Registration is now open in Fall 2012 softball season. The fall season is a shorter, more relaxed season that focuses on instruction.

Once again, fees remain unchanged from last year. Sibling discounts of $20.00 per child from the same family are available. Register all girls at the same time to automatically get the sibling discount.

NEW! Register by June 30th and get a $10.00 early bird discount!

Registration will close at the end of the day on Friday, August 10th. Players who register after that date will be placed on a waiting list with no guarantee that space will be available on a team.

The fall season is when girls move up to an older age group. League placement is based on the player’s age as of December 31, 2012:

The Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreational Services charges $5.50 per player per season for field use. Players who don’t live in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, or the Towns of Clifton, Herndon, or Vienna are charged an additional $30.00. The county fee(s) will be automatically added to your registration at checkout. SYA only collects these required fees on behalf of the county; we don’t keep any of the money.

We encourage payment by credit/debit card. Checks are accepted only for players who register before August. Mail your check to SYA, PO Box 471, Centreville, VA 20122. A $20.00 late fee applies beginning August 1st, and is included in the August registration prices.

SYA Softball has a no-pay/no-play policy. All fees must be paid before a player is placed on a team.

If you might need financial assistance, call the SYA office at (703) 815-3362 as early as possible to find out what help may be available. Don’t wait to start the process of applying for financial assistance.

Softball follows the SYA refund policy. Refunds may requested up to the date of the first coaches meeting (usually the week before practices begin). No refunds will be given after date date. A $20.00 processing fee will be deducted from all refunds. Late fees will not be refunded. To request a refund, send an e-mail to your child’s League Coordinator.

SYA provides team jerseys that can be worn over a T-shirt or alone. We usually order visors for younger girls and socks for older girls.

All you need to buy is a softball glove. The sporting goods stores have larger selections in the spring. Check the tag carefully to be sure you’re buying a softball glove, not a baseball glove. The displays get awfully mixed up!

Wear loose fitting shorts, athletic shorts, or sweatpants. Jeans and fitted shorts don’t allow enough freedom of movement.

Sneakers are fine to start. If you stick with softball, you’ll probably want to get a pair of non-metal softball or baseball cleats.

SYA coaches are given an equipment bag at the start of each season that includes bats, batting helmets with faceguards, and chin straps for team use. If a player wants to buy her own equipment, it must meet current safety standards.

Girls softball is played with aluminum or composite bats. Bats must be certified by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA). Some bats carrying the ASA certification mark are now banned, so check your bat on the ASA Web site to be sure it’s legal.

Batting helmets must have faceguards and chin straps. Both the helmet and faceguard must be permanently marked or engraved with "Meets NOCSAE Standard".Centreville Clifton Chantilly Fairfax girls fastpitch softball