Development Program ("A") Team Information

Angels Development Program ("A") Team Information

General Information

• "A" ID Camps/Evaluations for U15-U19 teams occur in the fall each year, with teams named shortly after and training commencing normally in October.
• "A" Evaluations for U11-13 will occur in late fall, with team(s) named by the end of the year.
• Any athlete selected for the "A" level teams is required to participate in the FSA Performance Program. Any athlete not wanting to train throughout the winter should consider B/C programming. B teams are competitive teams who have additional training but normally not as much nor as early in the year as A teams. Often the players in B are those who are very skilled but have other commitments or interests that do not allow them the time commitment to play A, or are players looking to improve their skills and earn a spot on an A team in the future.
• FSA encourages and supports multi-sport athletes and therefore ensures winter training is flexible with many offerings for training and with some scheduling requests asked upon performance program enrolment. Athletes are not expected to make every session every week during winter training which is why the price point of our program is significantly less than similar programming offered by other organizations.

Time Commitment

• Winter Development Training for U15-U19 consists of a 2 hour team practice (normally on Sundays)and a 1.5 hour fielding/batting weekday session. Athletes selected to these teams as a pitcher or catcher will also have additional training for these positions. 
• Winter Ddevelopment Training for U11-13 will have team practices beginning in January. Weekly 1.5 hour sessions will be offered for these groups as optional and they can register for this development training which will run October to March.
• These teams will participate in GPLS which will provide 4-5 weekends of play, many of which will require out of town travel.  
• Teams (with the exception of U19) will also participate in the FSA annual Tournament which will be held the first or second weekend in June. This tournament requires FSA families to volunteer (with the exception of those who pay the opt out fee at the time of registration allowing us to hire out some jobs or those who fulfill their points with other volunteer jobs) to ensure a successful event. This tournament is part of what helps FSA with operational costs and why FAVE points are awarded for working it. 
• Choosing to host something such as provincials is a team choice and of benefit to your team directly. This volunteering would be done for the benefit of your team directly which is why there are no FAVE points awarded for this or other hosting volunteering such as GPLS.
• Additional Tournaments will be a team decision and dependent on the age group. Older teams will likely do more tournaments (which may involve additional travel) than younger teams. U15-U19 teams will normally do one traveling tournament in the months of January-April so can expect travel costs associated with a further away destination where the weather allows for earlier play.
• Teams will continue to practice 2-3 times per week throughout the season and week night games may be as part of a league or on an exhibition game basis. This will again vary team to team but athletes can expect to be practicing and playing 5-6 days a week for May and June.
• Teams will participate in provincials normally in July and should they qualify, post provincial play which is normally in August.

Costs

Individuals selected for an A team will have the following costs:

• FSA Registration fee - This is the fee paid on a yearly basis that goes to the association for costs incurred by the association as a whole such as Softball Alberta expenses, insurance, equipment, field bookings, facilities etc. The fee depends on the age level but is $300-$400.
• Winter Team Angels Development Program
  • U15A and U17A teams - $1200 (can be paid in full or split into a payment plan), program dates: October 1, 2023 - March 22, 2024
  • U17B team - weekly practice cost paid through team fees. Individuals on this team may also register for weekly individual development sessions optional at additional cost via individual registration.
  • U11A and U13A teams  - weekly practice cost paid through team fees, weekly individual development sessions optional at additional cost via individual registration
  • Christmas Break Shut down Dec 18 - January 1
  • Closed on Statutory Holidays
  • Programming ends March 22 due to Spring Break the last week of March
• Team Fees - These are not dictated or controlled by FSA and will be dependent on your team budget and what the team is deciding to do for various things. Team fees will include items such as the costs for GPLS registration, tournament and provincials registrations, umpire costs for exhibition games, team building events, apparel including jerseys, team equipment e.g., team bats, coach expenses for non-parent coaching staff, team nutrition etc.
• Teams may choose to offset costs by doing fundraising and this will again vary team by team and how much fundraising each team wants to do.
• Additional costs to the player will include cleats, turf shoes, batting gloves and any apparel or uniform pieces that are not included in the team budget. Costs for personal equipment such as helmet, fielders mask, glove, bat and any other items the player chooses/needs to have will be at their own expense. 
• Costs associated with travel for out of town tournaments and GPLS league play.
• Players needing assistance with fees are able to apply for KidSport or JumpStart grants as well as apply to the Fastball St. Albert benevolent fund (see the FSA Financial Assistance Policy). For more information, please contact fundraising@fastballstalbert.ca 

FSA has spaces available for athletes who are not selected for an A level team but are looking for the type of training provided through the program. Please see "Angels Development Program" under Player Development.