Welcome to the Viking Softball Association 2024 season!  We look forward to partnering with you and your daughter this year.  To help our families know what is going on, we have compiled information for you below in one handy place.  If you still have questions after reading through this information, contact your daughter’s coach or VSA President Eric Stuart at vsavikingsoftball@gmail.com.  Go to our sign-up page once you are ready to sign your daughter up for the 2024 season.

Eligibility– VSA currently offers softball play to girls ages 7 through high school  A player’s age for the season is their age on the first of the year.  Additionally, VSA was designed to be a feeder program for Cadillac High School Softball. Therefore, VSA play is open to students who attend CAPS schools or live within the CAPS school’s boundaries. If we have additional spots available after sign-ups, which end on March 1st, we will offer a tryout for girls to move up a level or for girls outside the CAPS boundaries in order to fill those spots.

VSA 8U 

Youtube:  https://youtu.be/gk36wRRLcS4

Girls signed up for 8U  will have:: 

  • Oct-Feb – All players are invited to Indoor skill development sessions. We provide the time, indoor space and equipment for you to work on your skills. Coaches are there to assist you, if you need it. 
  • Weekly practices before and during the League season. 
  • Playing different positions on the field. 
  • Playing Games in Cadillac Little League, a local league, LL district tournament, and/or playing in 1-2 tournaments (NOTE: Tournaments are hard to find at this age) 
  • All VSA girls will participate in all tournaments at this age.
  • VSA will not be evaluated at this age. 
  • ALL players will be required to attend ALL team practices.   (No practice, no play) 
  • Attitude: Players are expected to have a good attitude
  • Effort:  Players should give their best effort in practices and games  

 

VSA 10U 

Youtube:  https://youtu.be/M2uD4_7o17U

Girls signed up for 10U will have:

    • Oct-Feb – All players are invited to Indoor skill development sessions. We provide the time, indoor space and equipment for you to work on your skills. Coaches are there to assist you, if you need it.
    • Pitchers and catcher start development or continue to work. Pitchers work through a throwing program and develop new pitches during this period Oct-Feb.. 
    • Indoor all skill development practices starting in January.
    • All players will have a skill evaluation done by Sunday Feb 14th.  All player evaluations will be done by the varsity head coach or by anyone he appoints.   
    • All players are evaluated to help determine current skill level, areas of growth and development.  Post evaluation a tournament team will be selected for their age/grade.  An end of the season evaluation will be given before July 31st.  
    • Tournament Teams are selected based upon players evaluation, current development level or specific position they play.. (ie pitcher or catcher).     
    • 10u players will play in a local league or tournaments (or both) depending on skill level of the group. 
    • If girls aren’t selected for the tournament team, they are given the opportunity to be a part of a practice squad during the summer after the local league is completed, with the understanding that attendance is required.  
    • March-July -Indoor practices will be weekly and outdoor practices will be 2-3x a week when the team is able to get outside.  Practices are required during the season.    
    • Each tournament team will carry 11 players and 1 development player for tournaments. A development player is a part of the team but may not play in every game.  Coaches will pick the players based on skill development, ability, positions, commitment to the offseason program, and attitude.
  • Tournament team players must NOT play for any other teams during the season. 
  • Tournament team players are required to be at every practice and tournament. If a player misses a practice or game, the coach can replace that player with another player. Spring/Summer tournament teams will play April-July.
  • If any unforeseen circumstance causes a player to miss a tournament or game, the coach has the right to ask another Cadillac student to fill in for the day or weekend.  
  • Tournament teams will play 4-5 tournaments in the spring and summer. Cost is additional $150 per player to play on the team. 
  • Fall tournaments will be offered to ALL girls to play in.  Any girl who plays fall ball will play on the tournament team.   Due to the number of sign ups being smaller and the season being shorter.       
  • Attitude: Players are expected to have a good attitude
  • Effort:  Players should give their best effort in practices and games   

 

VSA 11/12u 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/pFkE5MYAdK4

Girls signed up for 12U will have:

  • Oct-Feb – All players are invited to Indoor skill development sessions. We provide the time, indoor space and equipment for you to work on your skills. Coaches are there to assist you, if you need it.
  • Pitchers and catcher start development or continue to work. Pitchers work through a throwing program and develop new pitches during this period Oct-Feb.. 
  • Indoor all skill development practices starting in January.
  • All players will have a skill evaluation done by Sunday Feb 14th.  All player evaluations will be done by the varsity head coach or by anyone he appoints.   
  • All players are evaluated to help determine current skill level, areas of growth and development.  Post evaluation a tournament team will be selected for their age/grade.  An end of the season evaluation will be given before July 31st.  
  • Tournament Teams are selected based upon players evaluation, current development level or specific position they play.. (ie pitcher or catcher).     
  • 11/12u players will play in a school based Middle School league.  Teams are based upon grades (6th-8th) and numbers.      
  • If girls aren’t selected for the tournament team, they are given the opportunity to be a part of the Middle School league no matter what and then given the opportunity to be part of a practice squad during the summer after the league is completed, with the understanding that attendance is required.  
  • March-July -Indoor practices will be weekly and outdoor practices will be 2-3x a week when the team is able to get outside.  Practices are required during the season.    
  • Each tournament team will carry 11 players and 1 development player for tournaments. A development player is a part of the team but may not play in every game.  Coaches will pick the players based on skill development, ability, positions, commitment to the offseason program, and attitude.
  • Tournament team players must NOT play for any other teams during the season. 
  • Tournament team players are required to be at every practice and tournament. If a player misses a practice or game, the coach can replace that player with another player. Spring/Summer tournament teams will play April-July.
  • If any unforeseen circumstance causes a player to miss a tournament or game, the coach has the right to ask another Cadillac student to fill in for the day or weekend.  
  • Tournament teams will play 4-5 tournaments in the spring and summer. Cost is additional $150 per player to play on the team. 
  • Fall tournaments will be offered to ALL girls to play in.  Any girl who plays fall ball will play on the tournament team.   Due to the number of sign ups being smaller and the season being shorter.       
  • Attitude: Players are expected to have a good attitude
  • Effort:  Players should give their best effort in practices and games   

VSA 13/14u 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/umGtDKX_tHQ

Girls signed up for 14U  will have:

  • Oct-Feb – All players are invited to Indoor skill development sessions. We provide the time, indoor space and equipment for you to work on your skills. Coaches are there to assist you, if you need it.
  • Pitchers and catcher start development or continue to work. Pitchers work through a throwing program and develop new pitches during this period Oct-Feb.. 
  • Indoor all skill development practices starting in January.
  • All players will have a skill evaluation done by Sunday Feb 14th.  All player evaluations will be done by the varsity head coach or by anyone he appoints.   
  • All players are evaluated to help determine current skill level, areas of growth and development.  Post evaluation a tournament team will be selected for their age/grade.  An end of the season evaluation will be given before July 31st.  
  • Tournament Teams are selected based upon players evaluation, current development level or specific position they play.. (ie pitcher or catcher).     
  • 13/14u players will play in a school based Middle School league.  Teams are based upon grades (6th-8th) and numbers.      
  • If girls aren’t selected for the tournament team, they are given the opportunity to be a part of the Middle School league no matter what and then given the opportunity to be part of a practice squad during the summer after the league is completed, with the understanding that attendance is required.  
  • March-July -Indoor practices will be weekly and outdoor practices will be 2-3x a week when the team is able to get outside.  Practices are required during the season.    
  • Each tournament team will carry 11 players and 1 development player for tournaments. A development player is a part of the team but may not play in every game.  Coaches will pick the players based on skill development, ability, positions, commitment to the offseason program, and attitude.
  • Tournament team players must NOT play for any other teams during the season. 
  • Tournament team players are required to be at every practice and tournament. If a player misses a practice or game, the coach can replace that player with another player. Spring/Summer tournament teams will play April-July.
  • If any unforeseen circumstance causes a player to miss a tournament or game, the coach has the right to ask another Cadillac student to fill in for the day or weekend.  
  • Tournament teams will play 4-5 tournaments in the spring and summer. Cost is additional $150 per player to play on the team. 
  • Fall tournaments will be offered to ALL girls to play in.  Any girl who plays fall ball will play on the tournament team.   Due to the number of sign ups being smaller and the season being shorter.       
  • Attitude: Players are expected to have a good attitude
  • Effort:  Players should give their best effort in practices and games   

 VSA HS level 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/_y2Eb5a6-lo

Girls signed up for HS level  will have:

  • Oct-Feb – All players are invited to Indoor skill development sessions. We provide the time, indoor space and equipment for you to work on your skills. Coaches are there to assist you, if you need it.
  • Pitchers and catcher start development or continue to work. Pitchers work through a throwing program and develop new pitches during this period Oct-Feb. 
  • Player evaluations will be done by March 15th.  Date to be determined by the head coach.    
  • Practices will not occur during the High School Season.  
  • Every player is trying out for the tournament team.Tournament team coaches will pick the players based on position, ability, commitment to the offseason program, and attitude.  Not every player will play in tournaments but can practice being a part of the practice squad to continual development of their skill.  Only 12 players will be selected pre team.  
  • Girls outside of the Cadillac High school team can try out and participate, if abilities and attitude seem coachable and live in the Cadillac school district.   
  • Players not selected can play in the Lat League (HS school Summer League) once a week with their HS team for game experience.  
  • ALL players will be required to attend ALL team practices.   (No practice, no play)  
  • Attitude: Players are expected to have a good attitude
  • Effort:  Players should give their best effort in practices and games  

Costs VSA Membership cost per age group.

  • 8u-         $100
  • 10u        $150
  • 11/12u   $200
  • 13/14u   $200  
  • HS         $150

Additional Cost: 

  • Tournament team players will have an additional cost of $150 to cover the cost of the tournament fees.
  • 8u/10u players may have an additional cost of $50 for their local little league registration fees.    

Payment is due upon sign up.   All payments will be paid online.  No Checks or Cash payments. VSA membership does NOT sign your daughter up for Little League.  Parents must sign up their players for Little League separately.  

VSA Membership covers:

  • Indoor rental cost at the Wex. 
  • Team equipment.   
  • Jersey.  The jersey can be reused every year, until a player needs a new jersey.  When a girl needs a new size or if their jersey is not in good shape they will pay an additional $50 that season. 

ALL tournaments are covered by sponsorship, NOT the VSA Membership. 

Equipment– VSA does not provide equipment other than jerseys for players. In some cases, we may have some donated equipment, so feel free to reach out if your daughter is unable to get the equipment.  We will be offering an equipment swap in the late fall.  Please read the information below on the equipment needed for your daughter. It is important for performance that girls have the right size equipment.

A. Batter’s Helmet

B. Cleats

C. Pants- Girls should wear softball pants to outdoor practice unless told otherwise. Practice pants can be any color.  For the 2024 season we are going to again wear charcoal pants for games.  One spot to purchase those pants is through Epic Sports.  Remember to choose charcoal.

D. Socks- Girls should wear navy socks.

E. Gloves- Girls provide their own glove.   Here is the sizing guide from sportsdepot.com.  Note, that we do have catchers gloves and gear for our players, but they may want to purchase their own to use at home.


F. Bat- The chart below may help when selecting an appropriate bat size.  For quick reference, Dicks’ Sporting Goods bat sizing guide states “Place the bat knob at the center of your chest and extend the barrel out toward your fingertips. If you can touch the end of the bat with your fingertips, the bat should be an appropriate size.”

G. Fielders Mask- VSA asks that players wear a fielder’s mask while playing the infield for their safety.  Additionally, a lot of younger girls benefit from the protection and confidence they give while learning how to play catch.

H. Belt

I- Equipment Bag (optional)

J. Softballs- VSA provides softballs for practice.  If you are buying softballs for at-home use, be sure to buy 11-inch softballs for players on 8u and 10U and 12-inch softballs for players on 12U and 14U.