Frequently Asked Questions
Does SRVGAL have age and grade requirements?
The 10U Red/Blue, 12U Red/blue, & 15U Red are age based. The White division along with the PreK/K, 7th/8th Open, and Senior (formally High School) divisions are grade-based division.
Click here for a reference chart to help determine which division is right for your player.
All girls must be enrolled in school or a high school program during the season of play.
The minimum age of any girl registering must be at least 5 years of age as of the December 31st prior to the current season. The maximum age of any girl registering cannot be older than 18 years of age as of the December 31st prior to the current season.
When does the season start and end?
Registration for the 2023 season opens the late September. The 10U Red, 12U Red, & 15U Red divisions begin their practices January 14th. The 10U Blue & 12U Blue divisions begin their practices January 21st. The Pre K/K, 1st/2nd Grade, 3rd/4th White, 5th/6th White, 7th/8th Open, & Senior divisions start their practices on February 11th. All games begin on March 11th. The season is scheduled to conclude the end of May. (These dates are subject to change due to field availability.)
When and where are practices?
Practices will be held once during the week and once on a weekend. Practice days and locations vary from team to team and are not determined until the teams are formed and will be based on field & coach availability. Once games start most team will have one practice time either during the week or on the weekend.
When and where are games?
Every division will have one game during the week (Monday-Thursday) at 5:30 pm and one game on Saturday at varying times. The location of games will depend on the division. All grade-based divisions, with the exception of the Senior division, have no travel outside of the San Ramon and Danville area. The age-based divisions (Red & Blue) & the Senior division may have limited travel to neighboring communities (Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, Castro Valley).
How do I register and how much does it cost?
To register your player, click on the Registration 2023 button on the home page of the SRVGAL website. Registration will open late September.
The registration fee for our Pre-K/K & 1st/2nd grade divisions is $375
The registration fee for our 3rd/4th grade White, 5th/6th grade White, 7th/8th grade Open divisions is $425
The registration fee for our 10U Red/Blue, 12U Red/Blue, & 15U Red divisions is $450
The registration fee for our Senior division is $325.
Registration for PreK/K, 1st/2nd, 3rd/4th White, 5th/6th White, 7th/8th Open & Senior closes 12/23/22.
After 12/23/22 registrations will be accepted as space is available. A $25 late fee will be added to the registration fees after 12/23/22.
See our complete refund policy below.
Registration for 10U Red/Blue, 12U Red/Blue, and 15U Red closes 11/28/22.
A $25 late fee will be added to the registration fee after 11/28/22.
See our complete refund policy below.
Additional details, for our High School division, can be found below.
When do I need to sign up for the High School Division?
We accept registrations for our High School division until all the local school district high school softball teams have been formed. If a player does not make their JV or Varsity softball team and they would like to participate in our High School division, they may register at that time without any financial penalties. The local high school teams usually make their final roster cuts in the beginning of February.
Should I sign up for White, Open, Blue or Red and which divisions require tryouts?
The 10U Red/Blue, 12U Red/Blue, & 15U Red teams are age based. The White division along with the PreK/K, 7th/8th Open, and Senior (formally High School) divisions are grade-based.
All divisions play one game during the week and one game on a Saturday. All grade-based divisions, except for the Senior division, have no travel outside of the San Ramon and Danville area. The age-based divisions (Red & Blue) & the Senior division may have limited travel to neighboring communities (Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, Castro Valley).
The Grade-Based divisions are designed for the recreational player. To play in the grade-based division register your daughter and let us know what grade she is in. She will be placed on a team without the need for tryouts. Each team is determined from the geographical area, school attended and parent volunteer participation. All grade-based teams start practicing the middle of February
The Blue division is competitive while less so than Red. To play in the 10U Blue and 12U Blue division each player must attend one of our tryouts. Teams are determined by tryouts and a coaches' draft, with no consideration given to where the player lives. The Blue teams start practicing the third week of January. A link to sign up for a tryout will be provided in the registration confirmation email.
The Red division is the most competitive level of play. To play in the 10U Red, 12U Red, & 15U Red divisions each player must attend one of our tryouts. Teams are determined by tryouts and a coaches' draft, with no consideration given to where the player lives. The Red teams start practicing the second week of January. A link to sign up for a tryout will be provided in the registration confirmation email.
Accepting a Commitment Waiver is required for all players registering for a Red or Blue team. A copy of this Commitment document can be found here. Red & Blue Commitment.
My daughter is going to try out for a Red or Blue team. When will my daughter find out if she made a team?
The 2023 Red drafts are occurring on the following dates at 7:00 pm:
· 15U Red Draft on Tuesday, January 10, 2023
· 12U Red Draft on Wednesday, January 11, 2023
· 10U Red Draft on Thursday, January 12, 2023
The girls that are drafted by a Red team will be called and notified by their coaches within 24 hours of the Red draft night. If a player was not selected in the 10U or 12U Red draft, she will automatically be placed in the pool for the Blue draft. If a player is not selected for a 15U Red draft, she will automatically be placed on a 7th/8th Open team. There is no tryout for the 7th/8th Open division.
The 2023 Blue drafts are occurring on the following dates at 7:00 pm:
· 12U Blue Draft on Tuesday, January 17, 2023
· 10U Blue Draft on Wednesday, January 18, 2023
The girls that are drafted by a Blue team will be called and notified by their coaches within 24 hours of the Blue draft night. If a player was not selected in the Blue draft, she will automatically be placed on a grade appropriate White team.
My daughter is going to play in the White or Open division. When will she find out which team she is on?
Players will find out after February 9th which team they are on and who the coaches are. There is a coach meeting on February 8th in which the coaches are given their team rosters. The coaches will either call or email each family personally after that night. In the younger divisions, team assignments are made according to grade, home address, and school attended. There is a spot on the registration form to request a friend. We do our best to meet every request but do not make any promises. If the friend's address places her in a different geographical division, we may not be able to honor the request. Another consideration in team formation is a player’s evaluated skills. Each player’s skill level is determined by the coaches’ ratings from the previous season. The league works hard to make teams compatible within divisions by balancing each team with a similar mix of skill levels. Players are not guaranteed a favorite coach, the perfect practice time or location, or a team full of best friends. Rather, the league’s focus is on forming teams that have an equal chance of success.
What if I am interested in coaching a team?
Please click on the Registration 2023 button on the homepage of the SRVGAL website to fill out a coach application. All applicants will be contacted by the appropriate age group coordinator to have a phone interview. All persons selected for coaching assignments will be required to provide personal information and permission to SRVGAL to run a comprehensive background check. All coaches are required to complete three online training courses (Concussion Safety, SafeSport, & ACE), attend the Big Coach meeting on February 8th, and attend in person softball skills training. (Specifics on these additional trainings will be provided by the division coordinator during the interview process.)
What is SRVGAL’s refund policy?
In the event you should change your mind and decide that your daughter is not going to play this season you can withdraw and request a refund before 12/19/22 for the 10U Red & Blue, 12U Red & Blue, and the 15U Red divisions. The final day for refunds for all other divisions is 1/23/23. The only exceptions are: if a high school player is drafted to her local school softball team (for example SRV Wolves or Cal Grizzles), if your family moves out of the area, or your player is injured prior to the start of the season and will be unable to play. Refunds will be given to those players. A $20 processing fee will be taken from all refunds. To request a refund, send an email to our League Administrator at
that includes the name of your daughter and the reason for the request.
What equipment does my daughter need to have?
Equipment your player should bring to practices and games tryouts is as follows:
· Water bottle for personal use only
· Softball glove
· Softball bat
· Softball Batting Helmet
· Softball Fielders Mask
· Catcher Gear (if you have gear)
· Softball sliding pants & proper athletic attire.
· Softball Cleats
SRVGAL will have the equipment to loan individual players. No metal spikes are allowed. Soft plastic and rubber spikes are permissible. Girls in the younger age groups may play in tennis shoes. Soccer cleats are permitted. Click here for a short video on how to buy a bat. Helmets must be NOCSAE approved in order to be legal and safe. Helmets must also be equipped with a securely fastened NOCSAE certified mask or guard. Click here for the picture. All equipment used, SRVGAL or player provided, must comply with USA Softball (previously ASA) regulations. Catchers must wear catcher’s helmets; batting helmets are not allowed.
Does SRVGAL provide uniforms?
Players will be issued a SRVGAL jersey that is theirs to keep when the season ends. This jersey must be worn in all official league games. The coach for each team will determine what the players will wear to complete the uniform.
What is the parent volunteer rebate policy?
Volunteer Rebate Policy
The volunteer jobs of Scorekeeper and Field Prep are eligible for a $50 rebate. Each PKK and 1st/2nd grade team is allowed 2 Field Prep parents. All other teams (3rd/4th White and older) are allowed 2 Field Prep parents and 1 Scorekeeper. To receive the $50 rebate, the coach must submit the name, email, and job performed to the League Admin by May 22nd. A link to a Google Form has been given to the coaches. Only one rebate per SRVGAL player will be issued. The rebates will be processed by June 30th with a credit going back to the credit card that was used to pay for registration.
Coach, Assistant Coach, & Board Member Rebate Policy
Every Coach, Assistant Coach, & Board Member are eligible for a $150 rebate at the end of the season. The $150 rebate will be processed automatically by the League Administrator. No paperwork is required. Only one rebate per SRVGAL player will be issued.
When is Opening Day? When is Picture Day? When is Pitch, Hit, & Run?
Opening Day: 2/26/23
Picture Day: 3/26/23
Pitch, Hit, & Run: 3/26/23
These dates are subject to change based on field availability.
How does the playoff week and All-Star Day work?
All the divisions starting in 3rd grade or 10U and older are involved in the playoff week. The Pre K/K and 1st/2nd-grade divisions will have games up until May 14th with no playoff structure in place.
Playoffs, Championship games are planned for May 12th – May 20th. Game times and days will be determined towards the end of the season.
All Star Day is planned for May 21st.
These dates are subject to change based on field availability.
What other playing opportunities does SRVGAL offer?
Stompers Elite
Stompers Elite and NorCal Valley Stompers are SRVGAL’s travel ball teams. Players typically come from the blue and red divisions. Tryouts for the summer will happen in April. Girls wishing to play year-round travel ball can try out for our NorCal Valley Stompers program. Visit our website for more details concerning the travel ball program.
Does SRVGAL have a training facility?
The SRVGAL Academy is the training home for all SRVGAL players.
SRVGAL Academy instructors are already working with both individuals and teams to help make their game better. If you are interested in exploring the possibilities of making your game better, contact us at
.
What do I need to know about for the safety of my player?
Eyeglasses: Players who wear eyeglasses must wear glasses that are safe. Lenses must be unbreakable, and frames must be unbreakable plastic or sturdy metal. Thin wire-framed glasses may not be worn. Contacts are permitted.
Face/Mouth Guards: Players may wear approved face or mouth guards to protect themselves while playing in the field.
Injuries: Players wearing orthopedic casts, braces (metal, carbon fiber, hard plastic and like devices) or splints (air or metal) shall not be eligible to participate in any game, practice, tryout, or training session.
Jewelry: No jewelry may be worn while participating in any game that, in the judgment of the umpire, constitutes a safety hazard to either the player wearing the jewelry or any other player.
Pets: All dogs bite and they are also a distraction at the games. For those reasons we ask you to please be courteous and leave your pets at home
What is the SRVGAL Game Monitor?
SRVGAL requires a Game Monitor (GM) at every game to handle any issues related to any negative behavior that may arise.
The SRVGAL Game Monitor Policy was instituted in the 2018 season in order to ensure that all games are conducted in a positive environment. Click here for a description of the policy and complete listing of the Game Monitor’s responsibilities.
