2024 Kendallville Girls Softball League
Frequently Asked Questions
General information about our league.
Kendallville Girls Softball League is a community girls’ fast pitch softball league based in Kendallville, Indiana. We play in the Noble Lagrange County Girls Softball League.
Is this league a “travel” ball league?
No. This is a community ball league that only practices and plays from early April to mid-July.
Is there any travel involved?
Yes. Away games are played in the following locations: Albion, Avilla, Ashley, Churubusco, Kimmell, Lagrange, Rome City, Wawaka, Westview High School, Wolcottville & Wolf Lake. Home games are played at the Kendallville Sports Complex off 1000E. All practices are held at Sunset Park on Drake Road. Rush Street fields have been removed.
Is this a co-ed league?
No. This league is limited to girls in grades K-8, mainly in the East Noble School system.
My daughter is not in the East Noble school system. Can she play for Kendallville?
Yes. Although we encourage players to sign up in their local community, we’ll play any girl that signs up in grades K-8. For years, we’ve tried to enforce town-jumping rules, but to be honest, it’s difficult to enforce when other towns won’t do the same.
How do I sign my daughter up?
We have online registration at www.kendallvillegirlssoftball.com. Registration is available from now until March 10th, 2024. If you get signed up by that date, we’ll have a spot on a team for your player. After March 10th, online registration will still be open, but there’s a $30 late fee, and we can only accept your player if there’s room on a team. We can add players up to the beginning of May, but there’s no guarantee we’ll have a spot after March 10th, so sign up early. If you’re reading this on the KGSL website, you’re real close to the “Register” button at the top right of the home page. We will also hold in-person registration at the YMCA on Saturday, February 24, 2024, from 8am-11am. Payment is required at the time of registration, both online and in-person.
We’re having trouble signing up online, or don’t have a way to sign up online. What now?
If you email us at [email protected] we can email you the registration form to print off and fill out. We can also get a form to you to fill out if needed. Then, it can be dropped off with payment. We will also hold in-person registration at the YMCA on Saturday, February 24, 2024, from 8am-11am. Payment is required at the time of registration, both online and in-person.
I missed the March 10th deadline. Can I still get signed up?
Probably! After March 10th, online registration is still open, but there’s a $30 late fee and we must have room on a team to accept your player. If we can’t find a place on a team, your money will be refunded. We’ve added girls up into the first week of May if there’s room on a team. It gets a little more difficult after callouts, but we try our best to get anyone that wants to play on a team. Community ball is all about community!
What are the costs involved in playing in this league?
Our registration fees are $60 for each player. If you sign up online, there is a small fee SportsConnect charges you for the online service. Each player is given a team jersey shirt and a pair of color-matched socks. After March 10th, the price increases to $90.
We sell rolls of trash bags as a fundraiser each season. We ask each household to sell a minimum of 5 rolls of trash bags, which is due at callouts, March 12th. If you’d rather not sell the trash bags, we do have a $25 opt-out fee, due at callouts. We’re trying to have trash bags dispersed at team night March 19th. If we can’t get them in time for that, we’ll have them right after Spring Break, early April. These trash bags are a very nice product that people use every day. These are the only fees our league has besides registration. Remember, this is 16 weeks of fun for $60! What a bargain!
Is there any incentive to sell trash bags?
Yes. The girl/family that sells the most trash bags will receive a $100 cash prize. The 2nd best seller receives a $75 cash prize, and the 3rd best seller receives a $50 cash prize. These trash bag sales help us keep the registration cost low. Between league, ballpark, insurance, equipment, and umpire fees, it costs $140 per player on average to run the league. Our sponsors & fundraiser offsets these additional costs, allowing us to maintain our initial cost to families each year.
What equipment does my daughter need to play?
Starting with the 2024 season:
· D league (K-2nd grade) All players will be required to have their own defensive face mask for any position on the field.
· C league (3rd-4th grade) All players in the infield will be required to have their own defensive face mask.
· A & B league (5th-8th grade) 1st base, 3rd base, and Pitcher will be required to have their own defensive mask.
· Due to Covid-19, lice, etc, face masks & helmets can’t be shared. Other towns and leagues may have different policies, but this is the stance we’ve taken at the Kendallville level. To help families with this, KGSL will donate our league masks, one mask per player that needs one, while supplies last. We ask that when your player is finally done in the league, you donate the KGSL mask back to the league for someone else to enjoy and be safe. There are many masks available on the market. Our recommendation is Rip-It due to parts being replaceable, but any mask will do.
Each player is required to have their own mitt and batting helmet with attached face mask. Cleats are highly recommended, but no metal spikes are allowed. All other equipment, including bats, is supplied by KGSL to the coaches. Make sure bats and mitts are size-appropriate for your player. Tee-ball mitts and baseball bats are not allowed. If you choose to purchase a bat, it must be a fast pitch softball bat, 2-1/4” diameter, and have the ASA 2000 circle, ASA 2004 home plate, or USA Softball home plate symbol on it.
My daughter is signed up, what happens next?
We’ve made a change to callouts this year. We’re making it a 2-night event instead of packing it all into one. Tuesday, March 12th, 2024, callouts are held at the YMCA original gym. Even if your player is returning to the same team as last year, we still ask that your player attend and go through the process. Please arrive 15 minutes early to finalize paperwork & fundraiser forms.
The call-out time for your player is as follows:
D-league, K - 2nd grade, 6:00-6:45pm
C-League, 3rd & 4th grade, 6:45-7:30pm
B-League, 5th & 6th grade, 7:30-8:15pm
A-league, 7th & 8th grade, 8:15-9:00pm
Please have your player bring their mitt and wear gym shoes. Trash bag forms and money are due at that time, or the $25 opt-out fee if that is the option you choose.
Your player is given a number sticker when they sign in at callouts, which matches a list of players that are given to our coaches that evening. There are stations set up that practice batting, catching, and fielding. The coaches observe the players for 20-25 minutes, and then you may leave callouts. The coaches will draft the players later that evening.
We’re meeting the following Tuesday, March 19th at the YMCA new gym for team night, where coaches will meet their players & parents briefly, then everyone may leave. Some coaches will have a whole packet prepared for you, others may not. Once the season begins, things fall into place rather quickly.
Call-outs have always been hectic and somewhat crazy. This is why we have chosen to make it a 2-night event. We have a lot of girls in one place, trying to do many different things in a short amount of time. Please be patient with us. Since we’re at the YMCA this year, parents will probably have to hug the walls.
We can't make it to call-outs on March 12th! What do we do?
Please come to team night on Tuesday, March 19th. Your daughter will be drafted to a team sight-unseen. If we've seen your girl play in the past and we have any idea of their skill, we'll inform the coaches. You will meet your coach and other teammates. Practices will begin after Spring Break, so you will hear from them by then. If you would like to know your coach's contact info before then, email us at [email protected] and we can let you know.
Can I choose my daughter’s coach?
Essentially, no. If there is only one team in a league, all girls end up on that team. We usually have 2 teams in each league, so your daughter has a chance to be drafted to either team. There are exceptions to this as well. If your daughter played in our league in 2023, there is a spot on the registration form where you can say “yes” or “no” to the head coach for this season. If you circle “no”, and there’s only one other team, your daughter will be placed on that team. We try to honor these requests fully. You cannot check “no” to a coach if you’ve never played for that coach before. We do compare these requests to past seasons to check validity. The other caveat to this draft is if you choose “yes” on the registration form, the coach can place your player back into the draft if they don’t feel your player was a good match for them in the previous season. There is still a chance your daughter can be drafted to their team, but a “yes” on your registration form does not guarantee that your daughter will be on that team.
Coaches may keep players on their team for the 4-5 years of D & C, and then again for the 4 years of B & A. All players are placed in the draft when they reach their first year of B-league.
My daughter would like to be on the same team as her best friend, or she must carpool with her friend. Can they have the same coach?
We receive many, many requests for players to be with certain friends each year for carpool or other reasons. Although we appreciate your situation, the amount of these requests we receive every season cause too many constraints on the teams. We get it. Playing softball with your best friend is the best thing in the world. Playing against them and beating them is fun too! Also, it gives your daughter a chance to meet new friends. We document this on the notes for drafts and notify the drafting coaches but cannot guarantee these requests.
Callouts/drafts are over. When do we hear from our coach about practice?
We give the coaches their player package as soon as we can. We ask that they get in touch with you within a week of callouts. We don’t start practicing until April, and Spring Break is March 23rd-April 7th. Coaches may be on vacation, and spring break can be a busy time for many people. Practices can start April 1st, but the coaches will probably hold off until April 8th to begin practices. If you have not heard anything by April 1st, please send an email to [email protected].
What nights are practices?
95% of the time, practices are held 2 nights a week, Monday through Thursday. The coaches sign up for practice field time at the coaches’ meeting, and that is somewhat of a set schedule for the season. Coaches determine the day and time of practices. The younger leagues usually get the 5-7pm slots for practice, and the older girls take the 7-9pm slots. Sometimes coaches take weekend slots, but it is not very common. We recommend that practices happen once the temperature is above 40 degrees. With the mild winter we had this year, we should have a good chance of getting started right after Spring Break. If you feel that conditions are not safe for practice for your player, please keep your player at home and notify the coach via text or phone call. Players are expected to be at every practice possible when weather permits.
What nights are games?
B & D leagues play Monday and Wednesday nights.
A & C leagues play Tuesday and Thursday nights.
Game times are 5:30pm and 7pm.
Weekend pre-season tournaments start in May that we use to get the jitters out of players and get them used to the game and field before the regular season starts. This is a fun tournament that shows the girls how a softball game operates, so they’re prepared when the regular season starts the following week.
Preseason dates
· D-league preseason, time & location TBD
· C-league preseason, time & location TBD
· Monday, TBD, D-league regular season games begin.
· Tuesday, TBD, C-league regular season games begin.
· B-league preseason, time & location TBD
· Monday, TBD, B-league regular season games begin.
· A-league preseason, time & location TBD
· Tuesday, TBD, A-league regular season games begin.
Tournament schedule to be published after the county meeting in April. Items in red TBD.
Each team plays 12 regular season games, which are usually split, 6 at home, and 6 away.
End of season tournament was single elimination at the end of June in 2024. We’re waiting on the county meeting to determine what & when it will be. You keep playing as long as you keep winning.
End of season tournaments are single elimination. The best seeded team will be the home team throughout the tournament, so regular season games do matter.
When do game schedules come out?
2024 schedules will be out at the end of April. Please click the 2024 Schedule on our website, or visit
https://www.allprosoftware.net/nlsoftball/default.htm
I want to volunteer. What do I do?
Our league can only survive when people step up to coach and volunteer. We cannot have teams without coaches. Every year, we must reach out to all parents in D league, looking for coaches. A-C leagues are easier, as the parents that move up from D usually keep with it. A week before callouts, expect an email in D league looking for coaches. Somebody must do it! We run the whole league. We just need you to coach a team. If you’d like to coach, please mark down on your daughter’s registration that you’d like to coach. All candidates must submit to a background check with the Indiana State Police. If you’d like to coach, and don’t have a player in our league, email us at [email protected] and we can set it up. Coaching is fun and very rewarding. No foul language or tobacco use is allowed around the players. You will be a role model for these kids.
Our league is governed and operated by a group of Board Members. We need people to help run the KGSL Board of Directors. Most of our Board members don’t have players in the league anymore, and we need fresh new people to help carry the league forward! As your player moves into high school, your role is complete on the Board, so it is important to keep parents involved in all age groups. If you join the Board, your players’ registration fees are waived.
I’d like my business to sponsor a team.
Awesome! We love new sponsors! Sponsorship is $250 per team, which gets your business name on the back of the jerseys, a spot on our website, and a thank you plaque with team picture from the league. Please contact [email protected] to sponsor a team.
Does the league take team pictures?
Yes. We use Frederick’s Photography to take team and individual pictures. Frederick’s does a very professional job. Our picture day hasn’t been scheduled yet. Date, times, and location will be determined later. You are not required to purchase pictures, but we do ask all players to show up for the team picture, so our sponsor plaques show all the smiling faces of our players!
I would like to purchase clothing like my player’s uniform. What do I do?
We will populate order forms to help you purchase Spirit Wear from our local supplier, but it is your responsibility to order, pay, and pick up the items. When Frederick’s Photography takes our team pictures in early May, they also have uniform packages available with pictures, although they’re not exactly like ours, it’s an option.
When will uniforms be distributed?
We need uniforms for pictures at the beginning of May. We’ll have them distributed a few days before pictures. Weather permitting, we’ll hand out everyone’s uniforms at the same time on a day at the Kendallville Sports Complex. We’ll have the girls put their uniforms on and gather with their team. We’ll take a league picture. It was a cool event we’ve tried to coordinate for several years, and we finally made it happen in 2018. Weather has not cooperated in the last few years. We’ll try it again this year, otherwise your coach will distribute them to your players.
What rules does this league play by?
Our league plays with IHSAA High School rules. We do have a few amendments to make the league better for younger girls, but for the most part, IHSAA rules rule! Each coach is given a rule book and amendments, which are also reviewed at the coach's meeting. One our Board members is an IHSAA-licensed umpire, so he can be a great resource if you have questions about the sport of softball.
We’re having problems with our coach. What do we do?
Coaches are people just like you and me. Issues may arise during the season. If you have a problem with a coach, your first course of action is to calmly discuss the issue with the coach at an appropriate time, after a practice or game. If you approach a coach screaming and yelling at them, a satisfying resolution won’t be reached. Please discuss the issue with your coach and see if they can help you with the problem. If you can’t reach a solution with the coach, please contact Ryan Steere at [email protected], and he’ll be in contact with you about the problem.
Please keep in mind, coaches are volunteering their time to teach your player. They may do things a different way than you, but please respect the fact that they signed up to coach, and it’s their team for the season.
Always conduct yourselves in an appropriate manner!
Each year, we must remind fully grown adults to act as such. Softball is just a game. It’s exciting to see your team win. There will be bad calls, sometimes in your favor, sometimes not. These are youth sports, and it is inappropriate for parents, spectators, coaches, and even players to lose control at these events. Yelling, cursing, storming the field, threats of violence will not be tolerated! There are kids running around at all these games, and they don’t need to see any of these situations.
If you create a scene at a game, you will be asked to leave. If the infraction is severe or occurs on multiple occasions, you will be banned from the ball fields. D league is umpired by the coaches. C league is umpired by high school girls that played in our league a few years ago. A & B league are umpired by licensed officials. Remember that all these individuals make it possible for your player to play the game. Respect their calls and let the game play. Come watch your daughter, niece, granddaughter, sister play a nice game of softball, and enjoy it with them!
If a player threatens violence, strikes another player, or any other action deemed inappropriate, the Board reserves the right to remove the player from the league immediately with no refund.
I have unanswered questions? What do I do?
Please email us at [email protected] and ask! We’ll respond to you and update these questions to help others. Thanks for your interest, and let’s have a great season!
-Your Kendallville Girls Softball League Board
Rev. B
S. Vorndran
2/26/2024