Seeking CANpitch Program Hosts for the 2012 Clinic Season

January 5, 2012

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TORONTO, ON - Softball Ontario is now accepting applications for potential hosts of the national pitching program, CANpitch. Each individual program is designed to be delivered over a 6-week period with a local Regional Pitching Instructor trained by Softball Canada’s Master Pitching Instructors.

CANpitch is Softball Canada’s national pitching program created to provide a nationally standardized curriculum based on Softball Canada’s Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) framework for effective teaching at each level. In the past, few Canadian softball players have been exposed to the pitching position which is one reason why the CANpitch Program is being implemented. CANpitch will assist in producing more skills pitchers in Ontario and increase the level and competition in the younger ages of Softball by identifying key drills that reinforce the proper mechanics and teach the fundamental skills of pitching.

The CANpitch Program is designed to increase the number of grassroots level pitchers throughout Canada. Focusing on participants with little to no pitching experience, the Program provides a vehicle to enhance the development of pitching skills and knowledge across Canada at the grassroots level.

Why Use the CANpitch Program?
The CANpitch Program is all about the quality of instruction for all of our participants. Focused on teaching the participants the fundamentals at a more personal level, each participant will have more one on one time per session hours than at their local associations open gym sessions. The ratio of participant to instructor is a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 10 per one instructor.

For six (6) weeks, participants will learn the fundamentals of pitching and help increase the number of pitchers at the grassroots level in Ontario. The overall number of quality pitchers will increase by focusing on the proper fundamental skills from instructors who have been trained to ensure the best.

Who are the Regional Pitching Instructors?
Softball Ontario’s Regional Pitching Instructors are local individuals who have been nationally trained to deliver the CANpitch Program curriculum and are responsible to Softball Ontario. Each instructor has the ability to thoroughly assess all participants’ fundamental skills and will work with each individual at the appropriate stage they feel is best for the participant. This assessment allows each participant to begin at the appropriate stage in the progressive program, which in turn meals that it will build a better foundation for their future pitching skills. (Softball Ontario is responsible for assigning a Regional Pitching Instructor to your Clinic.)

Please note: Softball Ontario will be hosting a Regional Pitching Instructor training session January 14 and 15, 2012 to train more individuals who will be ready and able to deliver the CANpitch curriculum in 2012!

CANpitch Training Session Stages
FUNdamentals Stage – 1 hour, 1 x per week (6 weeks total)

• Provides each participant with the proper instruction on grip, wrist snap, arm rotation, and stride
• Participants are required to actively participate in the training sessions
• Participants MUST supply their own catcher
• Cost per participant for a 6-week clinic $80.00 plus hst ($90.40 total with tax)
• This includes a Tshirt (Youth and Adult sized) and Progress Card
• Each participant is expected to practice at least one (1) time per week in addition to their 1-hour training session; this will better enable the instructor to further develop the basic fundamental skills over the course of the six weeks!

Learning to Train Stage- 1 hour, 1 x per week (6 weeks total)

• Participants will continue to focus on the FUNdamentals while adding the focus on coordination of the arms and legs, the power line and throwing for strikes
• Participants are required to actively participate in the training sessions
• Participants MUST supply their own catcher
• Cost per participant for a 6-week clinic $80.00 plus hst ($90.40 total with tax)
• This includes a Tshirt (Youth and Adult sized) and Progress Card
• Each participant is expected to practice at least one (1) time per week in addition to their 1-hour training session; this will better enable the instructor to further develop the basic fundamental skills over the course of the six weeks!

**Please note: The CANpitch Program is delivered using a progressive curriculum which means that many, if not all, participants who are starting the program for the first time will start at the FUNdamentals Stage.
The CANpitch Program is based on weekly drills using a progressive curriculum and while our Instructors understand that emergencies come up, we expect ALL participants (and parents) to commit to the 6-weeks of training for 1 hour per week. The Program is designed to teach all grassroots participants proper techniques and fundamental movements of pitching and Softball Ontario wants all participants to develop a solid foundation to pitch during the season!

How can YOU be a Host?
To become a Host of the CANpitch Program Softball Ontario must receive a COMPLETED Bid Application Form with the mandatory $100.00 plus hst ($113.00 total deposit) no later than 1 month before your first desired training date. All 6-week training sessions are subject to the availability of a Regional Pitching Instructor during the desired time period. GET YOUR BID FORM IN FAST!

Please find the link below for the 2012 Bid Application Form:
http://www.softballontario.ca/images/stories/documents/PDFpages/canpitch/htbid2012canpitchfrm.pdf

Softball Ontario has set a twelve (12) participant minimum to allow an Instructor to deliver the CANpitch Program in your location. This would mean a minimum of six (6) participants per session hour for a total of two hours of delivery. (Hosts should aim to have a minimum of two (2) hours facility time) Softball Ontario is very willing to be flexible in regards to the participant numbers per session hour, with a minimum of six (6) to a maximum of ten (10).

Please find the link below for the 2012 Host Information Packet for more information on being a host:
http://www.softballontario.ca/images/stories/documents/PDFpages/canpitch/2012_host_info_package.pdf 

How to Submit Your Bid Application Form:
1. Complete and Sign the Bid Application Form found on the Softball Ontario website
2. Include the required total deposit ($100.00 + hst) per Host
3. Forward to the Softball Ontario office at least 2 weeks prior to your preferred start date!
 
Program Costs                     

CANpitch Training Session Stage	Cost of the 6-week Session – Per Participant	Minimum Number of Participants – Per Location
FUNdamentals	$80.00 + hst ($90.40 total)	Twelve (12)
Learning to Train	$80.00 + hst ($90.40 total)	Twelve (12)

 
Please review the CANpitch Program section on the Softball Ontario website for additional Host Responsibilities at www.softballontario.ca. Individuals will be contacted by Softball Ontario with more details regarding Host Responsibilities once your Bid Application has been received and accepted.
  
For more information about the CANpitch Program, or Host Responsibilities, please contact Carly Laxton at 416-426-7150 or by email at claxton@softballontario.ca.