Sunday, April 25, ABGSL’s competitive travel league STING will be hosting tryouts for the summer and fall 10U and 12U teams.

10U will be 9-11 am

12U will be 11-1 am.

Tryouts will be at FIELDING Field. 

If your player is interested in playing STING, they MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR TRYOUTS BY END OF DAY THURSDAY, APRIL 22ND TO BE ELIGIBLE TO TRYOUT.  Please pre-register here. 

All age-eligible ABGSL players are welcome to tryout.

- 10U age eligibility is anyone who was 10 or under on 12/31/20 (2010 birthday or younger).

- 12U age eligibility is anyone who was 12 or under on 12/31/20 (2008 birthday or younger – usually 6th and 7th graders, but also fall birthday 5th graders).

We know nothing is typical this year, but we hope to be able to form Sting teams and play in some tournaments if public health guidelines allow for it.

A typical Sting summer season is from mid-May through end of July, with around 5 tournaments.  The Fall season is usually September through early November. 

The season runs from Saturday, March 13, 2021 through Saturday, June 5, 2021.

The first 5 weeks (March 13-April 17) will be team practices only. The second part of the season (April 19-June 5) will be practices and games (following public health guidelines - masks and social distancing).

For now, as we create the teams in all the divisions, we are prioritizing friend requests over skills so that players can get out on the field and socialize – something we all need!

• Micros (K-1st grade) will play once a week from 9-11 every Saturday.
• Younger (2nd-3rd grade) will play two times during the week - one weekday afternoon and one Saturday practice.
• Middle (4th-5th grade) will play three times during the week - two weekday afternoons and one Saturday practice.
• Older (6th-9th grade) will play three times during the week - two weekday afternoons and one Saturday practice. (Please note that we welcome 9th graders into the Rec league.)

Here are the Spring 2021 fees:

• Micros (Kindergarten and 1st Grade) $100.
• Younger (2nd and 3rd Grade) $200.
• Middle (4th and 5th Grade) $220.
• Older (6th thru 9th Grade) $220.

General: Equipment can be found at a range of prices. Just remember they're growing fast and still figuring out if they like the game in some cases. Shoot for getting equipment that will get them excited to play, fits well (enough) AND they can use immediately.  If you show up the first day with a glove & a water bottle (and for 2021, a face mask), you will be fine! Sometimes it takes a couple of practices to get it all figured out. 

If you are unsure of what you need, ask your team manager.

Where to buy: 

• Big 5 (economical)
• Amazon (economical)
• Sports Basement (occasionally gives League discounts)
• Play it again sports  (economical)
• Mary and Joe's (locally owned)

League provided:

• Hat (will come in the first couple of weeks of the season)
• Jersey/Shirt (will come in the first couple of weeks of the season)
• Bat (we can share, but it's better to assign each kid who needs one a bat from the league that they can use all season)
• Helmets (when possible - most years we share team helmets, but this year, we should avoid sharing helmets). The coaches should assess at the first practice how many kids need helmets. Those kids can borrow one of the team helmets for the season. If you have more kids who need helmets than helmets to give, coaches or managers can go to the Fielding Field shed any time and grab more. 
• Catchers gear (coaches will have to wipe down catcher's masks in between uses - this is a must)

Essentials:

• Younger/Micros:
  • Glove (9"-11" no need to get all leather, actually mesh would be easier for them to open and close and won't need to be broken in.) ~$20
  • Cleats (don't have to be specific to softball - soccer cleats work just fine) ~$20
  • Comfortable athletic pants that can get dirty (their knees should be covered b/c the dirt can easily scratch)
• Middle/Older
  • Glove (10-12" no need to get all leather, actually mesh would be easier for them to open and close and won't need to be broken in.) ~$30
  • Cleats (better to be specific to softball - no metal allowed) ~$30
  • Softball pants (they will be sliding and will want protection) ~$30
  • Softball sliding shorts (they will be sliding and will want protection) ~$30
  • Softball socks (they will be sliding and will want protection) ~$3-5 (some teams will want to but a couple of pairs of team socks)

Nice to haves: 

• Younger/Micros:
  • Your own helmet ~$25
  • Your own bat  ~$20
  • Softball pants ~$30
  • Softball socks ~$3-5
  • Belt ~$3-5
  • Batting gloves $15
• Middle/Older:
  • Your own helmet ~$25
  • Your own infielder face mask ~$45 (the league provides some of these, so if you can't get your own, ask your coach)
  • Your own bat  ~$75 (this can get pricy if you start to get into the nicer bats, but there is no need to go big for rec ball)
  • Belt ~$3-5
  • Batting gloves $15

LEAGUE also has some good used gear. We will try to make this accessible the first day/week of practices - cleats, bats, pants, helmets, etc.

Micros Division is for Kindergarten and First Grade kids. Micros meets every Saturday of the season from 9-11 am at Jane Hammond Field in Codornices Park.

Younger Division is for Second and Third Grade kids. Younger Division players meet two times a week . The times for the weekday (M-F) practices are 4:00-5:30 OR 5:30-7, and Saturday practices are 90 minutes starting at either 9:30, 11:00, 12:30, 2:00, or 3:30. The field possibilities are Cougar (Albany Middle School), Fielding (UC Village), or Gilman.

Middle Division is for Fourth and Fifth Grade kids. Older Division is for Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Grade kids. Middle and Older Division players meet three times a week, twice M-F and once on Saturday. Weekday (M-F) practices are 5:00-5:30 OR 5:30-7, and Saturday practices are 90 minutes starting at either 9:30, 11:00, 12:30, 2:00, or 3:30. The field possibilities are Cougar (Albany Middle School), Fielding (UC Village), or Gilman.

Please support ABGSL by making us your beneficiary of your shopping at Amazon! Click this link and remember to use smile.amazon.com when shopping!  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-2958214

ABGSL provides fun recreational and competitive softball for girls in grades K-9 on fields all across Albany and Berkeley, CA. The league's main recreational season runs from March til June with competitive and additional recreational programs at other times of the year. Founded in 1983, ABGSL is a non-profit, all volunteer league that offers a positive softball experience for every girl who wants to play.

We are a community organization made up of volunteers who care deeply about equity and justice. The Board of ABGSL fully supports the Black Lives Matter movement and the current nation-wide push for racial justice. We know there are systemic barriers and racial inequities throughout our society, and that is true even in a local softball league. We will work to find ways to make ABGSL a more welcome home to all families and a stronger leader for checking white privilege. We are hopeful that this time of protest and listening brings about actual changes—big and small—to make our society stronger and our kids healthier and happier.

- ABGSL Board of Directors, Juneteenth, 2020