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

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

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

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....

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

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.