It’s been a quite eventful day. The City of Biloxi has been saying for a several weeks that we would be able to play at the A.J. Holloway Biloxi Sportsplex. Then the Mayor decided this morning that the fields just aren’t ready. They are in process of painting. The parking lot is still a construction zone with lots of hazards around. He doesn’t want anyone playing on them until they are 100% ready. So panic city this afternoon… Ms Carolyn to the rescue. The tournament is being moved to the Bayou View Fields in Gulfport. The address is 4300 Hewes Av, Gulfport. Playing in Gulfport does let us avoid playing on Sunday. The plan is to play Friday and Saturday. Only the larger divisions will have to play Friday; 6U, 8U and 12U. We have a very strong 38 teams participating in this tournament. This is an All-Star Tournament and will be played by All-Star rules. The rules are attached along with the Zero Tolerance Policy and Inclement Weather procedure. I always find it better to put the information out before it’s needed… hopefully they won’t be needed. I’d like to remind all coaches there is no arguing judgement calls.. fair/foul and safe/out are the judgement of the umpire. The head coach is also responsible for their fans. So please control their behavior and language. I have not received any notifications from any recruiters or college coaches that will be in attendance. So please remember we’re out there to provide an example of great sportsmanship for these young players. There is a potential of wet stuff in the forecast. So come prepared… a poncho and a few dry towels do wonders to keep the games moving along. Entry fees can be paid by cash, check, Venmo or Cashapp. The concession only accepts cash. Entry fees for teams are TB/CP $175 and FP $200. Proceeds from this weekend’s tournament will go to support the players of the Biloxi Girls Softball League. Let’s make this a great weekend for these young players. Thanks for Playing USA Softball! [ … [Read more...] about 2024 Biloxi Invitational Tournament Brackets
2024 Gulfport Memorial Day Classic Tournament Brackets
Below are brackets for this weekend’s 2024 Memorial Day Classic. We have 27 teams this weekend. Really happy to see teams from all over coming to play. It will be a Friday and Saturday event. We really wanted to keep Sunday free so families can enjoy the Memorial Day weekend. The address to the fields is 4300 Hewes Av, Gulfport, MS. For newbies, it’s by the Air National Guard base.. This will be the first All-Star tournament of the year as last week was rained out. It will be played by All-Star rules. So be aware… here’s some important points: TB - Coach can only adjust the tee for the batter. No positioning the player in the box. - Any player can make any play anywhere on the field - Overtime will be modified ITB will start with a runner on second and 2 outs CP - Coach must start with a foot touching rubber when pitching - Any player can make any play - No overthrow at first rule 10u - Straight softball rules no coach coming in to pitch (no three walks) - 5 runs per inning 12u/16u - Straight softball rules - No run limit per inning Entry fees can be paid by cash or check. The concession only accepts cash. Entry fees for teams are TB/CP $175 and FP $200. Proceeds from this weekend’s tournament will go to support the Gulfport Youth Sports Association. Please be sure to have your players hydrate a day before they play. It’s not supposed to be ridiculously hot, but they still might be prepared for it. Also watch grandparents as they might not be able to handle the heat either. Looking forward to great couple of days of softball. I’ll see you at the ballpark. Thanks for Playing USA Softball! … [Read more...] about 2024 Gulfport Memorial Day Classic Tournament Brackets
2024 Woolmarket All-Star Invitational Brackets
Below are brackets for this weekend’s 2024 Woolmarket All-Star Invitational Tournament. The gate fees for parents is $10 for adults, ages 6-11 is $7, and kids 6 and under are free. The address to the fields is Woolmarket Sports Complex, 16520 Switzer Park Rd. Biloxi, MS 39532. Be sure to put “Switzer Park Road” in your GPS… Switzer Road is not close to Switzer Park Road. This represents the first all tournament of the season. We have 23 teams this weekend. Given it’s the first all star weekend and the looming weather forecast, that’s a pretty good number of teams. I’m sure the numbers will also grow from here. First off, the forecast. So everyone’s watching the weather. Short answer is it all depends on when and how much rain we get. We will email out any changes to the schedule… We’ll also get up early Saturday morning. We’ll post to the Facebook page…. https://www.facebook.com/USASoftballSouthMS/. So be watching. I condensed the schedule as much as possible.. We can deal with a short rain delay. As long as it’s not a total washout, we hope to get it in.. Next… this is All-Stars. Better players and we start to take the reins off and let the kids play… Updated rules are attached here. These have been updated to fix clerical errors. Here’s a summary of what to expect: TB - Coach can only adjust the tee for the batter. No positioning the player in the box. - Any player can make any play anywhere on the field - Overtime will be modified ITB will start with a runner on second and 2 outs CP - Coach must start with a foot touching rubber when pitching - Any player can make any play - No overthrow at first rule 10u - Straight softball rules no coach coming in to pitch (no three walks) - 5 runs per inning 12u/16u - Straight softball rules Finally, we never had to address this. The use of tobacco or other substances is not allowed at the facility. No smoking, vaping or dipping. Either real or substitutes. This isn’t new… it’s been in the rules since before me; better known as forever. Please bring our patience and come prepared for anything. A few dry rags, umbrella or poncho can really make the day go better. Thanks for Playing USA Softball! … [Read more...] about 2024 Woolmarket All-Star Invitational Brackets
2024 D’Iberville League Team Tournament
Below are brackets for this weekend’s 2024 D’Iberville League Team Tournament. The event will be held at the D’Iberville Sports Complex at 15641 MS Hwy 15, D’Iberville, MS 39532. This tournament is dedicated to memory of Amanda Ward. Amanda and her brother, Jimmy, were tragically killed in a car accident while heading to school. The DGYSL will be giving out special commemorative rings to the finalists as part of the event. Here’s a link to a special dedication to Amanda for those interested in learning more: https://www.dgysl.org/amanda-ward-memorial-scholarship The tournament will be held on Friday and Saturday. Every attempt was made to avoid playing on Sunday. Due to the amount of teams playing each weekend, it’s getting harder not to play on Sunday. The D’Iberville folks really wanted families to be able to celebrate Mother's Day together. As a reminder, the Zero Tolerance Policy is in effect at all events. It’s been a bad year for coach ejections already. Every set of rules includes the statement “No arguing.” Fair, foul, safe, or out are not protestable. The Tournament Director or UIC can only assist in interpreting rules. We ask everyone for patience and understanding. Remember the adults should set the example for these young people. It’s just May… we got to do better. Happy Mother's Day to all softball moms. Thank you for all you do to support these young players. Thanks for Playing USA Softball! … [Read more...] about 2024 D’Iberville League Team Tournament
2024 Vancleave League Team Invitational Brackets
Below are brackets for this weekend’s 2024 Vancleave League Team Tournament. We have a very strong 27 teams playing this weekend. I’m excited for their first tournament in Vancleave in a while. Proceeds will help their girls come play in the other tournaments. The address to the field is 5500 Ballpark Road, Vancleave, MS. It’s a one day tournament. I squeezed the tee ball schedule to get the young players out earlier. It’s important to teams to exit the field quickly after their game and the next team to be ready to play. Times are just a guide… your actual game time will be as soon as possible after the previous game. Tee Ball normally runs ahead of schedule; so I’m hoping to stay on schedule. A few items to remember: 1. Please remember we are all out there to be examples for these young people. There has been an epidemic of coach ejections. We hope everyone relaxes and enjoys the day. Our umpires are more than willing to answer questions when the request is made rationally and in a normal tone of voice. The rules say “No arguing.” Questioning ball and strikes, safe or or is considered arguing… If it’s a case where another umpire might have a better view of the play, we encourage them to get together to get the call right. They should get together, make the proper call, then go back to playing ball. 2. There are absolutely no pickups… I have rosters submitted by the league for every team in this tournaments. I had to disqualify a team last week for picking up a girl from another team in their league. It’s something I absolutely hate doing… SO NO PICKUPS… not from within the league, not late signups, none. If you have a question about who’s on your roster, please contact your league president. I can tell you rumors are rampant; so it’s highly unlikely you’ll get away with it. I never wanted to be the roster police and don’t enjoy it. Looking forward to a nice relaxing day in Vancleave. It’s supposed to be warm and dry. It’s the time of year to be sure players start hydrating on Friday. Please also be mindful of grandparents and older folks that aren’t accustomed to the heat. Thanks for Playing USA Softball! … [Read more...] about 2024 Vancleave League Team Invitational Brackets