HGSA League - Frequently Asked Questions

When do games or practices start?

For Minors(3rd-4th), Majors(5th-6th) and Seniors(7th-9th) Divisions, HGSA Games will typically begin in the Middle of April, with weather permitting. 

Rookies(K-2nd Graders) will begin in June.  

The HGSA website will be updated with information on the exact start dates and times for the Majors and Seniors skill sessions and draft.

What can I expect for a Practice and Game Schedule?

The HGSA by rule does not allow for more than a combination of 4 games and practices in a given week.  We defer to the coaches to establish a practice schedule that works best for their teams.  

Games are scheduled for 2 per week, Mondays - Thursdays.  We run 2 games per night.  Earlier games are around 5:30 and Later games are around 7.  Start times vary through the season based on lighting conditions.

My Daughter is new to the Skill Session and Draft process, what can I expect?

The HGSA has found the Skill Session and Draft to be the most equitable way to distribute players across all teams in the Division.  

Skill Session:

Players and Parents:

The process is very straight forward, upon arrival, players are assigned a number that they will have on a sticker through the skill session.  All players in the Majors and Seniors Divisions will be required to participate in the session, should a scheduling conflict occur, players not in attendance are randomly assigned at the end of the draft process.  

For the players, at the date and time specified, they are asked to throw, catch, do some basic infield/outfield drills and hit.  If the player is a Pitcher or Catcher, they will be asked to stay a bit longer and demonstrate those specific skills.  Upon the completion of the skills that the player wishes to demonstrate, the players will be asked to depart prior to the Draft beginning.

 Coaches:

Coaches for the season will be required to attend and will make notes for a subsequent draft.  Coaches typically evaluate, the player on criteria they like to see on their teams.  It is recommended to have something to make notes with you such as a clipboard etc.  

Freeze Players: Coaches whose Daughters are playing in the HGSA, are "frozen" to the coach and do not need to participate in the Skill Session or Draft.  A maximum of 2 freeze players are allowed per team.

Draft:

Only Coaches and HGSA Staff will be allowed to stay for the Draft.  

Upon the completion of the skill session, Coaches and HGSA Staff will meet and coaches will randomly draw for starting position in the Draft.  The Draft process is then similar to a serpentine draft akin to a fantasy sports league. i.e. 1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1... Once players are selected, they are assigned to the team.  This continues until all players are assigned to a team.

For those players who could not attend, they are randomly assigned at the end of the draft until teams have a nearly even player count. 

My Daughter is in other activities, but wants to play in the HGSA. Will that be a problem?

Many of the players who are in the HGSA have other activities that they participate in.  The HGSA works to have enough players on each team to prevent any kind of scenario leading to a forfeit. In most all cases, we would recommend that you communicate your specific schedule with the coach of your team as they can communicate with the HGSA around scheduling issues.

I was thinking about coaching a team, how do I sign up? 

It is a simple process to sign up to volunteer.  While registering your daughter for the league year, also add a "volunteer enrollment" to your cart before checking out. This will setup the registration to indicate you willing to coach.  You can click on the link below for a more detailed walkthrough of the process.  

Do I need to have experience to coach a team?

Many of the coaches that are currently coaching in the HGSA, had limited or no experience before signing up to coach.  The HGSA board has practice plans, typically hosts coaching clinics and has a wealth of knowledge that we are willing to share with you.  

Additionally, if you are concerned that you may not know much about specific parts of the game, such as Pitching; beginning in March of 2022, the HGSA will be available on Sundays at 1PM to work with any coaches or players interested in learning more about pitching.  Be sure to sign up for notifications for information on coaching clinics and other skill session work.