Q: When does the season begin?
A: See the calendar page for practice and game start dates.
Q: When does each league practice and play?
A: The practice and game schedule is different for each age group as follows:
The Clinic Juniors (tee ball; ages 4 and 5 by September 1, 2021) will only meet Saturday mornings. They will practice for the first half and have a scrimmage against another team in the second half. The scrimmages have typically been played such that everyone bats from a tee and we don’t record outs or keep score. The focus is on building fundamental skills for the game.
The Clinic Seniors (coach pitch; generally Kindergarten and 1st graders, ages 6 and 7 by September 1, 2021) will have a practice/game on Saturday morning, as well as one weeknight practice slot. The games on Saturday will have more structure as the season goes along. Coaches will pitch, but other than that the girls will play close to a “real” game by the end of the season.
Rookie League: (intro to kid pitch with coach pitch as back up; generally 2nd and 3rd graders, ages 8 and 9 by September 1, 2021) will have practice or games on Saturday as well as one weeknight practice. This is a learning league so there are position rotation rules and pitching limits to give many players exposure.
Minor League: (generally 4th and 5th graders, ages 10 and 11 by September 1, 2021) Prior to the start of games, each team will have one weeknight and one weekend practice per week at times to be chosen by the coach. Practices may then be held in-season at the discretion of the coach, targeted for Fridays, subject to field availability. Games are scheduled for Saturday midday (along with some evening games at Seminary Park) and one weeknight evening starting at 6 PM. Historically the weeknight games have been on Tuesday, and this will likely be the case for 2021.
Major League: (generally 6th and 7th graders, ages 12 and 13 by September 1, 2021) Prior to the start of games, each team will have one weeknight and one weekend practice per week at times to be chosen by the coach. Practices may then be held in-season at the discretion of the coach, targeted for Mondays, subject to field availability. Games are scheduled for Saturdays (typically in the afternoon, with some games in the evening under the lights at Seminary Park) and each team will play one weeknight game starting at 6 PM. Historically the weeknight games have been on Thursday, and this will likely be the case for 2021.
Fast Pitch League: (generally 8th graders and older, age 14 by September 1, 2021) Prior to the start of games, each team will have one weeknight and one weekend practice per week at times to be chosen by the coach. Practices may then be held in-season at the discretion of the coach, subject to field availability. Games are scheduled for two weeknight evenings starting at 6 PM. Historically the weeknight games have been scheduled for Monday and Wednesday, and this will likely be the case for 2021. Some games will be held under the lights at Seminary Park on Sunday nights.
Games that need to be made up due to weather cancellations will be scheduled based on field availability during the week and on weekends.
Q: Where are practices and games held?
A: We play games at Lutherville Lab Elementary, Timonium Elementary, Orchard Hills Park, Seminary Park, and Ridgely Middle. Practices will be held at these locations and at other locations within the Lutherville-Timonium area.
Q: When and where does registration for rec softball take place?
A: LTRC Girls Softball offers online registration only for the Spring season. The opening and closing dates for registration are normally the beginning of December and the middle of February, but differ in 2021 due to county restrictions. Please see the calendar page of the website for exact dates. Registration is through Stone Alley and can be reached via this link:
https://www.stonealley.com/program/LTRC/group/GirlsSoftball
Q: What is the cost to register?
A: The cost for the 2021 season is $65 for the Clinic Leagues, $75 for the Rookie League, $85 for the Minor and Major Leagues, and $95 for the Fast Pitch League.
Q: Can my daughter request to play on the same team as her friends, or can I request teammates to facilitate car pooling? Can I request a coach that my child had previously?
A: Friend and coach requests will be considered for Clinic and Rookie Leagues only. Requests will not be considered for the Minor, Major, and Fast Pitch Leagues due to the fact that drafts are held to form teams. Siblings who qualify to play in the same age group will be placed together unless specifically requested otherwise.
Q: Can my daughter play in an age group higher or lower than the league they would otherwise play in based on their age as of September 1st?
A: Requests to play up/down will be decided on a on a case-by-case basis by the softball Board of Directors. The decision will be based on prior year rating, amount of experience, player safety, coach and league commissioner input, etc.
Q: What equipment is provided by the league and what does the player need to own/provide?
A: In terms of required equipment, your daughter will only need a glove. Other optional equipment includes cleats, a hat or visor, sunglasses, and a protective face mask for fielding. The league will provide bats and batting helmets; however, players are allowed to use their own.
Q: What shirt size should I order?
A: During the early spring the girls often wear a long-sleeve layer under their team shirt. Due to this and due to sizing differences between manufacturers, please consider choosing one size up from your daughter's normal size.