Parent Handbook
The Parent Handbook contains useful information for parents of SRVGAL players. Please read over the
Handbook before the season begins and refer back here for answers throughout the season.
Birth Certificates
New players to SRVGAL must provide a photocopy of their birth
certificate by mail to verify age.
Please send the copy of the birth certificate to:
SRVGAL
P.O. Box 637
Danville, CA 94526
ATTN: REGISTRAR
If you
would like us to return the copy of the birth certificate,
please include a self-addressed stamped envelope with proper
postage.
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Coach Volunteers
All persons selected for coaching assignments will be required to provide personal information and permission to SRVGAL to run a comprehensive background check. The SRVGAL Organization does everything possible to ensure the safety of your children.
For more information and resources for coaches, see the
Coaches page.
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Cost
Players may
register online or
by downloading the
registration form from our website and mailing their registration form and check
to SRVGAL.
Registration rates for the 2013 season if registration is
completed or received by 10/31/12:
$225 for
Pre-K/K & 1st/2nd*
$275 for 3rd/4th to High School*
*Parent participation/volunteering is critical to our program. If volunteering a $75 fee will be discounted during the registration process. SRVGAL has the right to charge the volunteer fee if the commitment has not been met. There is a discount available for additional family members.
Registration rates for the 2013 season if registration is
completed or received after 10/31/2012:
$275 for
Pre-K/K & 1st/2nd*
$325 for 3rd/4th to High School*
*Parent participation/volunteering is critical to our program. If volunteering a $75 fee will be discounted during the registration process. SRVGAL has the right to charge the volunteer fee if the commitment has not been met. There is a discount available for additional family members.
Mail in registration is available by completing and returning our 2013
Registration Form.
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Divisions (White, Blue & Red Levels)
WHITE teams are recreational level play, determined both by
evaluated skill level, and according to home address, school
attended and parent volunteer participation.
BLUE and RED divisions are more competitive, with RED the most
competitive level of play, with BLUE still competitive, but less
so than RED. Teams are determined by tryouts and a coaches'
draft, with no consideration given to where the player lives.
For more information on RED and BLUE tryouts, see the
Tryouts section.
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Equipment
SRVGAL provides bats, balls, helmets and catcher's equipment to
each league team. Players are responsible for providing their
own softball glove and cleats. No metal baseball spikes are
allowed. Soft plastic and rubber spikes are permissible. Girls
in the younger age groups, i.e., T-ball, 1st/2nd
players, may play in tennis shoes. Soccer cleats are permitted.
Some players prefer using their own helmet and bat. All bats 27"
or greater must carry the regulation "Official Softball"
marking, and must have a rubber grip, "Power Pad" grip, or be
taped with "friction" tape. Using illegal equipment may result
in a forfeit.
ASA Approved Bats: Beginning January 1, 2000, in ASA
Championship Play, players may use only those bats that meet all
requirements of Rule 3, Section 1 of the ASA Playing Rules, and
satisfies one of the following:
- bear an ASA approved certification mark; or
- are included on a list of approved bat models published by the
ASA National Office; or
- in the sole opinion and discretion of the umpire, were
manufactured prior to 1995 and, if tested, would comply with the
ASA bat performance standards then in effect.
ASA Document Explaining Ball and Bat Performance Standards (PDF)
Non-Approved Bat List from ASA (PDF)
Helmets: All helmets must be equipped with a face mask and chin strap that have been approved by NOCSAE -
National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. A helmet that meets this standard
will have the label shown here.
If a player currently has a personal helmet that does not have both of these safety items,
it must be retrofitted with a NOCSAE approved guard prior to use in any practice or game.
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Grade Groups
SRVGAL is divided into "Grade Based Playing Divisions" and then
competitive level "Divisions"
within each group from 3rd/4th to High
School.
For more information go to the
Grade Based Divisions page.
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Pictures
Picture Day is tentatively set for Sunday, April 28th at Sycamore Park. Please
mark your personal calendar. You will get your photos at the end
of the season.
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Post Season Activities
SRVGAL has postseason activities for the all divisions except
Pre-K/K.
Playoffs begin for all teams in the 3rd/4th
to the High School divisions one week after the last regular
season games.
The players hold all Star Day on the first weekend in June for all groups except Pre-K/K. Players are selected by a secret ballot vote from their teams. Each player selected will receive an award following her game.
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Practices
Each team is assigned two weekly practices. Practice days and
times will be distributed at the Coaches Meeting at the start of
the season.
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Rainouts
The weather doesn't always cooperate with us, especially as we
begin the season. SRVGAL works closely with the schools and the
cities of Danville and San Ramon to get current field
conditions.
Coaches will communicate with their teams regarding game cancellations and rescheduling.
The city parks and school district fields also have systems in place to advise of any closures due to weather or other conditions.
For San Ramon field information you need to sign up for the San Ramon Field email/text notification system. For instructions, click this link: http://srvgal.org/docs/SR_rain_out_info.pdf.
For any Danville/Alamo field call: 925-314-3484
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Refund Policy/Returned Checks
No refunds will be issued after January 4, 2013.
There is an exception for players that registered in the High
School Division and are playing on a high school JV or Varsity
team. They will be refunded their registration fees if they do
not wish to play in the few remaining games of the SRVGAL High
School League season.
Refund requests must be sent in writing to:
SRVGAL
Treasurer
P.O. Box 637
Danville, CA 94526
Or emailed to: info@srvgal.org
SRVGAL will
retain a $25 administrative fee for all refunds and returned
checks.
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Safety
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 these reasons we ask you to please be courteous
and leave your pets at home.
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Season Calendar
Please look carefully at the
league calendar in this website. Some of these dates may
change a bit, as needed. Please plan your family vacation after
playoffs. If you expect your daughter may qualify for one of our
"traveling" tournament teams, we hope you'll plan your vacation
schedule around the tournament schedule, if at all possible.
Tournament play is a lot of fun and we really want our strongest
players on those teams. If you have questions about this, please
ask one of the Board members, especially if you are new to
SRVGAL.
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Team Placement
Except for a coach's daughter, no player may request a specific
coach and no coach can request a specific player except through
the Red or Blue draft. In the younger divisions, team
assignments are made according to grade, home address, school
attended and parent volunteer participation.
Another consideration in team formation (White and High School
divisions) 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 comparable within
divisions by balancing each team with a similar mix of skill
levels.
Coaches in the Red and Blue divisions attend tryouts to evaluate
those players that express the desire and attend a tryout. Teams
are then formed by a confidential draft for each grade group.
Player’s parents then receive a call from the coach to verify
the players continued desire to participate on a Red or Blue
team and rosters will be published on the SRVGAL website until
the start of the season.
Coaches in the White and High School divisions receive their
roster of players at the Manager and Coaches meeting at the
start of their season. Player’s parents will receive a call from
their coach following that date. White and High School division
team assignments are final and will not be changed. 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.
Moving players around after the teams are formed can
significantly alter the balance of all teams involved and is not
in the best interest of the majority.
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Traveling Tournament Teams (Stompers)
SRVGAL offers traveling tournament teams. The exact number will
depend on the quantity of qualified players and coaches for each
ASA age group. Tournament entries and other fees will be paid by
the teams themselves or their sponsors. To qualify to play on
one of these teams, girls must first play the regular SRVGAL
season or on the Freshman, JV or Varsity team in high school.
Stompers tryouts are scheduled for early May. Tournaments will
begin in mid June and run through early August. In some cases,
these teams have the option to continuing play into the fall.
SRVGAL also offers a year round ASA “A” program. Tryouts for these teams
are usually held in August and December.
For more information on the Stompers, see the
Stompers page.
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Training
SRVGAL offers skills clinics to prepare players for the season.
Take advantage and sign up for training opportunities during
online or mail in registration. These clinics fill up fast. This
year we are offering pitching clinics, a pre-tryout skills
clinic and an advanced catching clinic designed for girls
catching in the RED and BLUE divisions.
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Trophies
SRVGAL provides individual trophies to all Pre-K/K and 1st/2nd
players at the end of the season. The number of individual
trophies awarded in the other grade groups is determined by the
number of teams in each grade group’s division.
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Tryouts
Tryout Session and Draft Required only for ALL Red or Blue
Players: If you are signing up for a RED or BLUE division
team, you must indicate RED or BLUE on your application. A
player will not be considered for the RED or BLUE divisions
unless she specifically indicates a desire to play RED or BLUE
on her SRVGAL registration sheet and also attend the appropriate
RED/BLUE tryout session listed on the league calendar. In the
absence of such an election, she will automatically be assigned
to the WHITE division. Mark your calendar now. Players who do
not attend the appropriate RED/BLUE Try-Out session are not
eligible to play RED or BLUE.
All players who tryout will be considered to be eligible for the
appropriate Red division, unless a player requests only to be
considered for the Blue division.
Girls will be required to demonstrate how well they can hit
fastpitch balls off of the pitching machine. They will field fly
balls and show arm strength by throwing the ball to a designated
target. Show how fast they can grab a ground ball and get it to
first base. At first base, the girls will display whether or not
they can catch the ball for an out. They will run the bases. In
short, they will show how well they play the game. Girls who
want to pitch MUST tryout as a pitcher ON THAT DAY. Girls who
want to catch are encouraged to tryout as a catcher. The most
important attributes that coaches will be looking for are skills
form and the overall athleticism and coachability of each girl.
Therefore, each girl is scheduled only one opportunity to try
out. A second opportunity may be requested, but only granted if
there is space available. Regardless of errors, it is the
general ability of each girl that determines her capacity to
develop more competitive fastpitch skills. Tryouts typically
last 1 1/2 to 2 hours and all you need to bring is your glove.
Coaches' daughters MUST attend tryouts
to be eligible to play.
Trying out for the RED Division does not guarantee that a player
will be drafted by a RED, or even BLUE, coach. All those who
signed up and tried out for RED, but are not drafted to play in
the RED Division, will be eligible for the BLUE draft. The BLUE
draft for each age group follows the RED draft. All players not
drafted for RED or BLUE will be automatically assigned to WHITE.
Red players returning for their second season in a
division are eligible to play up to the next grade level Red
division. Players who did not play in a Red division during the
previous season must petition the League Commissioner prior to
tryouts. Players trying out to be drafted up are only eligible
for the Red draft. If they are not drafted in the Red draft
they will be returned to their grade appropriate group and be
eligible for both the Red and Blue draft. Players who are
trying out to play up must tryout in both grade groups in order
to be eligible for either draft. Parents are not allowed to
coach in a division that would require his/her daughter to “Play
Up”.
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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. Players in the younger age groups may wear jean
shorts or white baseball pants with their jersey. Girls in the
more competitive divisions often choose to wear softball shorts
and sliding pants.
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Waitlist
If it is determined that a division is close to becoming full or
if a cut off date is established, any player that registers for
that division or registers after the cut off date will be placed
on a wait list. Once it is determined that there are sufficient
teams to be had, players on the wait list will be dispersed to
available spots or if no spots are available a refund will be
issued. The cutoff day is typically December 31st.
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