SOFTBALL SEASON & PROGRAM INFORMATON
Enjoy a fun-filled season and improve your skills
Spring means girls on the field enjoying the fun, challenge and camaraderie of a traditional softball season.
West Valley also provides other opportunities for players to grow their skills throughout the year.
Spring Season for U9 through U19
Key Dates
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Division 1 ID Camp: September
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Registration: December
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Pre-season indoor training sessions: January - March
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Player Evaluations: Div 1 January, Div 2/3 March
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Outdoor season runs April - June/July (depending on division)
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Dates and details subject to change
Pre-season Indoor Sessions: Softball activities related to the spring season begins in late January with weekly indoor sessions held at gymnasiums or field houses primarily in north Calgary. This gives players the opportunity to familiarize themselves with basic skills, drills and game concepts. The cost of these sessions is included in registration fees.
NOTE: Learn to Play U7 Seasons does not include indoor pre-season training.
Evaluations and Team Selection: Players hoping to play Division 1 can choose to participate in tryouts held in January. Player evaluations for those not placed on the Division 1 team are held in March. Based on performance, players are placed on tiered teams. Premier Division 1 (Warriors), Division 2 and Division 3. The number of teams in divisions 1-3 is dependent upon the number of registrants and the skillset of those groups.
Team Practices: Prior to the opening weekend and weather/schedules permitting, coaches are encouraged to run one or two outdoor practices for their team. During the season, coaches may choose to run 1-2 weekly practices in addition to scheduled games. The frequency of practices will vary depending on the age division, skill division and player/parent feedback.
Opening Weekend: The first games of the season may begin during a weeknight, but will generally include multiple games throughout the last weekend of April. These initial games allow Calgary Minor Softball Association and association administrators to re-tier teams to ensure competitive balance for the season.
Regular Season: Each age division will have two nights a week allocated for league games. Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday. Each team will have one regularly scheduled weekend practice, depending on age/division coaches may have additional practices during the week. Make-up games for those cancelled due to weather or other circumstances may be scheduled on other weeknights or weekends at the discretion of coaching staff in consultation with their parent groups.
City Championships: Regardless of regular season record, every team qualifies for Calgary Minor Softball Association's City Championships held in late June/July, which are included in your spring registration. Teams may be reseeded to align with similarly performing teams. City Championships generally begin on weeknights and is a double knock-out format up to Championship Weekend.
Provincial Championships ("Provincials"): Softball Alberta hosts Provincial Championships for all age divisions and skill levels. Participation is optional and requires coach certification and completion of the registration process. Some age and skill divisions will require winning qualification games for inclusion in the provincial tournament.
Other Tournaments: Tournaments provide the opportunity for players, coaches and parents to bond, while competing against new teams in new locations. Softball associations from across Alberta host a number of tournaments annually. There are fees and travel costs associated with tournaments, so participation should include consultation between coaches, players, parents and volunteers.
Softball Alberta Tournament Listing
Game Nights, Equipment, FAQs
Do you have questions about specific age divisions? Visit our Age Division page.
Do you have questions about your child's participation? Visit our Player & Parent page.
Do you have question about logistics or certification? Visit our Coach & Volunteer page.
West Valley Warriors
(Division 1 Teams and ID Camp)
Division 1 attempts to bring together the most talented and dedicated players at each age category, beginning with U11. Premier teams in the West Valley Association are referred to as West Valley Warriors across all age categories and earn the privilege of wearing uniforms and team gear featuring the Warriors logo.
Division 1 ID Camp: The ID camp, held outdoors in the fall, helps identify of potential athletes for West Valley's most competitive division. Teams are not chosen at this stage but select players will be invited to register Warriors Training.
Warriors Training: Warriors Training is a 10-week, twice a week session that has West Valley's elite coaches intentionally narrowing in on a select group to push them to their highest potential. Participation in the Warriors Training does not guarantee a spot on the Warriors spring team.
Commitment: Warriors teams will have a higher frequency of practices and tournaments, which requires a larger time and financial commitment from players and their families, relative to other players in the same age category.
Participation: Division 1 participation is not mandatory for those identified. Interested players should plan to register for and attend the Division 1 ID Camp in September. The Division 1 evaluation is open to all players, regardless of whether they participated in any off-season training.
Additional fees: To cover the costs of umpire fees and additional facility/diamond rentals for the extended Division 1 season, Warriors teams will be invoiced an additional $100 per player. This cost will be invoiced after U13 and older Division 1 teams are created. Warriors teams will have the privilege of wearing the Warriors logo, U11 and older Warrior coaches will organize for their team to purchase their own jerseys and hoodies that they can keep at the end of the season. Warriors families should expect a higher cash-call than other divisions.
Winter Skills Sessions (Indoor)
West Valley's indoor Winter Softball Skills Sessions run from October to January. We determine how time is divided based on the number of registrants in each age division. Though times may vary between groups, we do our best to ensure equal swings, throws and catches for all players.
Beginning in winter 2025, Mount Royal Fastpitch team members and coach lead the 10-week session providing guidance to players in a small ratio setting. What better way to inspire the next generation of softball players than to show them these young women still playing the sport they love!
Our goal is to give each athlete the tools to reach their goals in a fun and inviting atmosphere.
Sessions includes:
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Fitness & conditioning
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Batting drills to improve technique, consistency and power
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At-bats facing pitching machines to improve through experience & repetition
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Defensive & offensive drills to increase confidence and skill level
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Gameplay & strategy
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Team building
Pitching & Skills Clinics
Throughout the year, West Valley provides added training for technical aspects of softball based on player and parent interest. These sessions are intended for players aged U9 and older.
Pitching: Quality pitching is essential for the success of any team. Young pitchers are taught proper technique to improve consistency and velocity. More experienced pitchers learn how to throw different types of pitches, in addition to batter approach & game management.
Pitching training consists of indoor sessions running in fall (Oct. - Dec.) and winter (Jan. - March)
Head Instructor: Lance Block
Lance has taught softball and pitching for close to a decade. Lance is a certified CANpitch Regional Pitching Instructor and Level 2 NCCP certified coach. He has two daughters who pitch and was a pitcher himself. He understands that practicing the proper mechanics and techniques is almost as important as having fun! He enjoys working with the athletes and challenging them with new creative drills.
NOTE: Pitchers must supply their own catcher (parent or teammate) at every clinic.
Position of Catcher: As players advance to higher age divisions and levels of competition, the responsibilities and skills required of a catcher increase. Young catchers are taught proper technique as well as game & pitcher management.
Head Instructor: Briar Balas
West Valley Softball is excited to have our catching clinic led by Briar Balas. Briar has been an Assistant Coach with the MRU Fastball Club for the past four years and brings over nine years of total coaching experience.
She began playing softball more than 20 years ago and has competed in numerous Western and National Championship tournaments.
Briar represented Team Alberta for three years, earning a silver medal at the 2017 Canadian Summer Games. She played collegiate softball at Western University from 2016–2020 as a catcher and infielder.
NOTE: Teams may choose to arrange a one-time instructional opportunity during a practice. If coaches are interested, they are encouraged to contact West Valley for more details.