FAQs for Athletic Directors

What are the cost ramifications of adding girls slowpitch softball?

How is this going to impact my already busy schedule?

After following district procedures to establish and publicize the club,
the impact on the time of an Athletic Director is very minimal.
The time and effort fall to the Member Representative (1 from each district).

When does the League season begin and end?

This is a Fall sport
The season runs from Labor Day through Halloween
Pre-season tournament for Jr. High and JV over Labor Day Weekend (No games on the holiday)
Varsity Playoffs – weekend before Halloween

What is the game schedule?

7 double headers for a total of 14 games
JV Games are scheduled by the league to be played on Saturdays.
Varsity and Jr. High games are scheduled by the league to be played on Sundays.
Game days are, however, negotiable based on field availability and school rules.

How do my teams handle Umpires?

Umpire Associations exist across the region. WPISL has contacts with each.
A simple email listing the district home games is all that is required to book umpires.

We are from a smaller district, and concerned we will not be competitive.

The WPISL offers a cooperative sponsorship program where (up to 3 total) districts can combine student pools to form 1 team.
Scheduling is done to properly match schools of comparable size, ability, and local geography.
As the league expands, districts will be grouped into their own sections.

Will this negatively impact our fast pitch program?

No negative impact on fast pitch as the seasons are opposite of each other.
Many players simply enjoy one sport more than the other and do not play both.
In slowpitch every ball is put in play. The defensive repetitions and situational awareness of those playing slowpitch improves the skill set of any ball player.
Players who enjoy both should be encouraged to continue fast pitch in the spring, play slowpitch in the fall, and then batting cage work over the winter as prep for spring fast pitch.

Do other states offer slowpitch as a state sanctioned sport?

Yes, it is a growing sport and not just in Western PA.
In fact, states like Georgia, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Washington now have state sanctioned titles.