Softball Ontario is encouraging all Softball Associations to apply to be one of the first Associations to receive a Softball Association Fundamental Excellence (S.A.F.E.) Star Rating. The S.A.F.E. Star Program is a newly launched incentive-based program that rewards Softball Associations for striving for excellence in all aspects of their organization.

Benefits of achieving a S.A.F.E. Star Rating:

• Earning a S.A.F.E. Star Rating demonstrates your Association’s Commitment to Organizational Quality
  • Softball Associations who receive a S.A.F.E. Star Rating have met standards in four (4) areas of focus, called the Pillars of Excellence. The four categories include:
    • Organizational Development
    • Volunteer Development
    • Long Term Player Development
    • Softball Ontario Participation
      
      
• Softball Associations who apply for their S.A.F.E. Star Ratings will receive preferred access to the next round of S.A.F.E. Awards - $10,000 in Awards are available
  • Twenty (20) S.A.F.E. Awards of $500 each are available to help you train your volunteers for the 2011 Softball Season, including:
    • 5 Awards for Community Coach Development
    • 5 Awards for Competitive Coach Development
    • 5 Awards for Umpire Development
    • 5 Awards for Volunteer Development
      
      
• Receive a Presentation at your Softball Association’s Year-End Tournament, Banquet or Annual General Meeting
  • What better way to promote your commitment to excellence than to receive your S.A.F.E. Star Award in front of all your players and volunteers?
    
    
• Promotion from Softball Ontario
  • Each Softball Association who receives a S.A.F.E. Star Rating will be promoted by Softball Ontario in the following ways:
    • News Release promoting the receipt of the S.A.F.E. Star Rating
    • Media Advisory informing local media of the S.A.F.E. Star Presentation at your Tournament, Banquet or Annual General Meeting
    • Profile of your Association on the Softball Ontario and Play Softball web site
    • The Community Fun Team will commit to attending a qualifying Community Event with your Association to help promote your achievement and increase registration

Softball Ontario’s Participation Program will also be working this fall to create some great new benefits for S.A.F.E. Star Rated Softball Associations. We welcome your input into what you feel would encourage your Softball Association to become S.A.F.E. Star Rated! Email lcrompton@softballontario.ca with your ideas.

How do we get started?
Download the S.A.F.E. Star Application Form from the Softball Ontario Web Site and start checking off what your Softball Association has already accomplished!

Remember, there are many items that you may not yet be doing that are easy to start - for example, becoming a member of the Play Softball Network is FREE, and earns your Softball Association eight (8) points under the Softball Ontario Participation section of the application!

Softball Ontario's Participation Program Coordinator, Lisa Crompton, would be happy to assist any Softball Association to complete their S.A.F.E. Star Application. Simply call Lisa at 416-426-7150 or email lcrompton@softballontario.ca to set up a time to review your application.

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So far, 2010 has been a great year for promoting Softball in Ontario. Softball Ontario’s Community Fun Team has worked with Softball Associations across the province to promote our sport and help to increase the profile of local Softball Associations in their communities.

To date, Softball Ontario has worked with the following Softball Associations:

• Oshawa NASC Softball @ Oshawa Generals FanFest on May 15, 2010
• Mississauga North Tigers Softball @ Streetsville Bread and Honey Festival on June 6, 2010
• Don Victoria Softball League @ Victoria Village Recreation Centre Grand Re-Opening on June 13, 2010
• Whitby Eagles @ KidSport FunZone on June 19, 2010
• Whitby Girls Softball Association @ KidSport FunZone on June 19, 2010
• London Community Softball League @ Optimist BBQ and Youth Centre Grand Opening on June 24, 2010
• Port Perry Minor Softball Association @ Port Perry Canada Day Celebrations on July 1, 2010

Softball Ontario’s Community Fun Team is also planning to attend the following events:

• July 17-18, 2010 - 15th SunSplash Festival, Belle River, ON
• July 25, 2010 – Mississauga Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Mississauga, ON
• August 2, 2010 – Simcoe Rotary Friendship Festival, Simcoe, ON
• August 5, 2010 – Turkey Point Summerfest Kids’ Day, Turkey Point, ON
• August 6, 2010 – Sutton Fair, Sutton West, ON
• August 7-8, 2010 – Brockville RibFest, Brockville, ON
• August 15, 2010 – KidSpark, Kitchener, ON
• August 21, 2010 – Carrot Fest, Bradford, ON

We are looking for volunteers to assist us at the above listed events. If your Softball Association is interested in working with the Community Fun Team at one of these events, please contact Lisa Crompton at lcrompton@softballontario.ca or call 416-426-7150 for further details and to confirm your participation.

Benefits of working with Softball Ontario’s Community Fun Team

• Promote Your Association to hundreds or thousands of people
  • Depending on the Community Event, Softball Ontario’s Community Fun Team attracts hundreds and sometimes thousands of participants to the Softball Zone.
    o You will be able to take advantage of the exposure and distribute promotional information about your Association!
    
    
• Raise money for your Softball Association
  • Softball Ontario provides an honorarium for Softball Associations who assist the Community Fun Team at Community Events
  • Up to $200 is available for each Community Event, depending on the length and the number of volunteers participating
    
    
• Earn points towards your Softball Association’s S.A.F.E. Star Rating
  • Attending Community Events with Softball Ontario’s Community Fun Team will increase your S.A.F.E. Star score, helping you to earn an even higher S.A.F.E. Star Rating
    
    
• Increase your Association’s profile in your Community
  • Your Association will become more well-known in your community and the surrounding area when you make sure that you are promoting yourselves at local community events
    
    
• Work towards increasing registration in 2011
  • Registration season may be over for 2010, but it’s never too early to start promoting for the 2011 season!

What does the Community Fun Team do at Community Events?

Our usual set up for community events includes the following:

• Softball Throwing Challenge
  • A throwing net (approximately 10’ wide by 3’ 6” deep)
  • Safety Balls
  • Inflatable Catcher or Catcher Screen
    
    
• Softball Hitting Zone
  • One (1) Hitting Net (approximately 10’ wide by 3’ 6” deep)
  • Safety Bats
  • Safety Balls
    
    
• A table (and a 10’x10’ tent if there’s room) promoting the sport of softball
  
  
• Prizes for participants
  • Each participant receives their choice of a pencil, sticker or a magnet (while supplies last)
  • Participants are challenged to get 6 throws in a row through the target for a chance to win a t-shirt or a hat

We try to have at least four (4) to six (6) volunteers at each event, so if your Softball Association would like to attend with the Community Fun Team please let us know as soon as possible by contacting Lisa Crompton at lcrompton@softballontario.ca or calling 416-426-7150.

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Are you looking for a FUN and EXCITING new way to get your players excited about doing those everyday “basic” drills during practice? Softball Ontario has the COMPLETE package available for loan to your team FREE-of-CHARGE! Softball Ontario introduces the Active Softball Program- designed to instruct participants, specifically those that are 10-14 years of age, on fundamental movement skills and concepts that are essential in the sport of softball- all while having FUN!

What is included in an Active Softball Kit?
An Active Softball Kit consists of everything you will need to have a FUN (yet PRODUCTIVE) practice. Each Kit contains:                                                       

• An Active Softball Game Board (4’ x 4’)
• A Set of Six (6) Playing Pieces and Dice
• A Set of Activity Cards (72)
• A “Softball Skills Test Challenge Manual”
  • Certificates and Result Sheets
• Equipment
  • 2 Batting-T’s
  • 2 Sets of Throw-Down Bases
  • 4 Safety Bats
• FREE Gifts and Activity Books for your Players!

New for Summer 2010 is the Softball Skills Test Challenge Manual which is now included in all Active Softball Kits! The Manual will help Coaches determine players’ skill level in softball. Coaches can also use the Softball Skills Test to evaluate players on their basic movement skills and concepts of healthy eating. Each of the skills evaluated in the Skills Test Challenge fit within the 2010 Health and Physical Education Curriculum!

All Coaches who submit a Questionnaire will receive A FREE “Sportfolio!”   

If you request an ACTIVE SOFTBALL Kit between June 2010 and August 2010 each Coach who submits a completed Feedback Questionnaire with the returned Active Kit will automatically be rewarded an AWESOME “Sportfolio.” On the inside of the “Sportfolio” you will find a softball diamond dry-era board featuring all of Softball Ontario’s program information and a full note
pad to write on! Perfect for practices or games!!

How Can You Participate in the Active Softball Program?

The Kits are available on a first-come – first-served basis; contact Softball Ontario as soon as possible to book your month - ONE (1) Kit PER Association! For further details on Softball Ontario’s ACTIVE SOFTBALL Program or to borrow an Active Softball Kit for your team, please contact Carly Laxton at (416) 426-7150 or by email at claxton@softballontario.ca.

Softball Ontario looks forward to seeing our Local Associations utilizing this awesome Program!

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Softball Ontario is happy to announce a new way for your Softball Association to benefit from receiving a S.A.F.E. Star Rating! To recognize your Association’s accomplishment, a representative from Softball Ontario will attend your Softball Association’s year-end Tournament, Banquet, or Annual General Meeting to formally present your S.A.F.E. Star Rating to your Softball Association.

A great way to promote your commitment to excellence in all aspects of your organization, the formal presentation can take place in front of the members of your Softball Association. Softball Ontario will also distribute a News Release and Media Advisory to publicize your Association’s accomplishment within your community.

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Softball Ontario is currently looking for Softball Associations interested in hosting or attending a Certified Softball Administrator Program (CSAP) Workshop!

Hosts will receive a FREE CSAP Workshop, which will include:

• A trained Learning Facilitator
• Up to $250 towards the Facility Cost
• Up to $100 towards the cost of Refreshments for Participants
• Points towards your Association’s S.A.F.E. Star Rating

Participants will receive:

• Certification in the CSAP Workshop attended
• A CSAP Binder and Workbook ($25 value)
• Points towards your Association’s S.A.F.E. Star Rating
• Entry into a draw to win some great Softball gear!

Each Softball Association who participates in a CSAP Workshop will be able to improve their S.A.F.E. Star score. In fact, if just two members of your Board of Directors attend a CSAP Workshop, you can increase your Association’s S.A.F.E. Star Score by 20 points in the Volunteer Development section! If you host a Workshop, you can earn an additional eight (8) points under Softball Ontario Participation.

We currently have the following workshops available:

• Generating Revenue: Sponsorship (4 Hours)
• Generating Revenue: Fundraising (4 Hours)
• Generating Revenue: Grants (4 Hours)
• Marketing & Promoting Your Association (8 Hours)
• Association Management: Learning About Your Community (8 Hours)
• Legal Issues & Risk Management (8 Hours)

A limited number of free CSAP Workshops are available; to express your interest in hosting or attending a Certified Softball Administrator Program Workshop or you have any questions, contact Lisa Crompton via telephone at (416) 426-7150 or via email at lcrompton@softballontario.ca.

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Softball Ontario, in partnership with Softball Canada and its Fast Pitch Member Associations (Ontario Amateur Softball Association – male; Provincial Women’s Softball Association – female; Ontario Rural Softball Association – rural) has successfully piloted the new national pitching program, CANpitch, for the 2010 softball pre-season.

The opportunity for Softball Ontario to offer something that is affordable and delivered to grassroots is the best advertising and promotion that any organization can get. In a sport where numbers have continuously been sliding in the negative direction, offering programs such as the CANpitch program the sport of softball can now go head to head with programs that are available for the developing athlete in other sports. If this is sustained and Softball Ontario can continue to engage and retain quality Regional Pitching Instructors then this is the launch of a program (eventually becoming a serious of integrated programs) to revitalize and reverse the slide for the sport in the Province of Ontario.

Softball Ontario has successfully completed eleven (11) 6-week training programs located throughout Ontario. Though the typical Softball pre-season falls around late March to May, Softball Ontario had eleven (11) local Softball Associations sign up to host the brand new CANpitch Program in their area stating in February until early June. These Associations predominantly had gym and diamond time existing and were able to utilize these facilities for their house league participants starting to learn windmill pitching with the CANpitch program.

The following Softball Associations helped pilot the new CANpitch program:

• Softball Napanee
• Cobourg Legion Minor Softball Association
• Milton Girls Baseball Association
• Upper Ottawa Valley Minor Fastball League
• Orangeville Minor Softball Association (held 2 separate 6-week sessions)
• Brantford Softball
• Pickering Softball
• Fisherville Minor Softball Association
• Alvinston Minor Softball Association
• Glencoe Minor Softball Association

The locations in which Softball Ontario was able to pilot the CANpitch program were located all over Ontario and allowed for the best distribution of this brand new program!

Softball Ontario is proud to announce that the new CANpitch program reached a total of 208 participants from all over Ontario! We have received great feedback about the program from participants, their parents, the hosts and our instructors.

Softball Ontario is looking for Softball Associations, teams or individuals who wish to host a 6-week CANpitch training program for fall 2010. For more information about participating in the CANpitch Program or hosting a CANpitch 6-week training program, please see Softball Ontario’s website, www.softballontario.ca, or any questions about the CANpitch Program can be directed to Carly Laxton, Program Coordinator, at claxton@softballontario.ca or 416-426-7150.

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