Team Formation Process:

- Evaluations will be divided into age groups so athletes are evaluated with their peers as best as possible. 

- All position players will be evaluated for fielding, throwing, hitting, bunting, base-running and attitude and effort will be factored into the evaluations. 

- All athletes must attend one of the evaluations unless proof of injury or other emergency circumstance.  Athletes may attend a second evaluation if desired and the higher score will be used for team formation. 

- Players may be evaluated for multiple age groups if desired but need to attend evaluations for both age groups.  If the player evaluates well enough to make multiple teams, she will need to choose only one and may not be rostered on both teams.

- There will be 12-13 players selected for each Meteor team based on the head coach’s recommendation.  The head coach, upon board approval, may hold 1-2 positions until late fall/early winter to account for injuries and/or team needs.

- All evaluators, including the team head coach, will be at all evaluations and ranking athletes on their performance using the same rating system as approved by the MYS Board.

- The head coach will submit a recommended roster to the board for approval within 2 days of the last evaluation and will be reviewed and finalized at the August MYS Board meeting.  If the head coach’s ranking differs significantly from other evaluators, then the board reserves the right to determine the team and change the head coach if the disagreements cannot be resolved. 

- Assistant coaches are recommended by each head coach and must be approved by the MYS board.

- Once the final list for each team is approved, a “Yes” letter will go out to each family with a 24-hour window to accept or decline the offer.  For any declined offers, the next highly scored player will receive an offer.  Once the roster is complete, a “No” letter will go out to all remaining athletes. 

Questions:

Please direct any questions to: [email protected]

Mason Meteors Program

The Mason Meteors program mission is to allow talented youth softball players in the Mason Youth Softball (MYS) league to compete at a higher level.  The program is designed to instruct advanced players who chose not to play or are unable to play select softball.  There is a significant time commitment greater than regular recreation softball and attendance is critical for the team’s training and ultimate experience and success.  Softball should be the number one priority from April through mid-July.

The Mason Meteors program follows NCSL by-laws governing player eligibility.  These teams compete in the North Cincy Softball League (NCSL) as an “A” level recreational team.  The Meteor teams play a higher level schedule and play the same 14-game schedule as the “B” level teams, but with their higher fees they get more winter training and play a number of tournaments.  The coaches are expected to work independently to develop their understanding of the game, best practices in skill development, and overall coaching skills.  The intended result is to provide a higher skill level development program for fastpitch softball players within the Mason community. 

In order to develop a sustainable Meteors program, coaches are encouraged to maintain age diversity within their roster such that, in any one year, a few players are either advancing an age division or remaining in an age division.  This will ensure experienced players are available for the next team advancing into an age division and potential slots are available for players already at the next age division from within the Mason Youth Softball organization.  In seasons with multiple teams at an age division, coaches will be permitted to designate a ‘core’ group of players to remain together consistent with core principles in the general MYS league.  The core concept was developed to maintain continuity with players and allow teams to be competitive with the other teams they were playing in the NCSL program. 

The Meteors program is overseen by the MYS Board who has the responsibility to select and nominate the head coaches and establish the tryout dates & procedures.  The selection of the head coaches for the teams is subject to background checks.  The selection of players is at the head coach’s discretion with assistance from evaluators.  Final roster determination is approved by the MYS Board in cases where the head coach’s recommendations differ significantly from other evaluators.  The head coach will recommend their assistant coaches and must be approved by MYS Board.  The Director of 10u-HS is responsible to notify all players regarding their selection to the team and will share information regarding online registration to confirm commitment to the program.  The roster is to be completed and submitted to the MYS President no more than 2 weeks after the completion of tryouts.  If recommended by the head coach, and approved by the MYS Board, up to 2 positions may be held until late fall/early winter for a final tryout led by the head coach and assistance from other evaluators.

Meteors Selection Process

Evaluation Notification: An open evaluation invitation will be posted on the MYS website, and an email will be sent to all recent MYS softball players to tryout out for the 10U, 12U, and 14U Meteors program.

●        An email will be sent to coaches asking them to encourage talented players to tryout and to provide any recommendations on players to the Director 10u-HS for follow up.

Evaluation Dates: Tryouts will be planned to be held near the end of the regular season (late July) for the following year

●        Time slots for each age group 10U, 12U, and 14U

●        Two dates for each age group with option of attending one or two evaluations.  Best score will be used for team formation

●        Make-up dates are for inclement weather only

Head Coach Selection:

●        The MYS Board is responsible for selection of Meteor head coaches

●        The MYS Board will select a head coach for each age division before tryouts

●        Meteor head coaches must have coached at least 1 year in MYS and have a positive track record with respect to coaching and demonstrating positive leadership

●        A second head coach may be identified if it is likely there is enough talent to have two teams  

●        Assistant coaches will be recommended by the Head Coach and approved by the MYS Board after team formations

●        A second team will only be fielded if during the tryouts it is determined that a sufficient number of players can fill a roster for a second competitive team

Tryout Process: Tryouts will consist of softball skill evaluations defined by the MYS Board and returning coaches to include items such as: hitting, throwing, fielding, and base running.

●        All players must participate in the tryout process to be considered for a team

●        If pitching and catching evaluations occur before position players, then the top pitchers and catcher may be exempt from having to participate in the position player evaluations.

●        For pitchers evaluating at 12U, evaluators will consider ball size changes for recent 10U players and techniques and other measurable may be prioritized over strikes thrown. 

●        Scoring will be done by a panel of evaluators selected by the MYS Board and the Head Coach

●        Players may try out for multiple age divisions if desiring to play up, but must first obtain pre-approval from the MYS Board prior to trying out for the next higher age division.

Core Player Identification:  In seasons with more than one team at an age level, a coach will be permitted to designate a core from their previous year’s official roster. 

●        The core list will only be activated in cases where there is more than 1 team formed at an age level

●        Coaches must provide a list of core player candidates to the MYS Board in advance of tryouts

●        Any core player who does not participate in tryouts or does not effectively communicate non-availability for tryouts and has not scheduled a make-up tryout will be removed from the returning core player listing

●        The Softball Board will verify that core players do wish to remain on the core; otherwise they are placed in the draft pool.  

Player Selection Process:  Selection of the roster will be done by head coach in consultation with the MYS Board using a standardized scoring system.  All evaluator scores will be considered to ensure fairness.

●        Coaches are advised to achieve some level of age diversity within their roster to help build a sustainable Meteor program wherein talent is developed and shared between teams over time

●        The evaluators’ scores, comments from the evaluators, recommendations from other MYS coaches, and other input will be used in the selection process

●        In age divisions with more than one team:

●        The team with the fewest core players will draft first

o    If equal number of core players, a coin toss decides

o    Coaches draft alternately until a team reaches their maximum roster size, thereafter, the remaining coach drafts roster from remaining tryout participants

●        Players not selected for a Meteors team will be notified by the MYS Board

●        Players not selected for a Meteors team have the option to request their previous coach during the regular MYS sign-up process