Fall Ball (August through November)
Fall softball is for players looking for a fun, developmental environment. There are typically 1-2 practices per week. Practices will start in mid-August. Games will be played on Sundays and run from early September through the middle of November. Families may travel to other Orange County cities for games.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2024 FALL SEASON
| Early Bird Registration | Ends August 2 |
| Registration | August 2-August 15 |
| Registration Closes | August 15 |
| Team Practices Begin | Week of August 19 |
| Sunday Games Start | September 8 |
| Select Pumpkin Tournament | October 10-13 |
| Rec Turkey Tournament | November 8-10 |
| Select Turkey Tournament | November 14-17 |
Player Registration:
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION (Ends August 2):
- 6U $50
- 8U & older $200
REGULAR REGISTRATION (Through August 15):
- 6U $75
- 8U & older $250
REGISTRATION INCLUDES:
- Team jersey
- USA Softball insurance & registration
- Team equipment & skills clinics
- Field, light & umpire Fees
** Although not suggested, based on the player's individual ability, a player may start 6U at a younger age than what is indicated, provided the parent is available to assist with the player at practices and games.
Refund Policy
Before teams are formed, refunds will be granted with a $25 processing fee. After teams are formed, no refunds will be granted.
Uniforms
For Fall, jerseys will be the same style/sizes as the previous Spring (not All Stars). Please refer to the sizing chart below for more details.
Fielding Face Mask Policy
For more information on fielding face masks, see our web page here.
Our fielding face mask policy is as follows:
- ALL 6U, 8U & 10U players are required to wear fielding face masks at all positions during practice and games.
- 12U infield players are required to wear fielding face masks during practice and games.
- 14U pitchers are required to wear fielding face masks during practice and games.
- 14U infield positions are highly recommended to wear fielding face masks.
Comparison Between "Rec" and "Select"
| FALL RECREATIONAL "REC" | FALL "SELECT" | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | The "Rec" program is competitive, but has less intensity and weekly time commitment compared to the Select program. It does not require an invitation from a coach. Fall ball includes all divisions. | The "Select" program is highly competitive with a greater time commitment required. Players must be selected by the Select team coach and the selection process is completely at the coach's discretion. |
| Divisions | 6U-12U | 8U-14U |
| Practices | Once per week. At times an additional non-mandatory practice could be scheduled, i.e., batting cages | 2-3 per week |
| Games | 1 game every Sunday. They may be in Laguna Niguel or any of the other OC Fall Ball league locations. | 2 games (double-header) every Sunday. They can be in Laguna Niguel or any of the other Select leagues' locations. |
| Tournaments | Tournaments are tentative and will be scheduled in October/November based on OC Fall Ball. | Pumpkin Classic in October and Turkey Tournament in November. There may be an additional volunteer requirement or buyout. |
| Selection Process | There are no "evaluations" during Fall Ball. | Coaches will "select" girls from those that express interest. Due to the limited number of teams, not all girls will be "selected." If you are not selected, you will be placed on a recreational team. |
| Fees | Registration fee only | Registration fee plus $100 Select fee |
| Buyout | There is no snack bar volunteer requirement | Every Select family is required to work at least 2 hours in the snack bar and help with Pumpkin Tournament. |
Fall Ball General Information
- Schedule & Rules - The game schedule is managed by the Orange County Fall Ball Federation, a group of local leagues including ours, which collaborates on the rules and schedules for Fall Ball. We do not control the schedule. As there is some movement between teams in the Gold and Silver select divisions after the mid-season, the remainder of the schedule is not finalized until that point.
- Snack Bar – Since Fall Ball has fewer home games and teams than in Spring, we will look to open the snack bar only on game days when we will have a sufficient amount of home games at our fields. We will be reaching out for any volunteer support for these days to help with the snack bar, which is fun for the kids and an important source of revenue for the league, which allows us to keep our registration fees low.
- Field reminders – Rules from Laguna Niguel and Niguel Hills Middle School.
- Please do not go to the back-parking lot at Niguel Hills until after 4:45PM on school days, even if the gate is open.
- Please no dogs at the fields.
Friend Requests
Friend requests are only allowed for players new to softball.
Only ONE friend request is allowed and please note that if multiple girls request the same friend it may not be possible to honor all the requests. We will do the best we can but can not guarantee placement with the requested friend.
Please fill in the "Friend Request" field when registering for fall season in order for your request to be considered.
Adult Background Checks
All adults who interact with the players on the field/dugout in practices/games must fill out the USA Softball Background check form. Please click on the link below to complete a background check. This must be done annually, each September.
