....822-3575.

Spring Season Schedules Are Ready

2008-04-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

Update Sunday 4/20: The 12 & Under Division schedule is now posted and available right here. Coaches can download the schedules from here. (Copies will be available at the Arcata Fields on Monday night. (There were also minor modifications made to the 16 under schedule affecting only one game between two teams.)

Look just to the right of these words and you'll find, finally, the game schedules for three of our four divisions: 8 & Unders, 10 & Unders, and 16 & Unders. The 12 & Under schedule was completed, but then late word of an additional team was received by this office late Saturday evening. We hope to have the 12 & Under schedule up and running before the weekend is out.

Your coaches will have copies of the schedules for you at Saturday's Jamboree.

Keep an eye on this website for something close to daily updates on the schedules as and where needed. As always, if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, email us here, or call our hotline number, 822-3575.

Let's play ball!

Saturday, April 19th: Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Jamboree

2008-04-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Our opening day Jamboree is this Saturday, April 19th at the Arcata Sports Complex. In addition to a day of exhibition games between all Mad River teams, player and team pictures will be taken.

The Jamboree Schedule is now available; Click here or here to get your copy. Your coaches will be sharing this information with you as well.

We'll see you on Saturday.

Update (4/18): The weather forecast is lookin' a bit funky for Saturday. Team and player pictures will be taken, regardless of the weather. Players should plan on being at the Arcata Fields in full uniform at their scheduled time for the pictures. Whether exhibition games are played or not will depend on the weather and field conditions at the time. Ahh, the Humboldt spring is never easy on softball season, is it? See you Saturday!

ASA Umpires Clinic: Sunday, April 13th 1:00 in Arcata

2008-04-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, April 13th, Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is offering a clinic for all current and prospective ASA fastpitch softball umpires. Our instructor is Gary McGlaughlin who has 38 years of experience in softball umpiring. Everyone, whether a beginner or practicing umpire, who is interested in the ASA program, will benefit from this clinic. The first half of the program will be instruction on technique, the second half consists of hands-on instruction on the field.

The clinic meets Sunday at 1:00 pm at the Arcata Sports Complex and runs until 5:00 pm. If it's raining, we'll move the clinic indoors. Cost is $10.00 per person.

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is currently looking for qualified umpires for our spring season. Games are generally scheduled on Monday through Thursday evenings and on Saturdays. Umpires receive $25 per game for their services. Most evenings have 2 games per field. Games are played at the Arcata Sports Complex and Hiller Field in McKinleyville.

If you're interested in umpiring for the league this spring, please call us at 822-3575, or email us here.

And now a word for our sponsors...

2008-04-07T22:10:00.001-07:00

There is no way Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association could be successful without the generous support of our sponsors. Businesses from around the northern Humboldt County community have joined us in providing outstanding opportunities girls to play this wonderful game. We'd like to take a moment to thank those who have contributed to the league's success already this season. If you know someone who works for one of these organizations, please give 'em a big thanks for the players in the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Assocation:

DBA Building Services Unlimited
Evergreen Pulp, Inc - 2 team sponsorships!
Coast Central Credit Union
Hank's Coffeehouse and General Store
Western Living Concepts (Danco)
Alves, Inc.
Mad River Lumber
Shasta Constructors
Arcata Garbage Company

Soroptimists International of Arcata

Tina's Photography

Stars Hamburgers

Woodland Group

More sponsors will be listed here as they join us.

If you or your business are interested in helping the young women of Humboldt County play softball, feel free to email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com. Downloadable sponsorship forms are available right here.

Thanks again to all those who help our young players succeed.

Let's play some softball!

2008-04-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend for Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball! A ton of kids showed up for assessments on Saturday, and on Sunday, 14 coaches tackled the difficult task of pulling the teams together for the 2008 season. Can you believe it's less than two week 'til our Jamboree, and just three weeks 'til the games start? Are you ready?

Players should hear from their coaches (if they haven't already) by the middle of this week. If you've registered and not heard from one of our coaches by Wednesday, April 9th, please email us here or call us at 822-3575. Practices for most teams start right away.

More than 150 players, ages 6 to 16 have signed on to play softball this season. We have four strong divisions.

8 & Under = 4 teams
10 & Under = 4 teams
12 & Under = 3 teams
16 & Under = 3 teams

As an ASA league, our registrations are not limited to a single community. Our players come from up and down the northern Humboldt neighborhood, from Eureka to Trinidad. Here's an idea of the geographic mix of our players and coaches: (to see this in graph form, click here.)

40% from Arcata
39% from McKinleyville
10% from Bayside
8% from Blue Lake, Trinidad, & Fieldbrook
3% from Eureka & Manila

Remember the league Jamboree (with team pictures) is Saturday, April 19th. Our games begin Monday, April 28th and run through June 6th. A season ending tournament will be played the week of June 9th. Once again, we will be playing interleague games with the Cutten-Ridgewood ASA league to round out our schedule.

Thank you all for joining us for a fantastic softball season. We'll see you on the fields.

2008 Player Assessment Day is this Saturday, April 5th at the HSU Field House

2008-04-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

Softball season is finally here.
And the sun has returned to northern Humboldt County just in time.

The Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association's player assessments for the 2008 Spring League will be held at the HSU Field House this Saturday, April 5th. All players should plan on attending this one-hour assessment at the age-appropriate times shown below. A player's age is determined by how old they were on December 31, 2007.

7 & 8 year olds: 11:30-12:30
9 & 10 year olds: 12:30-1:30
11 & 12 year olds: 1:30-2:30
13-16 year olds: 2:30-3:30

This is an assessment, not a tryout. All players who register will be placed on a team. The assessments are used to help balance our teams and place our athletes in the best position to learn and succeed. Players will be assessed on basic hitting and fielding skills. No prior softball experience is necessary for participation at any age level.

Players should bring their own gloves. Rubber cleats are permitted at the HSU Field House.

If you have not already registered, please bring a completed registration form and the registration fee with you on Saturday. The forms can be downloaded (in Word format) from here: 2008 Registration Form. (Registration forms will be available at the assessments as well.) The registration fee is $50, plus a $30 deposit for the uniform, refundable at the end of the season. Uniform sizing will also take place at the assessments. Orders for uniform accessories - sliding shorts, knee pads, etc - and a selection of league t-shirts and sweatshirts will also be available on Saturday.

If you cannot attend the assessments this Saturday, especially if you have not yet registered, please email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com or call the league hotline at 822-3575 and let us know your player's name, age (on 12/31/2007), home phone and email, and their coach's name from last season (if they played with us last year). If you contact us by Saturday, you will be included in Sunday's player draft. (Late registrations are permitted, but team placement is conditional based upon the number of established teams and the number of players already assigned to each team.)

The League's coaches will hold the player draft on Sunday afternoon. Coaches should be in contact with their players early the following week with practices beginning as soon as we can get our teams together.

If you have any questions at all, please refer to the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Assocation's website: madrivergirlssoftball.blogspot.com. Or, email us here, or call the hotline, for a relatively prompt reply to your questions.

By the way, we are still looking for a couple more interested coaches and assistant coaches, particularly at the 8 & under level. If you're interested in finding out more about our coaching opportunities, email us here or call the league's hotline, and we'll be in touch.

We'll see you on Saturday.

Play Ball!

Calling All Coaches! Mandatory coaches' meeting on Sunday, 3/16

2008-03-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

Our 2008 Spring Season Coaches' Meeting will be held on Sunday, March 16th, from 2:00-5:00 at St. Mary's School (Janes Road in Arcata).

If you're planning on being (or interested in becoming) a head coach, assistant coach, or team parent, please plan to attend this important organizational meeting.

Our agenda includes:

How to organize an effective practice,
Update on critical dates (practices, jamboree, games, and tournaments),
Discussion of the April 5th player assessments and April 6th team draft,
Update on league rules for the 2008 spring season,
Season schedules and effective in-season communication,
Reserving practice fields and times,
Upcoming coaching clinics and ASA certification requirements,
And....
Our renewed emphasis on positive coaching techniques and sportsmanship, including the league's new sportsmanship award program.

In addition, Arcata High varsity coach Kelly Helms will join us to discuss the essential skills we should be teaching at the youth level to have our players ready for high school softball.

We are still looking for positive and committed coaches and assistant coaches in all divisions. If you are interested in coaching or helping coach a team this year, please call us at 822-3575 or email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com and/or attend the March 16th meeting.

We'll see you there.

Registration at the Arcata Community Center, Saturday, March 1st from 9 to 1.

2008-02-29T13:06:00.000-08:00

Representatives from the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association will be on hand to register players for our 2008 Spring Season on Saturday, March 1st at the Arcata Community Center from 9am through 1pm.

Registrations may also be mailed to the league at any time between now and April 5th, or brought to our assessment day, scheduled for Saturday, April 5th at the HSU Field House from 11:30-4:00. A downloadable registration form is available here.

Our spring recreational league is open to all girls ages 7 through 16 in the Arcata, McKinleyville and the surrounding communities. Our league is the only league in the area solely dedicated to girls' fastpitch softball. We are affiliated with ASA, the Amateur Softball Association, the governing body of American fastpitch softball. All our coaches are certified by the ASA. Our season runs from early April through the end of the school year.

We are organized into four divisions based on the player's age on December 31, 2007:

The 8 & Under "Rookie" Division is for 7 & 8 year old beginning players is the foundation of the league. Players are given positive instruction in basic softball skills and the essentials of how the game is played. It is a non-competitive program where the coaches do the pitching and the umpiring for the games.

Our 10 & Under Division introduces players to their first year of fastpitch softball pitching. Pitching rules are modified to keep the games flowing, and beginning players are encouraged to join.

The 12 & Under division continues the development of the players' individual skills in a positive team environment. The game speeds up as we add in basestealing and bunting skills, but is still well-suited for first time players.

In the 16 & Under division, while still a recreational program, additional emphasis is placed on getting our middle-school players ready for their High School season, and providing lots of additional playing time for the High School JV players. (Our spring season coincides perfectly with the end of local JV seasons.) The focus remains however, on building a love of the game whether our players continue on to HS ball or play recreationally for the rest of their lives.

Sign up today! (Or tomorrow...as long as it happens before April 4th.)

We'll see you on the diamond.

A great day for softball! Images from our Winter Warm-up Clinic

2008-02-11T11:01:00.001-08:00

Nearly 60 girls from ages 7 to 10 joined 8 Mad River coaches and 8 of our big sister all-stars for a Sunday afternoon of great softball instruction and way too much fun than we should be having in February. The League had full use of Humboldt State's spacious Field House for the entire afternoon. The players, several of them on on a softball field for the first time, enjoyed rotating 30 minute sessions on hitting, infielding, catching and throwing, baserunning and pitching. While the weather outside would've been perfect for playing on a real diamond, the roof over our heads didn't diminish the sunny smiles of our coaches, all-stars, and players. Our thanks to everyone who came out to play, and especially to our Big Sisters who gave up an afternoon to help teach the next generation of great Mad River Softball players how to play this wonderful game.

Now, just a few pictures of yesterday's fun:

Warming up.

Throwing & catching.

Line drive!

Snacks...of course.

The Wind-up.

Comin' home.

Our Big-Sister All-Stars

Remember, sign-ups are going on now and the season begins in early April. A 2008 registration form can be found with a simple click on the right of this page, or email us and we'll send you one.

Announcing our first Winter Warm-Up Softball Clinic, Sunday, February 10th

2008-01-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is offering our first Winter Warm-up Softball Clinic, A special softball clinic for beginning (and returning) 7 to 10 year old players.

Sunday, February 10^th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at the Humboldt State University Field House.

$10 registration at the door gives you an afternoon of quality softball instruction…and a free t-shirt!

This clinic is specially designed for beginning players, ages 7 to 10, and led by Mad River’s entire ASA-certified coaching staff in a positive, fun-filled atmosphere. Assisting our coaches this year are players from the 2007 Mad River Girls’ 16 & under All-Star team.

Here’s our starting line-up:

Let’s Play Catch Get that ball to stick in your glove every time.

Line Drive! Make the ball jump off your bat with every swing.

The Hot Corner Scoop, catch and throw out a runner from anywhere on the field.

Fastball! Three things you need to know to start your softball pitching career. (For 10 & under players.)

Who’s on First? How is this game played anyways? (For 8 & under players.)

The Winter Warm-up Clinic is open to all beginning and returning players between the ages 7 to 10. (You need not be registered with MRGFSA to join in the fun.)

For questions, 2008 spring season registration forms, or other information, call us at 822-3575, or email us at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com .

Play Ball...soon! The 2008 Girls Softball Season is just a few rainy days away.

2008-01-12T13:25:00.001-08:00

A good rainy January afternoon to all of you. Where I sit, it's a cool, drizzly 51 degrees. The skies are gray and full of moisture.

But you know what? It's not going to stay this way, and before too long our hands will yearn for the cool smoothness of a well-worn leather mitt. Our fingers will reach for the gentle rise of red-stiches on a yellow ball. Our ears will anticipate the slap of ball against leather and the ringing ping when the bat strokes that first pitch into the outfield grass beneath a warm spring Humboldt County sun.

Yes, the softball season is just around the corner. Your very own Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association is already well along in preparing for the 2008 Spring Season. Our player assessment day is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 5th at the HSU Field House. Practices will begin by April 7th with games running from April 19th through June 7th.

In these pages in coming days and weeks, you'll find information regarding our first annual "Winter Warm-Up", a special clinic for all girls between 7 and 10 led by some of our best coaches and big sister players from the upper divisions.

Our league's calender is already posted here, as is our new email address where you can direct any questions or suggestions directly to our board of directors and coaches. You'll also find our 2008 spring player registration form and 2008 league sponsorship forms right here. (2008 registration forms will be mailed to all players from last year at the end of January! Anyone else who wants one, feel free to request one by phone at 822-3575 or via email at madrivergirlssoftball@gmail.com)

This blog will be updated periodically as time allows and necessity demands. Bookmark us now and check back often. And please take advantage of our email address to ask your questions or share some ideas on how to make the best youth softball league on the north coast even better.

Begin to loosen up those arms. Find a few minutes to toss the ball around with Mom, Dad, neighbors, or against the side of the house. The welcome cry of "Play Ball!" is just a few short weeks away.

'til next time.