How do I know what division My daughter should be in?

The girl's age on December 31st determines her age division for that full calendar year...  a girl who is 10 on Dec 31 may play as a "10 U" or 10 and under division for the full calendar year even if she turns eleven in February.   Some girls with higher skill or experience may be offered positions in higher divisions and are able to play in an older division, Such as a 11 year old who has the talent to "play-up" on a 14 U division team.  As long as she is registered at the beginning of the season on BOTH teams rosters she would be allowed to play on either the 12, or 14 team within that league through-out that season.  "Playing-up" for some girls isn't always recommended as it can reduce playing time for the less experienced players, but has it's advantages when other roster girls may be unable to play due to injury or vacation. Playing-up is fully at the discretion of the coaches and management of the individual league on a game by game basis.

Why Are some Travel Leagues So expensive, while others are so much cheaper, and what do my fees pay for?

While REC BALL is considered a Non-Profit and is often used to give activities and socialization for ALL girls who may or may not have other opportunities, Travel Ball is Designed for the competition and exposure rather than the participation.   All organizations vary as to what the fees cover, and the longer the organization has been in existence the more  their reputation has value when travelling from tournament to tournament.   It's a Domino effect .... As organizations gain a reputation for winning, or for attending high profile or exclusive tournaments,  they are able to draw more girls to their tryouts, and with more girls to choose from the talent pool rises, and the opportunities expand.   

* Coaching - For many organizations the coaching and managerial staff is comprised of volunteers.  Some of the More established organizations raise their fees in order to hire professional coaches, rather than using parents as coaches. This potentially raises the quality of the teams, and increases the chances of a winning record.   An advantage of a "Veteran" coach in the higher divisions < either paid OR volunteer > offers a greater chance of them being known by the coaches and recruiters of colleges and high schools, therefore increasing their team's chances of being seen by a college that might offer scholarships.  In Addition, the name recognition of the coaches and/or organization may grant access to "invitation only" tournaments that otherwise might not have been accessible.

* Insurance - All tournaments require Insurance on each girl participating in their tournament.  As an example, California Heat "registers" each of the girls on their various rosters with "ASA" and this covers them if something should happen while they are on the field at any ASA tournament during that season.  

* Field And Facility Fees - If the organization does not own their own fields, they will be practicing on "rented" or "permit" fields registered with the locality that maintains those fields. "public" fields may also be used, but can not be "reserved" for your particular event and are on a first come first served basis. There is no guarantee that your preferred "public" field will be available when you plan on using it.   Different fields have different maintenance and permit fees and these will vary by organization and Location.   

* Batting Cages This  varies greatly between organizations and even divisions within an organization.  If the cages are owned by the organization there is still the expense of staffing and electricity, and attendance may be either optional or mandatory at the discretion of the individual coach.  California Heat Maintains it's own Facility Open to all registered girls during operating hours.

* The number of Tournaments that will be played that season -  tournaments vary in cost greatly depending on the organization hosting the tournament and the facility in which it will be held.  These tournament fees vary and on average are from $300-$500 but can be lower and/or much higher based on the notoriety of the tournament.  Some tournaments are invitation only and can only be attended if you have a qualified reputation.

* The On-field Gear may be either fully or only Partially provided - Different organizations have different policies and they vary greatly.  Some provide the FULL uniform and it's yours at the end of the season, for others it is considered a "rental" and it is collected at the end of the season.   Some uniforms are printed T-Shirts, others are embroidered and are professional looking Jerseys.   Other gear items that may be needed are practice jerseys, helmets, bats, gloves, gear bags, catchers protective wear, infield masks, cleats, etc. and each travel organization has different guidelines on who will supply these, whether the whole team must match, and who keeps the different individual items at the end of season.    

* Length of season - Travel Ball can be divided into different seasons commonly referred to as Summer Ball, Fall Ball, Winter Ball etc, and while some organizations play Year Round, others only play teams in the SUMMER and FALL seasons.

* Traveling -  While some travel teams stay and play within a few hours of their "HOME",  others travel Much farther distances.  The smaller tournaments will be mostly local teams, but the larger the tournament the more likely you may see a team from out of the area.  In the Larger Northern California tournaments it is not uncommon to see teams from Southern California and Nevada.   The larger the reputation of the tournament, the higher the chance that college scouts will be in attendance.  This may mean expenses for transportation of the girls, their gear and the team gear and possibly hotel stays for them and their families.   For some organizations  a portion of these expenses for the Coaches and staff may be covered by the organization.

* Administration - As with any business whether for-profit or non-profit there are expenses for advertising, communication, staffing, internal supplies, etc. and these vary too greatly to give any estimates or examples.

I just got offered a spot on California HEAT FastPitch, what do i need to buy?

The uniforms for California Heat Consist of : 

*  ALL DIVISIONS :    Black pants, Grey pants, and White Pants, Practice T-Shirt, Field Jersey, Black Under Armour,  Cleats should be primarily black or dark colored, Both Black & Kelly Green Socks.

* High School age divisions and up :  Metal cleats

Game Gear required will vary depending on the age division.   All girls are required to have their own glove & SOLID BLACK Helmet, and in the older divisions they will be encouraged to purchase their own Bat that is sized for their skill level and height.   Catchers protection is provided for the younger divisions but again, as they get older it is encouraged for them to be purchased individually for a better fit, comfort, and mobility while on the field.  For all other gear Check with your division's individual coach.

Is there a way to reduce the cost of My Fees for a particular season?
As a team, the parents and manager can organize a Car wash or other TEAM fundraiser, where profits can be used to add an additional tournament to the season, or can be divided between the roster to reduce the cost of that season for the participating families.