Spring Softball is upon us! HAMR is kicking of it's 8th season and thanks to the predications of of Punxsutawney Phil and our local Chuckles, we're looking forward to an early spring. Winter clinics will be ongoing until evaluations in March (tentatively March 11th), and once teams are made you will receive an email from your coach notifying you of practice schedules. HAMR offers the following divisions and please note the overlap of grades in some of our younger levels allowing for parents to choose the most appropriate option for their players ability.
T-Ball (pk-1) - This is a great stepping stone for any young players interested in learning the foundations of softball. There is a major focus on fun, and teams are kept much smaller than traditional programs in order to allow more focused attention on players and keep them moving.
Rookies (1-3) - This program is designed for our younger elementary players who are ready to move from a tee to a coach pitch. Teams are still kept small as they learn more about positions and how to play games against other towns. If you have a 3rd grader who has not played before, or they are still timid on the field, this division will continue to build skills that prepares them for Minors.
Minors (3-5) - Players in this division move away from coach pitch and begin to play full games with outs and steals. They continue to work on foundational skills while learning all the positions on the field. Pitchers will be asked to practice at home as pitching once or twice a week at games will not be enough to fully develop this skill. All players are encouraged to work on drills at home or visit batting cages to work on skills learned in practices. Tournament teams (All Stars) begin practicing mid May with games beginning late June/early July for interested and eligible players. Players who have become involved with travel ball teams are still encouraged to play with HAMR. More time on the field means more time practicing skills!
Majors (6-7) - Majors teams play a fast paced, competitive game. Players continue to work on foundational skills and coaches will begin to place them in positions that best serve the needs of the team while allowing them to develop in those positions. Pitchers at this level who are serious about pitching should be seeking outside pitching coaches to improve their skills while practicing daily at home. All players are encouraged to work on drills at home or visit batting cages to work on skills learned in practices. Tournament teams (All Stars) begin practicing mid May with games beginning late June for interested and eligible players. Players who have become involved with travel ball teams or Middle School programs, are still encouraged to play with HAMR. More time on the field means more time practicing skills!
Juniors (8-9) and Seniors (10-12) - HAMR has the option to open spring league play for girls who have aged out of our Majors program. In order to be eligible, players may NOT be current members of a high school softball team, per CIAC rules. We do our best to offer programs at this level on an as needed/as requested basis. If you do not see this option available, but have a child who would be interested in playing, please contact any of our board members to let us know! If we have enough interest as well as a parent willing to coach, we will open registration. Please note due to the nature of this program, teams may plays towns outside of our typical district in order to accommodate games. We may also choose to combine with players from another town in order to create a full team.
Keep on thinking warm spring thoughts and before you know it we will see you out on the field!