2023 MK SOFTBALL LEAGUE ENTRY NOW OPEN!
We are pleased to announce that we will now be taking entries for the 2023 MK Softball League. With so many new players joining us over the winter season, we can’t wait to introduce them to our summer league. Here are the plans so far…
OUR HOME DIAMOND
After the success of last season we can’t wait to return to our fantastic new home at Conniburrow Community Centre & Pavilion (MK14 7DX), where our players get to enjoy two diamonds, one of which is fully fenced with a full dirt infield. Maps and parking directions will be sent to new players to help you locate us.
Our first session will then take place on Tuesday the 4th April, and we’ll enjoy a few weeks of coaching to dust off the cobwebs before our league opening night on the 18th April.
LEAGUE DETAILS
As with previous years we can’t be entirely sure of how many teams the league will have until after the sign up stage, however based on feedback we have received so far, we’re predicting a seven, or potentially an eight team league which is a very exciting prospect! In both these scenarios each team would be guaranteed a minimum of seven games over the season (eight in the case of a larger league).
League games will start on the 18th April and end with the Championship Final on the 29th of August.
The biggest change to the format is that we will no longer be hosting ‘double header’ game nights on Tuesday, and will instead be spreading any weeks that require two games over a Tuesday and a Thursday. The main reason for this is to enable us to offer coaching consistently every single Tuesday so that newer players or those who don’t play league do not miss out.
We will be spreading Thursday play as evenly as possible across teams, and no team will ever have two games in the same week. We therefore hope this has minimal impact on players, but feel it is necessary in order to allow us to continue to grow our team numbers while offering coaching weekly as well.
HOW TO SIGN UP
Please complete our online league sign up form before midnight on the 14th March. You will also need to complete our player registration form, unless you are a new player who has already completed this in 2023.
MEMBERSHIP COSTS
Our summer membership runs from April until the end of September. The new format of split doubleheaders will offer members more playing time but we are pleased to confirm our fees remain unchanged since last season and will be the following:
Standard Membership £25 – This covers player insurance and membership and is for those not wishing to play in the league but who want to come to coaching sessions (charged at £4 per week).
League Membership £45 – For those wishing to play in the league. This covers the same as the above plus all league game fees. Any coaching sessions attended will still be chargeable.
Diamond Membership £100 – This covers league membership PLUS all Tuesday evening coaching sessions, so you can pay once and be covered until the end of September!
Fees are due by the 4th of April please. We do not want finances to be a barrier to anyone participating so please get in touch if you wish to discuss payment plan options.
NEXT STEPS
Our committee will review numbers and finalise the league structure following the sign up deadline. They will then work on the team draft with a view to confirming teams and schedule the first week in April. Although please note this is a tight turnaround for our volunteers so please sign up ASAP to speed this process up and do bear with us if there are any delays!
ARE YOU A NEW PLAYER UNSURE IF THE LEAGUE IS FOR YOU?
We pride ourselves on being an extremely inclusive league offering new players the chance to join a team and get a taste of ‘formal’ games in a welcoming and understanding environment. Our teams generally have a mix of experience levels and our league has special rules designed for ‘rookies’ to help new players settle in and learn as they play.
We understand starting a new sport can be pretty intimidating but everyone has to start somewhere; our league is a fantastic way to learn more and get to know some fantastic team mates so we would love you to join us!
FOR THOSE NOT JOINING…
We will still be running coaching sessions weekly for anyone not involved in that week’s fixture so there are plenty of playing opportunities available. We also appreciate some of our newer players may want to experience outdoor play before committing, so please don’t feel pressurised to sign up before you feel ready – We will always try and accommodate late joiners wherever there is space, just get in touch whenever you’re keen!
Our committee will be on hand over the next few weeks of indoor sessions to answer any questions you have, or as always feel free to get in touch by email or on Social Media pages.
Bring on a very exciting 2023 for MK Softball!
KEY LEAGUE DATES SUMMARY
Tuesday 14th March – League sign up deadline
Sunday 2nd April – Conniburrow Spring Clean!
Tuesday 4th April – First outdoor session (& membership fees due date)
Tuesday 11th April – Captains Meeting
Tuesday 18th April – Opening night!
Tuesday 29th August – Championship Final
