The following information is provided to help parents answer common questions about the Redwood City Girls Softball (RCGSL).

About RCGSL
Registration
Divisions
Team Selection
Equipment
Games and Practices
Picture Day and Web Albums
Information and Resolution
Sponsors
Wicked Fastpitch
Rules
Volunteering
Coach and Manager

WHO ARE WE?

The Redwood City Girls Softball League is a non-profit organization. We are an Amateur Softball Association (ASA) league (www.softbal.org) serving Redwood City and surrounding communites of Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside.

REGISTRATION

Question: How much does 2012 registration cost?
Answer:

Note: $25 discount for each additional sibling registered!

Question: How long does the seaosn last?
Answer: Practices start in late-February, games begin in early March, and the season ends in mid-May.

Question: Does RCGSL offer player and coaching instruction?
Answer: Yes! We offer a number of clinics for both players and managers/coaches.

Question: My daughter has never played softball before. Does RCGSL have a program for her?
Answer: Yes, RCGSL offers spring recreational seasons that are open to all girls, regardless of experience. It is designed to be challenging, instructional, and fun!

Question: Can I pick the team that my daughter will be placed on?
Answer: Only Rookies (6U) and Juniors (8U) are allowed to request to be placed on a team with a buddy. All other players in the Minors (10U), Majors (12U), and Seniors (14U/16U) divisions will be formed by a team draft process.

Question: Can my two daughters be on the same team?
Answer: Yes. If they qualify for the same division. Divisions are based on age.

Question: What do our registration fees pay for?
Answer: Fees pay for items such as: uniforms, equipment, balls, insurance, umpire fees, field maintenance, field usage fees, picture package, and awards.

Question: Why are the league fees lower for the Rookies and Juniors?
Answer: We do not use umpires for Rookies and Juniors. In addition, there are less field usage fees for these divisions since they don't practice as much as the older divisions..

Question: Why does registration start and end so early?
Answer: In order to obtain field allocations from local school districts and the City of Redwood City and to order uniforms in time for the season, we are required to submit our requests in as early as possible. This allows RCGSL to properly allocate game and practice fields, plan for uniform purchases, and determine the number of Coaches and Managers that are required to ensure we have a successful season.

Question: When is the cut off for Registration?
Answer: December 18th is the registration deadline. Anyone registered after that date will pay a $25 late fee. Final cutoff for late registration is January 14th. We cannot guarantee a spot for late registrations. Register early to make sure your daughter has a spot!

Question: I registered my daughter for the Spring Season. Now what?
Answer: Players in the Juniors, Minors, Majors and Seniors will be invited out for a mandatory evaluation day. Once that is completed a player draft will be held. You should be contacted by your daughter’s coach or manager the first week after the draft. If you have questions concerning registration, contact the RCGSL registrar, which can be located under Board Members on our website. No player evaluations are required for Rookies.

Question: Can I receive a refund if we change our mind?
Answer: Refunds are allowed, less a $25 fee until January 8th. After that date no refunds are allowed.

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DIVISION(S)

Question: What are the age divisions for RCGSL?
Answer:

Rookies - 6 & Under
Juniors - 8 & Under
Minors - 10 & Under
Majors - 12 & Under
Seniors - 14/16 & Under

Question: In what age division will my daughter play?
Answer: A player’s current age as of January 1st of the start of the Spring year determines the age classification in which the player is eligible to participate. For Spring 2010 (including fall ball) the following dates apply:

Rookies Division - Girls who are 5 or 6 years of age on January 1st of the current year.
Juniors Division - Girls who are 7 or 8 years of age on January 1st of the current year.
Minors Division - Girls who are 9 or 10 years of age on January 1st of the current year.
Majors Division - Girls who are 11 or 12 years of age on January 1st of the current year.
Seniors Division - Girls who are 13 to 15 years of age on January 1st of the current year.


Question: How are teams formed and can I make a special request?
Answer: With the exception of Rookies, all RCGSL teams are formed by team coaches and managers who select players through a draft system with the objective of achieving evenly skilled teams. As a result, RCGSL cannot make guarantees as to who will be on your child’s team.

Question: Can I request that my child be placed in a lower/higher age division?
Answer: We will not allow a child to be placed in a lower age division but players can always play up an age division. Send the request to the RCGSL registrar.

Question: Are scores/standings kept for all divisions?
Answer: Only for the Minors, Majors and Senior divisions. Rookies and Juniors don't keep scores or standings.

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TEAMS SELECTION

Question: How will my daughter be placed on a team?
Answer: Players in the Juniors, Minors, Majors, and Seniors will attend evaluations, after which they will be drafted by the Coach/Manager of a team. There are no evaluations for Rookies. The T-Ball teams are formed/rostered at the discretion of the T-ball Coordinator and usually grouped by their school.

Question: When are Player Evaluations going to be conducted?
Answer: Player Evaluations for Spring are conducted in January. Your child only needs to attend one Player Evaluation. Rookies are not evaluated.

Question: Why does my child need to attend the Player Evaluations?
Answer: This gives our coaches and managers the opportunity to evaluate the skill level of your child. A draft will be held in order to allow each coach or manager to choose players. This ensures that all skill levels of players are evenly distributed to all teams. If your child is a pitcher (or plans on pitching) or is a catcher (or plans on catching), she must attend the pitchers and catchers evaluations.

Question: What happens if I miss evaluations?
Answer: The player will go into the draft with an evaluation score of “0”, and is ineligible to pitch for the season,

Question: When will the coach or manager call me to start the season?
Answer: All teams should be formed shortly after the player draft in late January.

Question: How are team colors selected?
Answer: Team jersey and colors are assigned to teams by the Director of Apparel. Players each receive a jersey and shorts. Any uniform questions should be directed to the Director of Apparel.

Question: Who picks the team names?
Answer: The teams make up their own names..

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO BUY?

Question: What will I have to purchase when the Season starts?
Answer: The league provides a jersey and shorts as part of your registration fee. Equipment bags are also provided for each team which include bats, balls and other training equipment. The players need to provide their own glove and rubber cleats and should consider buying their own helmet for best fit (chin strap & face guard required). The team manager may ask the parents to donate money for team visor.

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GAMES & PRACTICE

Question: When does the season start and end?
Answer: The season starts with practices in mid February with league play ending in late May

Question: When and where are the games played?
Answer: Games start the second weekend of March and usually end around late May. Games are held on Saturday's the first half of the season, with weekday games scheduled during the second half of the season as well. Rookies only play on Saturday's all season long. Our primary field locations are Woodside High School and Adelante School. Please visit our fields section  Please visit our fields section for more information.

Question: Where are the practices held?
Answer: Practices can be held at any of our fields Please visit our fields section for details. We can only use the designated fields for insurance purposes. Practice locations will vary from team to team and will be announced at your first team meeting.

Question: What time are games and practices held?
Answer: Saturday games will begin as early as 9am and as late as 3pm. Weekday games will begin at 5:30pm. Please keep in mind that your manager will want you at the field forty-five minutes to one hour prior to game time so that your daughter is warmed up properly.

Question: Do I have to stay at practices and games?
Answer: You should stay and support the manager and coaches and be there for your child. It is a great time to see what your daughter is working on or needs to work on. Therefore giving you a better idea of how to work with your daughter when you practice at home. We strongly encourage parents of T-Ball and 8-under players to be there at all times. If you must leave, be sure that you are back on time to pick up your daughter. The manager cannot leave the field until he/she makes certain that all players have been picked up. Additionally, an adult female must always be present at practices and games.

Question: What if it rains?
Answer: Contact the RCGSL Hotline for rain-out information at (650) 641-2526. Some or all rained out games will be made up depending on time and fields. You will be notified of your game's rescheduled date as soon as it is available. Updated schedules are also posted to the website.

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PICTURE DAY AND WEB PHOTO ALBUMS

Question: When are team pictures taken?
Answer: Team pictures are taken on opening day, details will be posted on the website. Each girl will receive an individual and a team picture as part of her registration fee. Additional pictures may be purchased on picture day. A make-up day will be announced on the website and to the managers.

Question: I saw a picture that I don't like of me or my daughter on the Web site. How can I have it removed?
Answer: Yes. If you see one that you would like to be removed, contact the webmaster.

Question: I took some pictures at a game. Will you post them on the website?
Answer: Yes, we will do our best to post your pictures to the RCGSL Web site. Contributions are encouraged and needed. Submit the pictures to the webmaster.

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INFORMATION & RESOLUTION

Question: When is the Parent information night Meeting?
Answer: There is not one scheduled yet. It will be posted on the website once available. All parents should attend this informational meeting.

Question: How are problems and/or concerns resolved?
Answer: You should always try to solve any problems through your team coach or manager first. If he/she does not seem able to resolve your issue, you can contact your Division Representative. If all these avenues are exhausted, then it is appropriate to contact the President or RCGSL Board.

SPONSORS

Question: How can I become a sponsor?
Answer: There are sponsors needed for the recreation season. Contact the Director of Sponsors for more details. You can also visit our sponsors page for more info.

Question: Why do the teams need sponsors and what is the money used for?
Answer: Sponsorship fees are for league improvements and also help keep the registration fees low for our families.

Question: Are there any other ways the league receives money?
Answer: Yes. The Snack Shack and Apparel Sales help generate money for RCGSL, and we receive tax-deductible donations. Please do your best to help raise money for RCGSL by purchasing items through these programs, or make a donation through our web site. This helps keep registration fees low for all our families.

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WICKED FASTPITCH

Question: How are the Coaches and Managers for Wicked teams selected?
Answer: This is done through an application process which is announced during the spring season. More info on Wicked Fastpitch can be found here.

Question: How are the Wicked Fastpitch players selected?
Answer: Through tryouts near the end of the recreational season. An announcement will go out to the entire league with specifics.

Question: Is additional money required for Wicked Fastpitch?
Answer: Yes. The amount varies but funds must come from each player for uniforms, travel and tournament fees. Wicked Fastpitch requires a great deal more time than the recreational season. Depending on how well the team performs, travel to State and National tournaments is possible.

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RULES

Question: What rules does the league operate under?
Answer: RCGSL is governed by the ASA organization. We follow the rules that ASA has set. RCGSL does make modifications to the rules to accommodate recreational play. For rules of the game, ASA allows leagues to tailor the ASA rules to best suit their recreational leagues. This allows for coach pitch, no walks, run limits, etc. We modify the league rules every year to best suit the skills of the league. More info can be found in the RCGSL 2011 Handbook.

Question: What are the softball rules for RCGSL and where can I get a rulebook?
Answer: Rulebooks will be given out to all managers at the first manager’s meeting. Ask your manager for a copy or print one from the RCGSL 2011 Handbook.

Question: What guideline materials are the managers provided with?
Answer: We provide a Managers Handbook that has a lot of great information. There are sections on whom to contact for any type of issue. Such as canceling games, rainouts, rescheduling, practice conflicts, parent conflicts etc. There are sections on practices, drills, and techniques. This is a good source of information for coaches and parents alike. You can download a copy from the coaches page of our Web site.

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VOLUNTEERING

Question: How could I help?
Answer: You can volunteer for a wide range of things. During online or walk-in registration you will be presented with information on volunteering. Please help in any way you can. Our volunteers are what make RCGSL so successful!

Question: What volunteer positions are still needed?
Answer: Our league is made up of only volunteers and we could use as much help as you are willing to lend. At the first team meeting, your manager will ask for volunteers to help as assistant coach, team parent, scorekeeper, committees, field preparation, special events, snack shack, etc. Please help out and volunteer your time.

Question: How much are managers, volunteers & board members paid?
Answer: Team staff and board members are volunteers and are not paid for their services.

Question: What does a Team Parent do?
Answer: The team parent is the liaison between the coach, manager and the other parents. The team parent helps with distribution of uniforms, phone calls to parents, team parties, team banner, snack scheduling, etc.

Question: I'd like to be on the board. What can I do?
Answer: Request that your name be placed on the ballot for a particular position through the secretary. Elections are held after the regular season ends.

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COACH AND MANAGER

Question: I want to coach or manage a team, how do I apply?
Answer: You must fill out a volunteer application. This can be done during the online registration process or during walk-in registration. A criminal background check is also required for all coaches and managers.

Question: Are there any other requirements to become a Coach or Manager?
Answer: Once approved, you will be required to attend a mandatory RCGSL Coaches and Managers clinics. These are paid for by RCGSL. You will also be required to attend the Player Evaluations. RCGSL also encourages all Coaches Managers to become ACE certificated. This program is offered by ASA and can be completed online for a fee of $20. More information on ACE certification can be found here.

Question: What are the minimum requirements to be considered as a Wicked Fastpitch Coach or Manager?
Answer: At least 2 spring ball seasons as acting coach or manager and Ace certified level -1 or higher.

Question: If I coach or manage a team, will my daughter(s) be placed on my team?
Answer: Yes, as long as your daughter(s) is eligible for the age division that you would like to coach or manage.

Question: Why do I need to fill out a volunteer application and obtain a background check?
Answer: RCGSL requires a background check on all volunteer coaches, managers, and board members.

Question: I was already approved as a volunteer last year, why do I have to submit another application and fee?
Answer: Volunteer background checks are done every year, even if you have submitted to one the previous year.

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