Mad River Mist 16u 7-6 Over the Past Two Weeks

On October 12^th and 13^th the 16u Mist competed in a college showcase tourney in Medford Oregon going 3-3, winning all three games on Saturday by scores of 14-1, 9-1, and 5-0. On the day Karlie Murray hit 3 home runs, Gizelle Lucero hit 2 home runs, Jenna Christensen, Courtney Christensen, and Haley Hetrick each had one Home Run. Hailey Dolcini got the win in the circle in games one and three, while Courtney Christensen received the win in Game 2.

On Sunday, the Mist took a 1-0 lead going into the final inning, but could not secure the victory, allowing 3 runs on three hits to fall 3-1. In game two, the Mist jumped out to a 1-0 as Jenna Christensen hit a home run over the left field fence and into the street. However, that was the only run the Mist could muster up against the 18u gold team out of Portland, falling 5-1. In the last game of the triple header the Mist 16u lost to 18u NW Buzz.

On October 19^th and 20^th the 16u Mad River Mist traveled to Lincoln, CA to play in the Sacramento All-American Mizuno College Showcase. On Saturday, the Mist went 1-2, beating the Nevada Comets, and falling to the CA Yardsharks and Pleasanton Phantom., placing them in the Silver Bracket for Sunday’s single elimination games. Hailey Dolcini recorded the lone win in the circle on Saturday. Sunday the Mist went 3-1. Mist won game one over the Nevada Stealth 4-0, with Hailey Dolcini getting the complete game shutout. Courtney Christensen roped a double off the fence in left and Gizelle Lucero came up clutch with two, two out clutch hits. Game two saw the Mist beat the Nevada Comets 6-2 with Courtney Christensen recording the win and Dolcini with the save. In this game Victoria Meyer, Courtney Christensen, Hailey Dolcini, Kalie Murray, Morgan Harwood, Gizelle Lucero all laced shots to numerous parts of the outfield fence. In Addition, Brenna Harper made an outstanding grab in left field and went 1-2 at the plate. In game three the Mist took out the CA Grappettes 4-3 in the Semi-Finals. Hailey Dolcini went the distance in the circle to get the victory. Solid defensive play by Mackenzie Eldridge and Taylor Murray assisted in the Mist win. In the Championship game the Mist just ran out of steam falling to the USA Elite, but had solid batting from, Courtney Christensen, Hailey Dolcini, Morgan Harwood, Gizelle Lucero, and Karlie Murray. Haley Hetrick was out for  the Sac Tourny with a wrist injury. 

The Mist organization would like to thank its parents and supporters that make all this possible.

Respectfully Submitted by:

Eric Helms

Mad River Mist 16u

 

Prestigious softball tourney in Sacramento goes to ASA Mist

Humboldt Beacon

Posted:   09/05/2013 10:34:07 AM PDT

This past weekend the 14U Mad River Mist traveled to Sacramento to play in a Midnight Madness Tournament. On Saturday they finished with a 1-1-1 record in pool play. First game was a 5-4 loss to the MVP Renegades. Highlight from this game was a one-run HR by Hailey Dolcini. Next game was 1-1 tie against the Sac Hitterz. Highlight was Kayla Stearn's complete game pitching performance. Last pool play game was against True Grit Sports Blue Angels. Mist won game 11-0. Mackenzie Eldridge hit a HR and Karlie Murray hit a walk off grand slam to win by run rule. On Sunday, Elimination rounds started with Mist being the 7th seed. Mist won the first game 14-2 over NC Threat in three innings by the run rule. In the quarterfinals Mist took on the Sac Hitterz other Squad and won 6-0. Hailey Dolcini pitched a perfect game with 12 K's and Taylor Murray snagged a low line drive in first inning that got things rolling defensively. In the semi-final game Mist won 4-1 in a six inning thriller over the All American Sports Academy (AASA). Jenna Christensen led off the 2nd inning with a HR to put the Mist up 1-0. AASA tied the game in the bottom of the 5th inning on a passed ball. In the top of the sixth inning the Mist responded with Gizelle Lucero roping a double with two outs and nobody on. Next Jenna Christensen continued her hot bat by smacking a RBI single up the middle scoring Lucero. Kayla Stearns followed Jenna single with a single of her own. Next Mackenzie Eldridge hit a fly ball to right field that was misplayed scoring Jenna. Kayla then scored a wild pitch to make the score 4-1. Hailey Dolcini struck out the side in the bottom of the 6th to seal the victory. Championship game the Mist won 10-0 in four innings over the Sutter-Butte Thunder. Gizelle Lucero roped two balls off the fence and Taylor Murray, Brenna Harper, Jenna Christensen and Autumn Burtram all hit the ball well. Hailey Dolcini got the win in the circle by pitching a complete game 1-hitter

.

Fall Travel Softball Season is Here!

Labor Day traditionally concludes our summer softball travel season and marks the beginning of "fall ball", which runs September through November.  As we transition from summer into fall, we are again actively recruiting players from across Humboldt County to join our 10u, 12u, 14u and 16u travel teams. To facilitate our recruitment process, we cordially invite you to attend an organizational meeting on September 8th at 3 p.m. at the Arcata Sports Complex to learn about the Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch travel program and to preview a tentative fall ball schedule.  This meeting will be followed by an opportunity for interested players to meet and practice on the field with the program's coaches and current players.  For the 14 and 16 and under age bracket players, we are planning to attend one or more college showcase tournaments this fall to help girls be recognized for collegiate level play.  Teams will be determined by player age, player talent, and the number of players at each age level.  If you have any questions, please ask!  If you know of others that may be interested, please share this opportunity with them.  Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday, September 8th at the Sports Complex in Arcata. 

~Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Board

Great Information for Humboldt Fastpitch Parents, Coaches, and Volunteers!

Kelly Jackson of All American Softball and Bill Herenda of the Positive Coaching Alliance, a national non-profit that works to provide all youth athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience, discuss parents and coaches roles in youth sports on the Emmy Award-winning show, Studio Sacramento.

 

    

Pleased to share that the Humboldt Fastpitch - Mad River Mist first 16u-18u ASA OPEN travel practice will be this Tuesday, June 18th from 6-8 pm at the Eureka High School field!  Come one, come all! Bring yourself & anyone else interested in playing competitive fastpitch softball this summer! 



The Mad River Mist's 16u age division 2012 Fall Ball Team included players from Garberville, Fortuna, Eureka, Arcata, McKinleyville, and Trinidad, with coaching provided by former players from the College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University!

 

Forming Friendships For a Lifetime  



Finale Tournament Brackets Posted

Single Elimination Brackets for the 10u, 12u, and 14/16u age groups have been released and can be downloaded by clicking on the links below: 

10u Bracket

12u Bracket

14/16u Bracket 

Many thanks to the several VOLUNTEERS that are working diligently to make this tournament possible for your girls, including those that are out on the field right now getting them ready for the am games!  THANK YOU!!! 

Finale Tournament Schedule & Information

The Finale Tournament Schedule for all age groups ranging from 8u to 14/16u is available on this blog.  For the tournament, we will be using three facilities:  Arcata Sports Complex, Arcata High School, and Hiller Park in McKinleyville.  Friday and Saturday will consist of pool play followed by single elimination on Sunday.  Tournament rules will be in effect as outlined by the League Rules, which are also posted on this website.  

 

Prior to the tournament, coaches MUST check in at the snack bar or spirit wear tables with an official roster with each players name and number listed on it.  At the conclusion of the tournament, coaches are also required to check in at the snack bar/spirit wear tables for equipment and uniform return!  Players and parents, please be equipped to shed the uniform at the conclusion of your tournament and return to your respective coach.  Each coach has been provided a plastic bag for uniform collection immediately after the last game.  At the conclusion of the last game, coaches will be responsible for turning in all uniforms and equipment to the snack bar/spirit wear tables.  We will need BOTH the OLD jersey as well as the NEW jerseys!  The return of all uniforms and equipment is imperative to the organizations operations and financial well-being so your consideration in this matter would be extremely helpful. 

We very much appreciate your participation in the 2013 Humboldt Fastpitch ASA Softball League and hope that you have enjoyed your experience!  During the off season, we will be working hard at evaluating our processes and operations to help stream line and improve the experiences provided by YOUR girls fastpitch softball organization.  If any of you are interested in helping us move the organization forward in the 2014 year, we would be happy to have your participation!  Simply drop us a line stating your interest!  

 

Once again, thank you, and we'll see ya on the field next weekend!

~Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Board

Travel Meeting Follow-Up

Just in case you are interested in the travel program but were not able to attend

the meeting, we have posted a "Missed Meeting Flyer" summary of the material covered in our meeting.  Our first open practice is this Sunday at Arcata High School at 10 a.m. as outlined in the attached "Revised 2013 Summer Schedule" (also posted here)  Players are always encouraged to bring cleats AND tennis shoes!  Our first hour of practice on Sunday's starts with a strength and conditioning work out that is better served in tennis shoes than cleats!  If any of you have questions, please be sure to ask!  Hope to see you there and please, feel free to share the information with anyone else who might be interested!  Thanks!
 

~Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch Board~ 

MAY 30th PARENT MEETING & JUNE 2, 4, and 6th OPEN TRAVEL TEAM PRACTICES

We are extending an open invitation to ALL YOUTH SOFTBALL PLAYERS ages 9 thru 18 to come check out the MAD RIVER - HUMBOLDT FASTPITCH SOFTBALL TRAVEL PROGRAM.  Information about this exciting and rapidly expanding girls fastpitch softball program will be shared at a  PARENT ORIENTATION MEETING to be held on Thursday, May 30th, starting at 7:30 pm at the Eureka High School Lecture Hall.  OPEN PRACTICES will begin on Sun. June 2nd from 10 am to 1 pm at Arcata High School (and June 4th and 6th 6-8 pm at Fortuna High School).  Players new to the the Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Program will have the opportunity to meet and learn from our organization's EXPERIENCED COACHING STAFF, including:

Ageana Brett -  Mad-River-Humboldt Fastpitch Board Member, Former College of the Redwoods Player, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

Debby Brown - Former Humboldt State University Softball Player, Humboldt State University Hall of Fame Softball Catcher, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

Bobby Dolcini - Former Etna High School Varsity Softball Program Head Coach, Current Fortuna High School Varsity Softball Assistant Coach, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

Heather Goodwin - Former College of the Redwoods Softball Player, Current Eureka High School Varsity Softball Program Assistant Coach, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

Eric Helms - Fortuna High School Varsity Softball Program Head Coach, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

Kelly Helms - Former Humboldt State University Softball Player, Humboldt State University Hall of Fame Pitcher, Former Arcata High School Varsity Softball Program Head Coach, Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch President, Pitching Coach, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach
 

Shanna McCracken - Former College of the Redwoods Softball Player, Current Eureka High School Varsity Softball Program Head Coach, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

Taiisha Pleasant -  Humboldt State University Hall of Fame Softball Player, NCAA Division II  Softball National Champion, NCAA Division II Career Record Holder for Base on Balls, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach
 

Lori Reed - Former Arcata High School Varsity Softball Program Coach, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

Michaela Satter - Former Lewis and Clark College Softball Player, Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Coach

In addition to the above listed coaches, the Mad River Mist - Humboldt Fastpitch Travel Program also brings in former and current softball players from College of the Redwoods, Humboldt State University, and elsewhere to assist with practices throughout the season as well as recruits experienced fitness experts to host fitness and agility training sessions during the winter months.

In preparation for Thursday night's PARENT ORIENTATION MEETING, please click on the links below to check out these important documents.

• Tentative Summer Schedule (16u may attend June 21-23rd Rohnert Park event pending player  numbers)
• May 30, 2013 Parent Meeting Flyer
• May 30, 2013 Parent Meeting  Agenda 

If you have any questions, please send us an email.  Thank you! 

Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Board of Directors

 

 

CONGATES TO ALLY SNIPES

Mad River Mist player Ally Snipes announced late last week that she will be playing college ball for Humboldt Sate University. Congratulations ALLY!   This announcement comes on the heels of Eureka High Schools commanding 10-2 victory over Analy High School in the North Coast Sectional D-3 playoffs on Saturday.  Given Humboldt State's track record of hitting the long-ball throughout their stellar 2013 season, it was only fitting that ALLY hit TWO home runs in Saturday's playoff game. 

Mad River Mist - Humboldt Fastpitch player Ally Snipes recently announced her intent to
play for Humboldt State University in the 2014 season.    

Following the high school playoffs, Ally will continue to practice and play with the combined 16/18u Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch girls under the tutelage of Coach Shanna McCraken. By the way, Coach McCraken, Head Softball Coach for Eureka High School and for the Mad River Mist's 16u/18u teams, will be leading the EHS Team in the D-3 semifinals against No. 7 seeded Campolindo High School on Tuesday May 2nd at 4 pm on the Eureka High School campus. Good luck Coach and congrates to you as well on a great HS season and playoff run!  We look forward to having you and your experienced coaching staff back with our 16/18u Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch ASA players. 

We also have news that Tammy Valley, former McKinleyville High School Ace pitcher and freshman player for College of the Redwoods, may be practicing with the Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch 16u/18u girls and playing in 18u tournaments with the Mist this summer. Welcome back Tammy and congratulations to you as well on your freshman season with CR! 

For those new to this blog, Ally was featured in a previous post that contains a link to a News Channel 3 video clip on the Mad River Mist Travel Program that was recorded in 2011. Ironically, Tammy is also seen in the video.  Links to the previous blog post and the video can be viewed by clicking on the links below:

    Link to News Channel 3 Blog Post
    Link to News Channel 3 Video
 

ORDER NOW - Humboldt Fastpitch Sweatshirts

The 2013 Humboldt Fastpitch Sweatshirts were more popular than ever imagined and as a result, we sold out of most sizes and faster than expected!  We have received many requests for sizes that are currently out of stock.  If you are interested in a Humboldt Fastpitch Sweatshirt, we need to know as soon as possible so that we can get them ordered and returned prior to the season ending FINALE TOURNAMENT.  To download the hoodie order form click here or access on the forms section of this blog.  Please fill out the order form and return it to a snack bar at your earliest convenience.  We also need you to PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE with the size specified on your completed order form.  Orders need to be in by Friday May 31, 2013 to allow us to  pass them out at the finale tournament.  Thanks!

 

 Have a great and safe holiday weekend.

 

~Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Board 

Opening Season Tournament May 3-5, 2013

The weather is set and so are the BRACKETS for the Opening Tournament for the Humboldt Fastpitch 2013 season, scheduled for May 3-5, 2013.  Tournament brackets with game times can be downloaded from this website.  A big shout out to all of the VOLUNTEERS that are helping to make this event possible for your  girls, with folks like Kelly, Ageana, Frank, Shanna, and the rest of the Board, Association Officers,  and Regional Rec Program Reps working tirelessly this season.  Please take a moment to thank them! 

Also, we are desperately needing parents to volunteer to work at the Snack Shacks at the various fields (particularly Bartow and Newburg) that the girls will be playing on this weekend and during the rest of the season.  Please talk to your coach, send us an email, or just walk up to the Snack Shack and offer to fill a time slot between your daughter's games or the following day.  Better yet, offer to manage one of the Snack Shacks for the season, either as an individual or as a group of volunteer parents!  PLEASE STEP UP AND CONTRIBUTE!   This is a critical source of funding for your  program to help cover the costs of fields, umpires, and equipment and we need your help to make it run smoothly.  Please stayed tuned for more information and get ready to PLAY BALL!    

2013 Game Schedules Released

We know that many of you have been eagerly awaiting the 2013 Softball Recreational Schedule, and we appreciate your patience as we've sorted through the 300 registrants, ordered necessary equipment to safely outfit so many kids, finalized team placements, developed and calendared practice schedules, rummaged through the various organizations' uniforms, and worked diligently to acquire fields, insurance, and assemble game schedules. The logistics of our county-wide program presents many challenges that takes time to coordinate among the volunteers that help run your rapidly expanding ASA softball program. 

That said, we are pleased to release the game schedules for the 2013 season, which can be downloaded off this blog in the panel to the right titled "2013 Game Schedules".  Thank you to the many volunteers and coaches that provided feedback and necessary corrections to the schedule.

Please note that players will start the season with a collection of uniforms provided by the various organizations who have merged together to create Humboldt Fastpitch. However, our organizations' players will be debuting BRAND NEW HUMBOLDT FASTPITCH UNIFORMS that will be distributed and worn for our first tournament scheduled for May 3-6. These uniforms were made possible by welcomed and generous sponsorships from local organizations, including the Kiwanis of Fortuna, the Melvin F. & Grace McLean Foundation, the Soroptimist International of Eel River Valley, and the generosity of the Merv George Benefit Concert! 

If you have any questions as the season progresses, please don't hesitate to ask. We hope you all have a safe and enjoyable season.  NOW LETS PLAY BALL!

The Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Board
                          &
Recreation Division Executive Committee

Return of Sunday Pitching Clinics!

Exciting news! We have put Sunday pitching clinics back on the calendar!  Starting next Sunday, April 21, pitching clinics will be in full swing on the north and south ends of the county.  Clinics are open to all players registered with Humboldt Fastpitch for a $5 clinic fee and to all other interested fastpitch players for a $10 clinic fee.  Pitching hosts for North County will be Miranda Hansen, a high school softball pitcher from McKinleyville, and for the South County participants, Morgan Harwood and Courtney Christensen, pitchers from Fortuna High School. These one-hour sessions are designed to assist beginning and returning pitchers in developing a consistent warm up routine that will aid in proper pitching mechanics and improve speed and accuracy.  During these weekly 1-hour sessions, pitchers will brush-up on their current pitching routines as well as work to identify weaknesses in their motion. The development of new pitches may also be considered depending on the strength of pitcher technique, speed, and accuracy.  Details are as follows:

For North County Participants:  Pitching clinics will take place at Arcata High School starting with a 1:15 pm check-in for all players participating in the 8u and 10u divisions. Check-in time will be at 2:15 p.m for pitchers in the 12u and 14u age brackets. Sunday sessions will run 1-hour for each age group.  

For South County Participants:  Pitching clinics will take place at Newburg Park Field #2 starting at 11 a.m. check-in for all players participating in any age division. Sunday session will run 1-hour.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!  Pitching clinics will be available EVERY SUNDAY, unless otherwise notified!

~ The Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Softball Board ~

2013 Season Update & News!!!

Our Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Softball Organization hosted its annual coaches meeting on Tuesday night, March 26th. The turnout from coaches from across the wide geographic region covered by Humboldt Fastpitch was excellent! THANK YOU COACHES! Placement of players and coaches to teams were distributed and all players/parents should be receiving a phone call from their assigned coach within the next couple of days. In addition, we'vee asked all coaches to hold a Team parent meeting to facilitate exchange of information regarding the upcoming season. We encourage ALL parents to attend this important meeting with your respective coaches. And the great news is...  fields are in excellent condition and practices will start very soon!

We want to remind returning parents and players and encourage those new to our organization that the Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch Organization does much of our communication via email and facebook. If you are not already a facebook friend, consider becoming one at:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/HumboldtFastpitchSoftball/.  If you are not receiving emails from Humboldtfastpitch@gmail.com, its either because our emails are being redirected to your spam folder, we have an incorrect email address for you, or you have yet to be added to our email list.  Please check your spam folder for Humboldt Fastpitch emails and if found, unblock us.  Otherwise, send us an email at the address above and we will add you to our communications list - and please specify if your interest is in the Recreation or Travel Program or both!  

Want to be "STYLIN"  on the field this season while at the same time supporting girls fastpitch in our local communities?  We have some exciting new spirit wear that reflect the change that is occurring within the Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch Organization!  Use these links to download the PRE-ORDER FORMS for the Humbolt Fastpitch Sweatshirt pictured below and a Humboldt Fastpitch earwarmer...  a very handy item for our chilly Humboldt County climate! Completed order forms can be turned in to any coach, regional rep, or board member. We would like to collect orders by April 15th, 2013.

Also we are IN NEED AND ACTIVELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS to take leadership roles in various capacities, including running the different snack bars, managing and maintaining equipment, field prep, and more! If any of you are interested in helping, PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP!

We also want to remind players that Fortuna High School is hosting a Softball Clinic April 1st-April 4th, 2013. Please note that all players are welcome! Hopefully ride-share options are available for our Northern and Eastern players who would like to attend!

Have a great day and get ready to PLAY BALL!

The Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Softball Board

Welcome to Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Girls Softball! 

Thank you for registering your players with our program. The upcoming season is rapidly approaching so if you have yet to register....  please do so ASAP!   NOTE that we will also welcome registration on assessment days, which are scheduled for:

• Sunday, March 3rd, at Fortuna High School, 
• Sunday, March 10th, at Arcata High School.

IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR PLAYER TO ATTEND ONE OF THE ASSESSMENTS!  Also note that 8-year olds and under DO NOT need to attend assessments UNLESS that 8-year old wishes to petition to play up in the 10u division!

The assessment process will begin this Sunday at Fortuna with check-ins and warm-up for the 10 and under age group at 9 a.m., with on-the-field assessments commencing at 9:30 a.m.  Specific times for field assessments for each age group are as follows:

• Age 10 and under at 9:30
• Age 12 and under at 10:30
• Age 14 through 18 and under at 11:30.

Players are encouraged to arrive at least 1/2 hour PRIOR to their specific field assessment to allow time to check in and warm up!  

Note that the MAD RIVER-HUMBOLDT FASTPITCH SOFTBALL RECREATION PROGRAM IS OPEN TO ALL PLAYERS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT COMMUNITIES IN THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY AREA...  with players already registered from Trinidad, Blue Lake, McKinleyville,  Hoopa, Oreleans, Arcata, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Garberville, Redway, etc., etc.  
 

Also WE NEED YOUR HELP in spreading the word about upcoming assessments! If you know of anyone who is interested in playing and has yet to sign up, they are welcome to sign up ON THE DAY of assessments! This includes any Kinder Play and 8u players! We look forward to meeting you during our 2013 RECREATIONAL softball season!

 The Mad River-Humboldt Fastpitch Softball Board

2013 Recreation League Sign-ups!!!

Registration forms for the 2013 RECREATIONAL season (click here), are due by February 28th, 2013. Completed forms can be mailed in or dropped off at any one of our registration locations on the dates specified below. Registration dates for participation in the 2013 Recreational Program season are:

• Feb. 10th, 10 AM to 3 PM

• Feb. 24th, 10 AM to 3 PM

Registration Locations are:

• Arcata, Arcata Community Center
• Eureka, Big 5 Sporting Goods
• Fortuna, Sport & Cycle
• McKinleyville, Ray’s Food Place

• Hoopa applications can be given to Rowdy Robbins or Wendy George

• Garberville/Redway applications can be given to Rick Todd

RECREATION DIVISION softball skill assessments are scheduled for Sunday, March 3rd at Fortuna High School and Sunday, March 10th at Arcata High School and will run from 9 am to 1 pm.  Please note players 8 years old and under do not need to attend. If an 8-year old wishes to play up, however, they must attend one of the skills assessments. Specific times for assessments for each age group are as follows:  Age 10 and under at 9:30, Age 12 and under at 10:30, and Age 14/18 and under at 11:30.  Please plan to arrive prior to your specific assessment time to allow time to warm up!  We need to stress the importance of player attendance at assessments as player evaluations will allow effective distribution of players to teams

We are also receiving many questions about the MAD River Girls Fastpitch Softball - Humboldt Fastpitch RECREATION Program, mostly relating to confusion with our Travel Division and/or merger with local Little League Organizations. For an overview of the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association - Humboldt Fastpitch and its RECREATION and TRAVEL Divisions, check out our fact sheet posted on this blog and browse our facebook site!  Here's a few of the more common Q & A's we have received recently!

Question: “I know of Little League, mostly from kids baseball, but what is ASA?”
Answer: ASA in an acronym for the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), which is a volunteer driven, not-for-profit organization founded in 1933 that has evolved into the strongest softball organization in our country. The growth and development of the association led the United States Olympic Committee to name ASA as “the National Governing Body of Softball”, pursuant to the Amateur Sports Act of 1978. The ASA youth program, also known as the Junior Olympic Program, is among the largest youth sports organizations in the United States, hosting over 80,000 teams, 1.3 million players and 300,000 coaches annually.

Question: “My daughter just wants to play softball locally for fun, not on competitive travel team… Isn’t that what ASA offers?”
Answer: There is a misconception that ASA is an exclusive “competitive travel softball” organization. It is not. ASA hosts recreation and travel programs, both of which are offered under separate divisions of the Mad River - Humboldt Fastpitch Organization. Our Recreation Program is indeed local… local youth playing on local fields in our local communities.

Question: “Why are Little League organizations in Humboldt and Trinity Counties going Little League for baseball and ASA for softball? What does ASA offer that Little League does not?”
Answer: ASA is not limited to geographic boundaries and more importantly, ASA fastpitch rules and regulations are aligned with those of NCAA college and High School softball and are consistent between locations, whereas Little League softball rules and regulations are not.  Here are a few examples:

• ASA players can participate in multiple games in a single day so in the case of tournaments, players can play 2-3 games in a single day.
• ASA pitching rules are consistent with NCAA and High School whereas in Little League, they are not. For example, ASA does not require rest periods based on innings pitched, does require that both feet must be touching the pitchers plate when starting the pitch, and no step back is allowed - all of which are consistent with NCAA and High School play but not of Little League.

Question: “How long ago was the ASA option for girls softball considered?”
Answer:  The Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association was founded in Arcata in 2005. In fall 2011, the Board of Directors for the Organization turned over entirely, with a goal of establishing a TRAVEL DIVISION and to build momentum in the Association’s existing RECREATION DIVISION. At the same time, Little League softball registrations were down and discussions began among ASA and Little League organization leaders to join together rather than compete with each other for players... that collaboration would provide a better playing experience for our youth because more players means more teams, which minimizes teams having to play each other over and over during the season. Feedback from parents and players indicated that Mad River’s 2012 RECREATION season was a great success, which we attribute to the enthusiasm of the young players, the input and involvement of parents, and a strong group of volunteer coaches.

Question: “Little League offered an All Stars competition at the end of the regular season. Is this possible in ASA?"
Answer: Following the regular Recreation Program season, ASA does offer post-season (B-level recreation tournament play) that can advance to competitive tournaments outside our local area, similar to Little League “All Stars”. In fact, ASA offers whatever level of competition is desired, ranging from local recreational league play, to B level local and tournament play (akin to LL All Stars) to A level travel ball (our Travel Division's Mad River Mist), to the premier Gold Level National Competition Teams.

Question: “Will there be a tournament at the end of the season like last year?  That was fun!"
Answer:  Absolutely!!! In the 2012 season finale tournament, all teams had the opportunity to play 4-6 games in a single weekend! This year’s event will be even more exciting with more teams in each age bracket.  Also, we're going to provide our umpires with special awards to hand out during each of the games to acknowledge "great sportsmanship", "awesome plays", and "team players"!

Question: “What’s with the Mad River – Humboldt Fastpitch name this year?”
Answer: Change is indeed happening within the Mad River Girls Fastpitch Softball Association! Through a collaborative merger with former Little League Softball programs, Mad River’s RECREATIONAL DIVISION has expanded greatly. This merger brought with it a dramatic increase in players as well as a wealth of recreation program experience provided by the leadership of the Little League organizations that have joined with us. In addition, participants and interest in the Association’s TRAVEL DIVISION has also increased since its formation in summer 2011. To better reflect this expanded county-wide youth fastpitch softball program and its goal of “Bridging, Blending, and Building Softball Communities” within Humboldt County, we have initiated making a formal change in our organization’s name to HUMBOLDT FASTPITCH.

Please note that much of our communication is done electronically so please become familiar with our blog and facebook sites.  Thank you and we look forward to getting to know you and your players! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.


Board of Directors
MRGFSA—Humboldt Fastpitch
humboldtfastpitch@gmail.com