If you have a question that is not answered here, you have the following options:

• Leave a message at 604-983-6444 ext 674;
  
• Contact one of our Executive directly;
• Use our email Contact form.

General

How long is the season?

The season starts at the beginning of April and finishes at the end of June. Some teams choose to hold indoor practises in the weeks or months leading up to April. Teams in older divisions may play into July if they qualify for a provincial championship tournament.

Where are games played?

The U6 division plays exclusively at Loutet Park (east of Grand Boulevard). From U8 through U14, games are played on fields throughout the North Shore. The U16, U18 and Jr Ladies divisions interlock with other Lower Mainland associations. Home games are played at McCartney Park and away games are played off the North Shore. Rep teams play thoughout the Lower Mainland in all divisions, with home games at McCartney Park.

My daughter was born in 2003. What division will she be in?

Categories (aka divisions) are based on your daughter's age as of January 1 of the current season (except for U6, where the cut-off is March 31 of the current season).  The divisions are as follows:

• U6 (formerly Blastball): 5 years old by March 31 of this season
• U8 (formerly Mini Mite): 6 - 7 years old by Jan 1 of this season
• U10 (formerly Mite): 8 - 9 years old by Jan 1 of this season
• U12 (formerly Squirt): 10 - 11 years old by Jan 1 of this season
• U14 (formerly Pee Wee): 12 - 13 years old by Jan 1 of this season
• U16 (formerly Bantam): 14 - 15 years old by Jan 1 of this season
• U18 (formerly Midget): 16 - 17 years old by Jan 1 of this season
• Jr Ladies: 18 - 20 years old by Jan 1 of this season
  

NOTE: Categories were renamed in 2012 by Softball BC to follow Softball Canada's categories. Some age ranges were also changed; prior to 2012, Midget was 16 - 18 years old and Jr Ladies was 19 - 22 years old.

How many games and practices should we expect each week?  What days do they play?

Most teams play twice a week and additional practices are at the discretion of the coach.  However, the U6 and U8 divisions hold two sessions a week, which are a combination of Learn To Play skills development and mini-games. In the U10 division, there is one scheduled game and one scheduled practice per week.

• U6 – Mon/Wed, 6:00 pm
• U8 – Tue/Thu, 6:00 pm
• U10 – Mon/Wed, 6:30 pm
• U12 – Tue/Thu, 6:30 pm
• U14 – Mon/Wed, 6:30 pm
• U16 – Mon/Wed, 6:30 pm
• U18 – Tue/Thu, 6:30 pm
• Jr Ladies – Tue/Thu, 6:45 pm

Please contact your Division Coordinator for further information with respect to your specific division.

What equipment is required?

The association provides uniforms, bats, balls, catching equipment, and a few helmets.  Your daughter will need shoes (running shoes are fine at the Blastball and Mini Mite levels, soccer cleats are fine at the older levels) and a glove.  We also recommend that she have her own helmet and a mouth guard.

How do we pick a glove?

The glove should fit the players hand without weighing it down or feeling awkward or uncomfortable. There should also be room for the ball inside the mitt. The best thing to do when buying a glove is to take an 11 inch ball with you. Try the glove on and have her catch a lightly-tossed ball. If it sticks in the glove and doesn't fall off her hand, it's a good fit.  If the ball doesn't fit in the glove and she has trouble hanging on to the ball, it's too small.

My daughter lost her glove/helmet/slider/hoodie. Is there a lost & found where I could look for it?

Yes, our Lost & Found is at the McCartney Concession. If you find a lost item, please drop it off at the Concession. If you lost something, please check for it there.

How do I volunteer?

North Shore Fastpitch is always looking for more people to get involved! There are several volunteer positions listed on the registration form, or you may contact your Division Coordinator for more information.

Team Forming

For social and car-pooling reasons, it is important that my daughter be placed on a team with her friends.  Can we request specific teammates?

Rep league teams are formed using a tryout process that occurs in September; refer to the Rep Guidelines for more information.

For House league teams, you may request up to three friends as teammates. However, although the coordinators make best efforts to accommodate these requests, placement is not assured. Division Coordinators use the following criteria when forming teams (in order of priority):

1. Same team as last season
2. Request to play with friends
3. School placement
4. Geographical area

Your daughter's request to play with friends or on a specific team is given priority by when payment is received, not when her registration was submitted.

I registered on-line but have still not heard anything about what team my daughter is on?

Team forming occurs in March, and you should be notified of your placement (usually, by your coach) at least a week before the season starts. Please contact your Division Coordinator if you have any questions.

My daughter is a very athletic.  What is your policy with respect to "playing up"?

Any request to play outside your birth year must be made in writing to the Board prior to the commencement of the season. Requests are only granted on an exceptional basis and, as North Shore Fastpitch has a robust Rep program, do not take into consideration the skill level of the player. Girls who wish to play at a higher competitive level are encouraged to try out for our Rep program.  Please contact the Rep Coordinator for more information.

My daughter is switching from Rep to House; where will she be able to play?

In order to balance the teams and keep the House league competitive, no more than 2 ex-Rep players may be on a House team. A player is considered ex-Rep for 2 years after playing on a Stars team. Note: This does not apply to the Supermites, they are development team and not yet considered Rep.

Registration & Fees

What are the fees for registering to play softball?

Registration fees are detailed on the Registration page.  Fees vary by division, and include the North Van and West Van field user fees, Softball BC insurance and membership fees, and our association fee.  Players selected to a Stars team also pay a Rep fee to cover the additional expenses of stars uniforms, tournaments and equipment. Players selected to the Supermites rep development team do not pay the Rep fee, they pay the Squirt House league fee because they are playing up a division in House league.

Why am I not getting the Rep tryout credit?

The registration system matches the combined First Name and Last Name you entered on Page 1 of the Registration form to the name given when signing up for Rep tryouts. Spelling and hyphenation matter, but case does not. If you are not getting the credit on Page 2 of the Registration form, hit the Back button and correct any errors, especially making sure you didn't switch First and Last names.

What payment methods does the NVGSA accept?

Our online registration system uses PayPal to accept credit card payments. You may also pay by cheque after submitting your registration using the online system. Registration is not confirmed until full payment has been received.

Your daughter's request to play with friends or on a specific team is given priority by when payment is received, not when her registration was submitted.

How do I get my tax receipt?

You will receive confirmation of registration and payment by email.  This is also your tax receipt, so you should print it and file it away. These are generated automatically by the online registration system, and can not be reissued a year later.

Am I able to withdraw if my child’s playing schedule conflicts with other family commitments?

Our refund policy is detailed on the Registration page.  A full refund will be granted prior to the first day of the season in April.  A 50% refund will be granted from the first day until the end of April.  No refunds are permitted after April 30.