Thunder Pilot Program - RESULTS

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE FALL THUNDER ASSESSMENTS.

MHMSA initiated a 2 part PILOT PROGRAM for the 2025 Thunder Provincial Softball season, this is the outcome:

At the completion of the season, all house league players in the u15 and u19 house league, as well as u15/u17/u19 thunder players were issued a survey on the pilot program.

The collection of this information was to help guide MHMSA to:

A. Return to the original model or

B. Adopt the pilot program formally, amend or expand.

Part One (1):

Relaxing the Thunder/House commitment:

For the 2025 season, House league was OPTIONAL for Thunder players within the U15 and U17/U19 (High School) divisions.

INFORMATION TO NOTE:

The impact to the High School division was minimal - 10 teams remained active and 10 of 11 eligible players of the U17 A/W Thunder team played within House.

85% of Thunder respondents preferred optional house league for HS

59% of House respondents preferred optional house league for HS

The impact to the U15 division was significant - 2 small rosters (9 & 11 players) remained and 3 of 26 players of the 2 U15 (B & D) Thunder teams played within House. Lack of coaching was also noted.

73% of Thunder respondents preferred optional house league for U15

28% of House respondents preferred optional house league for U15

The MHMSA board reviewed information & discussed a plan.

A unanimous vote approved this updated policy for our Thunder teams moving forward.

U11 and U13 Thunder players will still be required to play on a House League team within the traditional 2x week program.

U15 Thunder players will be required to play on a House League team within a new structured 1x week double header program. U15 house will have a second day of the week offered for skill development and will be optional to attend for any players, House or Thunder.

House league play will remain OPTIONAL for Thunder players within the U17/U19 (High School) divisions.

Please note these additional details:

If U17/U19 Thunder players commit to a house team and then show less than a 2/3 commitment, they will be removed from their Thunder team. This will be monitored.

U17-U19 Thunder teams will not be permitted to practice on any day that the corresponding house leagues are playing.

U17-U19 Thunder players who opt OUT of playing house league are not able to play as pick up players in any house league games or tournaments.

House league is mandatory for U11, U13 and U15 and MHMSA will discuss at the AGM the possibility of tiering U11 & U13 house leagues.

The 2/3 commitment is applicable, and players not fulfilling the commitment will be removed from their Thunder team. This will be monitored.

U11 Thunder can only practice 1x during the week (M-Th), during the season. Weekend practices, games, tournaments etc. are within another policy.

Thunder divisions will have NO more than 3 teams. Red + Black + White with the addition of a (U11/U13) Thunder Development 1 day week program offered at the time of registration.

Part Two (2):

Fall assessments.

For the 2025 season, MHMSA created RED rosters in Sept and all U11 and black/white rosters in Feb.

The MHMSA board reviewed information & discussed a plan.

A unanimous vote approved this updated policy for our Thunder teams moving forward.

Thunder ID Camp + Fall Assessments

ALL THUNDER TEAMS will be created in the fall.

U11-U19 TEAMS - Red - Black - White

FALL ID CAMP - 2 dates offered per age group. Players must attend 1 but can attend both dates.

U11 - U19 Tiered Teams

The following process will be followed for teams entering tiered Softball Alberta Provincial play.

The 7 highest rated players will be automatically assigned to Team 1.

Up to 7 additional players will be selected by the provincial coach of Team 1 from the remaining assessed players who did not rate in the top 7.

After Team 1 has selected their entire roster (up to a maximum of 14 players), the next 7 highest rated players will automatically be assigned to Team 2.

Up to 7 additional players will be selected by the provincial coach of Team 2 from the remaining assessed players.

After Team 2 has selected their entire roster (up to a maximum of 14 players), the process can repeat as per policy.

PLAYERS MAY OPT OUT OF THEIR THUNDER TEAM SELECTION BUT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO PLAY ON ANOTHER THUNDER TEAM. ANY PLAYER WHO HAD OPTED OUT OF HOUSE LEAGUE AND DECLINES THEIR THUNDER SPOT, WILL BE, IF REQUESTED, PLACED ON A MHMSA HOUSE TEAM.

> Aug. 10th- Aug.31st

Prospective U11-U19 Provincial/Thunder players may register for assessments through RAMP Registration.

> Aug. 10th- Aug.31st

U11-U19 Head coach applications are open.

> Aug 31

U19 Thunder assessment request for exemption due

> 1 week post Fall ID Camp

U11-U19 Head coaches will be selected and notified.

> Sept. 7, 8, 9

Thunder Fall ID camp.

Schedule and Google sheet sign up to follow

> 2 weeks post Fall ID Camp

Thunder players as per MHMSA Policy will be contacted.

> Sept. 30 of each year

All previous season team activity must end. New team rosters will be in place and all policy surrounding game play, pick ups etc will apply to new rosters.

> October 1 - January 31st

Thunder teams need to be advised that all team activities within this time frame must remain OPTIONAL. All coaches and families will be given the LTAD guide from Softball Canada and an association recommendation/guideline for practice/team activity per month during the “off season”.

BUDGETS & FUNDRAISING

NO FUNDRAISING OR COLLECTION OF SPONSORSHIP can commence until a Team budgets is finalized and submitted to Thunder Director/Coordinator for approval.

A deadline for budgets will be set by the Thunder program and communicated at the annual Thunder meeting.

Thunder meeting dates - TBA

Please note all other policies remain the same as before. Much of the thunder policy was never changed within the pilot program and it will remain the same. (Ex. Underage/overage, out of association players, pickups, additions to roster, etc)

Nov. 9 is the MHMSA AGM.

For any inquiries prior to AGM, please contact mhmsathunder@gmail.com

MHMSA