Softball Ontario was thrilled to be invited to present our school programs, Try Softball and Active Softball, to teacher candidates who are currently studying at the Glendon College Campus of York University’s Faculty of Education. The class consists of eighteen (18) students in their final year of a 4-year concurrent education program that is generalist Primary/Junior Teacher Candidates and are preparing to work in French Immersion Schools throughout Ontario. 

The teacher candidates were introduced to both our Try and Active School Programs in a 90-minute interactive play of both developmental games. Many of the Teacher Candidates have never played Softball before and Softball Ontario was excited to see first-hand how both of our Programs play out.

Softball Ontario would like to thank Stefanie Muhling for giving us the opportunity to further promote our Try and Active Softball Programs and to all 18 teacher-candidates for having fun and being true softball players!

 

Softball Ontario is sending out a BIG "THANK YOU" to all schools/teachers who participated in the Active Softball Program from January to March 2011. All teachers and principals who requested the Active Softball Kit between January and March 2011 were automatically entered in a draw to win a FREE Pizza Lunch - value of $100!

Softball Ontario wants to congratulate the following teachers and their students:

Softball Ontario wants all teachers, principals and schools to request a Kit for April, May or June 2011 and be eligible to win their own FREE Pizza Lunch!! A GREAT end-of-the-year gift for your students!!

Are you looking for a FUN and EXCITING new way to introduce the sport of Softball to your students this spring? Softball Ontario has the COMPLETE package available for loan FREE-of-CHARGE!

ACTIVE Softball enables elementary school students in grades 6 to 8 to learn the FUNDAMENTAL movement skills and concepts of the sport of softball. This program is a great way to keep your students active and fulfill elements of the physical education curriculum.  The Active Softball Game can be used indoors OR outdoors so you still have an activity to do during those rainy days in spring! 

What is included in an Active Softball Kit?
An Active Softball Kit consists of everything you will need to introduce your class to the game of softball. Each Kit contains the following:

• An Active Softball Game Board (4’ x 4’) 
• A set of six (6) playing pieces and dice
• Activity Cards – A Set of 72!
• A “Rules and Skills” Guide (Yours to Keep!)
• A “Skills Test Challenge Booklet (Yours to Keep!)
• Equipment 
          o 9 Softball Gloves
          o 8 Softballs
          o 4 Safety Bats,
          o 2 Throw-Down Base Sets 
          o 1 Batting-T 
• Free Gifts and Activity Books for your students!

All equipment is manufactured using child-safe materials. Once you near the end of your loan period and your students have improved their softball skills, you even have enough equipment to have a full game of softball!

Win a FREE Pizza Lunch for your Class!
Each teacher who registers their class to participate during the months of April, May or June 2011 BY March 31, 2011 by 4:30pm will be entered in a draw to WIN a FREE Pizza Lunch for your class! ($100.00 value!)

If you request an ACTIVE SOFTBALL Kit to use each teacher who submits a completed Feedback Questionnaire with the returned Active Kit will automatically be rewarded an AWESOME “Sportfolio.” On the inside of the “Sportfolio” you will find a softball diamond dry-era board featuring all of Softball Ontario’s program information and a full note pad to write on!

What is the Skill Test Challenge?
The Skills Test Challenge is NEW for 2011 and is used to help evaluate participants on their basic movement skills and concepts and healthy eating. Each of the skills evaluated in the Skills Test Challenge fit within the 2010 Health and Physical Education Curriculum!!
There are twenty-two (22) skill tests included in this Manual, which will test both your students’ basic physical abilities and their softball specific skills. Softball Ontario asks that you test your participants on FIVE (5) Skills Tests and input those results on our Softball at School Website(www.softballatschool.ca)! The Softball Skills Test Challenge can be run at any point in your curriculum seeing as you will now have all the necessary equipment from the Active Softball Kit in your possession.

How Can Your Local Softball Association Help?
Softball Ontario has received inquiries as to whether an individual from Softball Ontario is able to come to the school and help with the Active Softball Kit. Who better to do this then our Local Softball Association Volunteers who know the game best! Teachers who are interested can fill out an “X” in the box under number of participants and Softball Ontario will contact your Local Softball Association for a volunteer to come out and help!

How can you participate in the Active Softball Program?
The Kits are available on a first-come - first-served basis; contact Softball Ontario as soon as possible to book your month. For further details on Softball Ontario’s ACTIVE SOFTBALL program or to borrow an Active Softball Kit for your school, please contact Carly Laxton at (416) 426-7150 or by email at claxton@softballontario.ca.

Softball Ontario looks forward to seeing our Local Associations utilizing this awesome Program!

Are you looking for a FUN and different way to teach fundamental movement skills like throwing, catching, hitting, and running, while encouraging physical activity and physical fitness?  Softball Ontario has a great program for you to try!  The Try Softball Program is available to your JK to Grade 5 Students FREE OF CHARGE and can be used indoors so your class can play Softball regardless of the weather! Participating schools will receive a Try Softball Kit for a loan period of one (1) month.

The TRY Softball Program has been used in hundreds of schools and camps across Ontario allowing thousands of students to play a modified version of softball. Teachers are loaned free softball equipment and provided with manuals introducing BlastBall and Softball Canada’s Learn to Play Program.

Try Softball is geared towards children ages 4-10 years old. The Try Program includes:

To address any concerns, all of the equipment is manufactured using child-safe materials; the bat and ball are made of a soft foam material, removing safety concerns that are created by aluminum bats and hard balls.  There are no equipment requirements for the students, as softball gloves are not required to participate in the game. 

What is BlastBall and Learn to Play?
BlastBall and Learn to Play are great programs designed to introduce the sport of softball to children.  The programs foster the development of all players, including players with high and low skill levels.  Activities and lead-up games are patterned after informal playground games that promise FUN and LOTS OF ACTION.  The fantastic manuals are resources given to your school to keep as a thank-you for participating in our program. 

"BlastBall is a FUN way to introduce sotball. The younger grades enjoyed the noise the base made when they stepped on it!" - Jeff, Central Avenue Public School.

How can you participate?
The Kits are available on a first-come - first-served basis; contact Softball Ontario as soon as possible to book your month.  For further details on Softball Ontario’s TRY SOFTBALL program or to borrow a TRY Kit for your school, please contact Carly Laxton by phone at (416) 426-7150 or by email at claxton@softballontario.ca.

 
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Available on both of the Try Softball and Active Softball Program Request Forms you will find a box where all teachers can indicate if they would like a volunteer from their Local Softball Association to come in during either their class time or lunch period to help set up and instruct the Try or Active Softball Programs.

Softball Ontario has received many inquiries whether we have individuals who are willing to come out and help and who better to do this then the local Softball volunteers who know the game best? Those teachers interested can fill out an "X" in the box and Softball Ontario will contact your local Softball Association for a volunteer to come out and help!