This is a big season for the bigger boys in the Fredericton DQ Boys Fastpitch Association. Fredericton is hosting the Pepsi U19 Men's Canadian Fastpitch championship this year - and next, in fact - at Prospect Street Park fields.

Scott Willis, president of the association, will also be coaching the host entry at the midget nationals along with Brent Evans, Mark Young and Jake Saunders.

The 2011 tournament takes place Aug. 8-14.

Willis is hoping to have three midget teams in the city this summer to give everyone a fair shake at making the host squad, which won't be finalized until the end of June.

With the bantam age being rolled back next year, "about a dozen players will have to be ready to play midget," Willis said.

On the flip side, "because the age rolls back, we're going to lose our second- and third-year midgets this year and they're going to go on to junior. We'll see how things shake out, but we should be able to put together a junior team next year."

For this summer, though, the plan is to have about 10 bantams playing for one of the three midget teams.

"I've contacted about 30 players and they said, 'Yes, we're interested in playing this summer.' Some are from other softball associations, some are coming in from baseball.

"So to make it fair for everybody, we can't just hold two or three tryouts and pick a Fredericton team for midget nationals," Willis said. "Any kid coming over from baseball has an adjustment hitting-wise. Fielding, no, but hitting, yes."

Willis would like to have the three midget teams playing two or three games a week. By playing each other and complementing those games with a tournament on the Miramichi and also hosting one here in mid-June, "it looks like we can get about 15 games for the kids," Willis said. "That gives us a fair evaluation of them before we pick our final roster."

Tony Hay, the city's assistant of community services, says Prospect Street Park's upper field will have lights up and running by the end of May.

"Council had approved budgeted dollars to infrastructure upgrades, not just to the upper field including the lights, but to add amenities to create that as a recreation hub, as per the recreation master plan," Hay said. "It makes it more tournament friendly."

The city removed the lights from the Queen Square softball field. Those lights won't be replaced, he said.

With lights at both Prospect Street Park fields, "you can start tournament games at, say, 9 a.m. and run games throughout the day and into the night at both fields," Hay said. "The games are all at one location, which just makes it easier for everybody."

"It's a nice perk for us to have the new lights and the fields spruced up for nationals," Willis said.

The number of teams competing in the midget nationals won't be finalized for another month, "but we're expecting around 14," Willis said. New Brunswick will also be represented by a team from the Miramichi and Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are also expected to field two entries. At last year's nationals in Stratford, Ont., the Maritime team coaches got together to discuss scheduling games this summer, leading up to nationals.

"We said, 'Let's not wait until July before we start playing each other,' " Willis said. "As a result, we've committed to playing three or four tournaments between the Maritime teams. We're looking at anywhere between five and eight teams that are going to be able to show up on a given weekend."

Willis says the association has about 110 players signed up, but you can still register by emailing Frederictonfastpitch@hotmail.com or by calling Willis at 450-5458.

Registration cost for the Learn To Play (ages 4-6 and 7-9) is $50 and $75 for each of the U12 squirt, U14 peewee and U16 bantam programs. The fee to play U19 midget is $100.

"We'll get started right around June 1 or whenever the rain stops," Willis said with a chuckle.

He's pleased the association is "holding its own" in the summer sports scene.

"This is our sixth year," he said. "The biggest key is to grow our Learn To Play program. With the midget nationals here, we're going to shut the association down during that week so all the (younger) kids can come out to the field and see what it's all about at that level. It will also put some seats in the stands and create a good atmosphere around the ballparks."

The Fredericton Girls Softball Association is still accepting registrations, as well. The cost is $60 for U10 mite as of Jan. 1, 2011, and $80 for the other five categories: U12 squirt, U14 peewee, U16 bantam, U19 midget and U21 junior.

The U19 and U21 categories change to U18 and U23, respectively, in 2012.

The cost is $110 for two players from the same household or $130 for three or more players from the same household.

The registration forms, which can be found at www.fgsanb.ca or picked up at MacTavish's Source for Sports at 228 Queen St., can be dropped off at MacTavish's. If you have any questions, you can email fgsanb@gmail.com.

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