Message from the P.W.S.A. 2021 Summer Season Planning Committee

To the Ontario Softball Community…

Prior to the end of the 2020 calendar year a P.W.S.A. Working Committee was formed to investigate how we could plan a robust 2021 playing season, while keeping in mind the continued issues with COVID-19 in the Ontario community. This planning committee has held regular meetings internally but has also engaged the P.W.S.A. membership through several town halls to gauge input and ideas from the community at large.

We have had the privilege to have been selected to participate on this committee and work with some people who are very dedicated to the sport of softball in Ontario.  Chris Meyer, Shannon Post, Wayne Gray-Baker, Madison Pasma, John Snook, and P.W.S.A. President Debbie Malisani have all contributed greatly. This committee has had the pleasure to work with each other and the P.W.S.A. Divisional Coordinators for the 2021 season. Our work will continue, but we are collectively happy to share some greater details with everyone now.

Later this week, via the P.W.S.A. Divisional Coordinators, the pod/cohorts for all levels will be released. We have factored in geography, natural rivals, and coaching surveys where applicable to create competitive pods for all teams across the softball landscape. Also being communicated this week are the organized, optional, and mandatory weekends for all divisions. These weekends have been cultivated based on community feedback, umpire availability and requirements to properly assess teams where needed for the P.W.S.A. Grand Championship events later this summer. Your Divisional Coordinators will soon be reaching out to confirm hosts for weekends, begin to work with GVLSA, Peel-Halton, and the CEWFL on scheduling of point weekend games, etc.

Here are some key points to keep in mind as you begin to review your pod/cohort and the 2021 schedule:

• There are many P.W.S.A. “organized” events across each age division this summer. Where applicable, there are two mandatory point weekends for teams to attend. These point weekends will help seed teams into the applicable P.W.S.A. Grand Championship. These mandatory weekends are indicated on the event schedule.
• Pods/Cohorts have been assigned a colour; the colour responds to which league will most likely assist the P.W.S.A. Coordinator with scheduling of games for point weekends.
• The number of teams that will qualify for “A”, “B”, “C” Grand Championships at U10, U12, and all Tier 2 divisions will be determined closer to the start of the season. This will allow us to make informed decisions based on pandemic trends over the next 45 to 60 days.
• Only the P.W.S.A. point weekends, Grand Championships, and Canadian Qualifier weekends have been deemed to be “bat 9 events” all other events are open to coach’s decision.
• Teams are free to play additional weekends & weekdays within their assigned pod/cohort. These games can be scheduled autonomously among teams, or where warranted under the assistance of a league convener.
• In divisions where point weekends are needed, the committee will work with Divisional Coordinators to ensure an equal number of games are scheduled within each pod/cohort.

We recognize that sharing these pods/cohorts and schedules with the Ontario Softball community will generate additional concerns, questions and feedback. We ask that you consider your division holistically when raising issues about your pod, weekends scheduled, etc. Feedback is welcome, and you will have the opportunity to do so via additional division town halls in the coming weeks.

We have heard from several teams/associations that they wish to host events. We also know several others can host, but needed to see where their teams were placed, and what weekends were on the schedule to determine if their communities can host. We will continue to finalize locations of events over the month of March. If you wish to host, please contact a member of the committee or your P.W.S.A. Divisional Coordinator.

As we start the month of March, the time is getting closer for the 2021 outdoor season. We recognize teams across the province are getting excited about being on field this summer. We would like to remind everyone to continue with the steps to become fully affiliated, keep sending in your RTP training plans in to P.W.S.A. for approval and review. Most importantly, we want everyone to continue to make smart safe decisions that will allow our athletes across the province to have the best on-field season we can in 2021.

On behalf of the P.W.S.A. 2021 Summer Season Planning Committee, thank you and we look forward to continuing with the next steps to organizing a successful 2021 playing season.

Regards,

Chris Meyer, Shannon Post, Wayne Gray-Baker, Madison Pasma, John Snook, Debbie Malisani