Recreation Softball – AKA Rec Ball:

Recreation softball is the main softball program and is offered in the Spring and Fall seasons. During these seasons, players are put into the following age groups – 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U. Every team has a parent-volunteer coach and volunteer assistant coaches.

When You Play Recreation Softball:

• All players are guaranteed playing time. 
• Costs are generally lower than other programs offered by NMGS. When you register for Recreation softball, your fees cover uniform jerseys, pictures, field maintenance, equipment, field fees, umpire fees and trophies. 
• Additional costs that may be incurred by parents are pants (color is dictated by the coach, generally gray or black), personal softball equipment (see the Equipment page to get specific information on required equipment), hair bows, banners, team get togethers, etc.  
• Games are local to a small area around Orange County, mostly Irvine, Tustin, Laguna Niguel, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. 
• You must play a specific amount of Spring Recreation softball games and you must also not play travel ball after a specific date in order to qualify for All Stars that starts in May. 

Spring Recreation Softball Basic Information:

• Registration is October – early January. 
• Season starts late January and goes through early May.
• Dust off the glove clinics take place mid-January with placement practice taking place one weekend in mid-January; these are practices to get ready for the season. The placement practice that is held is to try any balance the teams to give every girl the best experience possible by having balanced teams.
• Games start mid-February, and Opening Day takes place mid to late February dependent upon NMUSD Ski Week. 
• Games generally take place once a week on Saturdays for 6U, and twice a week for 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U with one game M-F and then another game on Saturday. 

Fall Recreation Softball Basic Information:

• Registration is June – early August.
• Season starts mid-August and goes through early November; there are typically less games than the Spring season. 
• Rec teams generally play on Sundays with local Orange County teams.
• Rec teams generally have one tournament that they play Friday - Sunday in early November; this is typically the last set of games for the season.

Select Softball:

Select softball is the opportunity for players to play at a higher level and be challenged more as a player. A good indicator of when your daughter is ready for Select is when she is very excited to play softball and seems to have skills that are improving at a good rate and may be in the top half of the players out on the field. When you play on the Select team you are committing to spending additional time working out with your teammates through organized practices and on your own and possibly lessons. Players who want to play Select must try out in an organized practice outside of normal Recreation placement practices or be invited to play. Games are generally all in Orange County, but occasionally slightly farther away.

Spring Select Basic Information:

• You must play on a Recreation softball team and make at least 75% of the recreation practices and games. 
• You will either play games or practice once a week during Select. Generally we will play a double-header on Sundays. 
• You will pay an additional fee to cover jersey costs as well as umpire fees.

Fall Select Basic Information:

• Same as above, but you do not play Recreation softball. 
• Amount of practices are determined by the coach. 
• Select generally has two tournaments that are Friday – Sunday in mid-October and mid-November.
• There may be additional tournaments after the last Fall Select tournament that the Select team may play at their own expense. You will have to pay these additional fees when requested by the coach. 

There are new age brackets that start the fall of 2023. They are as follows:

14U: 9/1/2008 to 8/31/2010

12U: 9/1/2010 to 8/31/2012

10U: 9/1/2012 to 8/31/2014

8U:  9/1/2014 to 8/31/2016

6U:  9/1/2016 to 2/1/2019