The Riverside Sports ministry is made up of "Seacows" slo-pitch softball.

The vision of the Sports Ministry is, "A place where athletic competition meets Christian brotherhood." (and sisterhood - it is a co-ed league).

Our mission is to create friendships between the churched and unchurched alike through fun competition in sports. We try to win, but winning is not the main goal, rather we strive to:

• play the best we can and have fun,
• build camaraderie between teammates and families,
• encourage one another in success and failure,
• show good sportsmanship, always; and
• compete while living like Christ and loving each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Softball

SPRING 2010 WRAP-UP!
Congratulations to Riverside B for winning the "D" bracket championship by defeating Riverside A.

FALL 2010-2011 SEASON!
You are invited to join the 2010-2011 Fall softball season at the SWFL Christian Softball League.

The FALL season begins Friday, September 10, 7:30PM at the Lee County Sports Complex. Please show up at this time if you haven't sign-up at the batting practice below, otherwise check game times for you assigned team and show up 30 minutes prior.

Batting practice/Sign-ups on September 3, 4:00-6:00PM at Stoneybrook of Gateway field. Don't worry if you can't make it to practice. You can sign up by email to community@riversidechurch,org and then come on September 10.

The cost is $35 per player plus $10 for a T-shirt (optional).

We will hold 20 roster spots per team, first come-first serve.

|| Softball Newsletters

The League

Riverside Softball is part of the SWF Church Softball League. The league plays on Fridays with games at 7:00, 8:10 or 9:20. Games are 7 innings or one hour. The league plays at the softball circle at the Lee County Sports Complex, adjacent to the Twins/Miracle stadium, on Six Mile Cypress Parkway south of Daniels Parkway. The Lee County Sports Complex is a great family-friendly facility with a large playground for children and a concession stand.

Within the league, teams are broken into divisions A-D. We are typically in the "C" or “D” bracket and play other teams also in that bracket.

The SWF Christian Softball League is a Christian league. All team members pledge to behave in a way that would honor Jesus Christ. This includes no tobacco, swearing or arguing with the umpires.

Our Teams

Seasons

The league has two seasons: Spring and Fall. Each season about 22-26 teams are part of the league. Each season ends in a single-elimination playoff.

Typically the Spring season runs from the beginning of April to the end of the school year, or 1^st week in June and is typically 8 games plus the playoffs.

The Fall season runs from the weekend after Labor Day to late January with a break for most of December; the playoffs then take place in January. The Fall season is longer, typically 12 games plus the playoffs.

General Information

• Rosters are limited to 20 players.
• Everyone will play in the field at least two innings per game.
• The batting lineup can contain all the players that show up. Everyone who arrives before the game begins is in the batting lineup for the entire game.
• Final rosters are due three weeks after the season begins.
• It is a co-ed league.
• Players must be 18 or older for insurance purposes.
• There are no uniform requirements. We generally wear a Riverside shirt that is available for cost, shorts and cleats.
• All t-shirts are available through the coaches and a check made out to Riverside and brought to you by the coach to the next game.
• Rainout number is 239-533-7627.

Rules

• All team members pledge to behave in a way that would honor Jesus Christ. This includes no tobacco, swearing or arguing with the umpires over calls.
• You start with one strike and one ball.
• The pitching arc is from 6 to 12 feet. (ASA is 6 to 10 feet)
• A strike is a virtual square behind home plate approximately 18 inches deep and as wide as home plate including the black edges.
• There is a second home plate that runners must go to when attempting to score or they are out. It is to avoid collisions at home plate, therefore, plays at home plate are a force play at all times just like plays at first base.
• There is a “commit” line between third base and home plate where, if you run past, you must go home or be called out.
• If a woman is batting the outfielders must play behind an arced line in the outfield.
• All bats must be ASA approved. If someone if found with an illegal bat they will be suspended.