Duncan Minor Fastpitch
What are the differences between “A”,”B” & “C” divisions?
The Duncan minor fastpitch association wishes its athletes to play the game of softball, develop their skills, athletic abilities and to have fun.
In order to achieve these goals, it is important that all players play at a level that suits their abilities, and fits with their willingness to commit time to their team.
Softball BC allows its members to play at either an “A”, “B” or “C” division level. The three levels allow players to experience softball in the context of their existing skills and their available free time.
“A” Division
At this time within District One the only girls “A” teams are the Devils, run by the Victoria Fastball Club (
The “A” teams represent the highest level of fastball available. Try-outs are held in September with the selected team having indoor practices from October thru March. These teams will play 65-95 games between March and august. They automatically go to the Provincial Championships and from there the top three teams go to the Canadian Championships.
Players for “A” teams are required to make a considerable time commitment, which involves travel to Victoria for practices 4-5 times a week, most weekends these teams are playing on the mainland with other ‘A’ teams and there is a large fundraising component to help pay for all the travel.
“B” Division
The “B” Division is for those athletes that wish to play competitive ball and who either may not have tried out for the “A” division, or are wishing to experience a higher degree of competition than is available in “C” ball. The “B” teams usually have pre-season gyms to begin conditioning athletes starting in January or sooner and continuing till the start of the season. The Try-Out process normally starts in the fall.
In order to be selected for a “B” team, the athlete must attend team try-outs for their division. This process allows athletes to earn a spot on a “B” team. Athletes are evaluated on their basic softball skills (throwing, fielding, batting) as well as pitching and catching skills. The goal of try-outs is to pick the best players and create competitive teams relative to the rest of the division. The number of “B” teams in Duncan is dependant on registration.
The “B” teams participate in regular season league games, as well as have the option to sign up for as many tournaments as they wish during the year. There is an expectation that the athletes on these teams attend practices and games on a regular basis; are committed to the team; and are willing to accept a more competitive atmosphere. A typical “B” team will play 35-60 games a year.
Both “A” & “B” teams play ‘nine man ball’, meaning that only nine players bat and there are limited substitutions. Every player will not get to play every inning.
There are guidelines for fairplay of athletes, but it is up to individual coaches to decide when the good of the team overrides the right to fair play. For example, if a team is in a gold medal game of a tournament and the starting line up is performing well in a tight game, there is no Softball BC or Duncan Minor Fastpitch rule that sates a player on the bench must be inserted into the game to play. That said, each coach strives to give his players the chance to compete in those situations, as the goal is to raise each athlete to their most competitive level.
Playtime will be decided upon by the coaching staff and is dependant on the players’ level of participation at practices, game performance and the good of the team.
Depending on the team there may be a requirement to travel, fundraising to purchase equipment or pay for tournaments. Parents should expect to be asked to assist the coaches for these activities.
At the end of the season there are District playoffs with the winner advancing to a provincial championship.
All registered “B: players MUST be available for participation in Districts and Povincials.
To summarize, try out for the team; expect a challenging and competitive atmosphere, and be prepared to commit more time and energy into the program.
“C” Division
The “C”: division is for athletes who wish to play the game at a less intense competitive level or whose skills are still developing. There is still the opportunity for player development, but overall the number of games and tournaments is usually much lower than those in“B” or “A” divisions.
There is no try-out process for “C” division teams, but players are evaluated and teams are created to provide a balanced skill set.
The teams in“C”ball also have the opportunity to compete in tournamets as well as league play. On occasion “B” teams may call up “C” players for league games or tournaments with the permission of the coaches. A typical “C” team would play 15-30 games a year.
At the end of the season there are District play-offs with the winner advancing to a Provincial Tournament.
To summarize, expect a more recreational atmosphere, but with opportunities for player development.