General Information (St. Marys Minor Ball)

PrintGeneral Information
REGISTRATION 2023

Registration for the 2023 season has closed. If you would like to join the waitlist, please follow the instructions below. Players will be moved off of the waitlist based on team numbers. Please be patient with this process, you will be contacted either way by March 20. If you are moved off the waitlist, you will receive an email that will require action on your part to accept the space. Please keep an eye out for that email. If you do not accept it within 3 days, the space will be offered to the next person in line.

You will need to sign up for a SportsHeadz account. If you already have one from a previous season or other sport, you can log in using that account.

**Registration cannot be done through the SportsHeadz app, it must be done in a browser by following the link.

**Please be sure you are registering for the proper age and division. Girls divisions say 'girls' and due to a technical glitch, they are not in chronological order so you may need to click 'see more' to find your division.

Please click here to register.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can play for St. Marys Minor Ball?

St Marys Minor Ball is for girls and boys from ages 4 - 22. Players must be a resident of St. Marys or surrounding areas. At the very youngest age, it is a co-ed house league that does not involve travel. Eventually, girls play fastball and boys play hardball. More details here:

 

BOYS DIVISIONS

7U Co-Ed (2016 - 2019)

9U (2014 - 2015)

11U (2012 - 2013)

13U (2010 - 2011)

15U (2008 - 2009)

18U (2005 - 2007)

22U (2001-2004)

GIRLS DIVISIONS

7U Co-ed (2016 - 2019)

9U (2014 - 2015)

11U (2012- 2013)

13U (2010 - 2011)

15U (2008 - 2009)

21U (2002 - 2007)


 

How much does it cost to play?

Please refer to the Registration Fees here. Payment by credit card is available through the registration process. If you choose the ‘manual payment’ option, an e-transfer must be sent to [email protected] within 24 hours of registration to confirm your registration.

 

What if my player changes their mind and decides to not play?

Refer to the St Marys Minor Ball refund policy here.

 

7U CO-ED INFORMATION:

 

When does the season start and when does it end?

7U Co-ed will run from May 23 until Aug 1, depending on the weather and state of the field.

 

When will we find out my child's schedule?

7U Co-ed plays one night per week. For the 2023 season, it will be Tuesdays 5:30-6:30.

 

Where do we practice and play?

7U Co-ed plays at East Ward Park.

 

What are the equipment and uniform requirements?


St Marys Minor Ball and Tim Horton’s will provide all 7U Co-ed players with a t-shirt and hat. All players will share balls, bats, T's and cleaning supplies. All players must have their own ball glove and helmet.

 


How can I support my player?


Please come ready to help assist on the field, no athletic ability required, an older sibling or grandparent would also be welcome.


How will the program work?

We will warm up each practice as a large group then split off into smaller groups. Two diamonds will run at the same time and all participants will wear the same jerseys. Your child can choose where they feel most comfortable, we are hoping to foster a love for the game, time spent with friends and teamwork.

Diamond #1- T-Ball and Blast Ball-- games and fun associated with baseball, followed by blast-ball and T-Ball style scrimmage. (ex. water sponges, tag, music, relay races etc all baseball themed)

Diamond #2 - Baseball 101 -- will be for learning to play baseball, skills, drills and proper scrimmage with pitching from coaches or hitting from the T.


What if my 7U-aged child is looking for a more competitive program?

Depending on registration numbers and interest, there may be an opportunity for both girls and boys to play on the 9U fastball team.



Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Laurie McCutcheon, 7U Co-ed Coordinator: [email protected]


9U - 22U  INFORMATION:

When does the season start and when does it end?


The baseball season runs from April to August. Ideally, practices start in late April but we must wait until the fields can be played on. Games typically run from mid-May to August.

 

When will we find out my child's schedule?

Once registration is complete, the executive will determine teams and schedules. Players will be contacted by coaching staff at some point in April. All schedules will be posted to the website. Each team will have approximately one practice and 1-2 games per week (including some out of town games).

 

Where do we practice and play?

Practices and home games are held at Teddy’s Field, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (four diamonds), the arena diamond and the two fields at Milt Dunnell (the Flats).

 

What are the equipment and uniform requirements?

For 9U and above, St Marys Minor Ball provides all players with a jersey and hat. The 2023 season will be the final season that SMMBA provides a hat to players. All players will need to provide their own ball pants, socks, belt, ball cleats, ball glove and helmet. Your coach will confirm uniform colour requirements.  Players do not require their own bat but are welcome to have one. It is highly recommended that boys playing 15U, 18U and 22U have their own bat.

 

What leagues do we play in?

At the 9U level and above, the girls play fastball in the Huron-Perth Fastball Association. Teams are typically within Huron and Perth counties. Teams play a 12-16 (approximate) game season and have a final tournament in mid-August.

At the 9U level and above, boys play hardball in the Western Ontario Baseball Association (WOBA). Teams are typically within Huron and Perth counties. Teams play 12-14 games per season and have a final tournament in August.

 

What does it mean to be on an OBA team?

Boys playing 9U and above may have the opportunity to try out for an OBA (Ontario Baseball Association) team. This is an opportunity for those players who would like an additional opportunity to play baseball at a more competitive level. OBA teams play additional games against other OBA teams within Huron and Perth, as well as within the London District Baseball Association (LDBA). OBA teams also play in a final OBA tournament, which is typically Labour Day weekend. OBA teams are usually in addition to playing on a WOBA team. There is an additional cost to be on an OBA team (typically $100 for 9U and $150 for 11U and older) to cover additional field rentals, umpire fees and entry into the final tournament.

 

How do I obtain a release?

Releases will be granted to boys age 11 and above who are interested in trying out for the London Badgers AAA association. Girls wanting to try out for AA or AAA fastball will also be granted a release. Releases are rarely granted for any other reason. For more information regarding releases, please refer to our Release Policy. For any additional information, please reach out to the President (contact info can be found here).


Playing Up


St Marys Minor Ball players will play within the level of play designated for their age. However, there are some players who, due to mitigating and very rare circumstances, may be allowed to play at a different level than their age specifies. These exceptions are granted on an individual, year-to-year basis and must be approved by St Marys Minor Ball Executive. If a family believes their child should play at a different level than their age designates then the parents must make a formal written request to the President of St Marys Minor Ball.


Play Up requests are evaluated based primarily on the factors in this order:


1st - Roster space at the requested level 

2nd - Skill level of the player


A request will be denied if the player’s movement to the next level up will be detrimental to the designated age division for that player.


*The only exception is if players are needed at 9U Co-Ed Fastball, 7U players wanting to play at this division will be granted that request.


Playing Down

Playing down is reserved for cases that involve medical situations and/or in cases where there is a significant risk to the player's safety. Exceptions may be made where the league rules dictate that over age players are allowed.