EMMORTON SOFTBALL (Updated: 06-FEB-2023)
Please remember that we are a program that values the participation of every child and the time and dedication of our “ALL VOLUNTEER” coaches and staff. We are always looking for motivated, hard working volunteers at all levels and hope that you consider making a difference in your community by helping us continually improve our services.
Contact us at: [email protected]
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2023 Spring Rec Softball!!! Registration Open NOW...
REGISTRATION FOR 2023 SPRING REC SOFTBALL IS NOW OPEN!!!!
Details:
Age Groups planned are 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-16
Date Targets:
Teams Form - Week of March 20th
Practices Start - Week of March 27th (field conditions / weather permitting)
Games Start - April 22nd Opening Day
Regular Season Games End By - June 2nd
Playoffs and All-Star Games - June 3rd through June 16th
Game Schedule: We can never with complete confidence announce a game schedule for each age group until near the end of registration, or right after it closes, because it depends on the number of kids (and thus the number of teams) in each age group. Anticipate that your team will play most if not every Saturday during the regular season window, and one weeknight game plus an additional weeknight practice. Weeknight games always start at 6:00 p.m. (5:30 arrival for warm-ups). Weekend / Saturday games can start anywhere from 9 a.m. until late afternoon / early evening. Rain outs are inevitable, but we do try to make up as many as possible (Rain-Out makeups could be scheduled for ANY day of the week, based on coaches coordinating their own availability). Our target is usually to schedule 11 or 12 games for each squad, with the hope that everyone plays at least 9 or 10 of them factoring in rain-outs and make-ups.
In general, treat softball season like MLB baseball season only much shorter... be prepared to practice or play any day of the week for the BRIEF 7 to 8 week window that it's active. If you have other activities going on, note that in the registration comments and maybe be willing to miss a little of that one and a few softball events to balance and do both! Just our suggestion... we want as many girls playing this fantastic (and incredibly difficult skilled sport) as we can get! :)
Age Group 4-6: Minimum one team practice a week (two possible based on coach schedule) and a Saturday morning "play day" for a half practice / half mini-game to start teaching them game situations
Age Groups 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-16: Will practice at least twice a week until games, then once a week after games start.
Umpires:
No umpires in 4-6 or 7-8 (though we will try to get umpires for 7-8 playoffs)
Ages 9-10, 11-12, and 13-16 will have ONE paid umpire calling each game. In the event an umpire is unavailable / cancels, coaches will share the duty of calling the game.
Required Equipment: We ask that each player provide their own...
1) Helmet (with protective cage)
2) Glove
3) Bat
4) Cleats (NO METAL SPIKES; sneakers ARE allowed in lieu of cleats)
5) Fielder's Face Shield (small cage that protects the face)
THUNDER Travel Softball
Emmorton Softball is currently fielding squads competing in local / regional travel leagues, USA and USSSA events at the 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U levels. Our squads play highly competitive travel / club-level ball against great competition from all over the region, and sometimes from across the country. We keep costs as low as possible to allow broader access to high level travel / club softball competition, regardless of the size of a family's bank account. We are not here to make money for someone, but to work together as a family / team to show that it's not about the hype or the dollars, but the effort and dedication of the players and coaches. WE DO NOT WANT EGOS. We want players and coaches that love the game, want to play it as well as they can, and want to be part of a supportive team. MANY current and former Thunder players are playing in or being actively recruited by colleges all over the nation. The most recent Gatorade TWO-TIME High School Player of the Year for Maryland got her start with an Emmorton Thunder squad, and named Emmorton Softball as her $1000 award recipient this year too, for which we are incredibly honored! So... want to get started with travel / club ball? Or maybe want to make a switch to a program that focuses on YOUR PLAYER'S DEVELOPMENT first and foremost, shoot us an email!
If you're interested in joining our Thunder softball efforts, as a player, coach, assistant, etc. please feel free to email us at [email protected] to let us know!
Check out our separate Emmorton Thunder travel softball website (updates coming soon): www.emmortonthunder.com
2022-23 Winter Skills Clinics
We are currently running our weekly winter skill clinics again this January / February / March in the gyms at Patterson Mill High School. They are open to first-come, first-served participation on a weekly basis for anyone that has ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR SPRING REC BALL. Once you've signed up for spring rec, an email will go out weekly (usually Monday morning) with a sign up link for the first "X" number of participants for that week's session (probably around 50 but maybe more). Cost will be $5 paid on-site with cash. Clinics run SATURDAY evenings from 5 to 7 pm, and we keep the kids VERY busy for those two hours, there is no standing around for 10 minutes waiting to get 1 short chance at a station / drill! We work a variety of skills every week in all facets of the game, with constant activity the whole time. Pitching and catching instruction, base running techniques, throwing / catching fundamentals, batting stations tailored to work on different aspects of the swing plus some live reps for everyone in an enclosed tunnel, infield defense mechanics and fundamentals, outfield defense mechanics and fundamentals, you name it... they'll get to work on it... But you MUST already be registered for spring rec ball to be eligible for the sign up link each week.
So, register for spring rec ball today and get on the list for a chance to sign up for these clinics... 5 to 7 pm sounds like a quiet dinner time without the kid(s), and $5 to keep them entertained and working on their softball skills is a much better deal than a babysitter! :)
Dates Confirmed are:
Jan 14th, Jan 21st
Feb 4th, Feb 11th, Feb 18th, Feb 25th
Mar 4th, Mar 11th
2022 Bel Air Christmas Parade
Massive thanks to all who volunteered to coordinate and execute our now annual walk in the Bel Air Christmas Parade! We had our biggest group of walkers ever keeping their eyes on our grouchy Grinch, and the kids had a blast representing Emmorton Softball / Emmorton Rec Council, and waving to their adoring fans in the crowd. Can't wait to do it again in 2023!!!