Updates to AA

Softball Manitoba has approved the restructuring of the minor division by adding the AA category.

The three categories that now exist are:

• A (community level -formerly referred to as B)
• AA (regional teams)
• AAA (high performance - formerly referred to as A)

The AA category is a development program to bridge the skill gap between the A and AAA categories. The vision is a competitive program giving grassroots players and coaches an opportunity to be involved in a more competitive environment while advancing skill level and knowledge of the sport.  To protect the grassroots A level of softball, all AA players must register and play A level softball to be eligible, and play will be restricted to specific nights and/or specific weekends between May 1 and the end of the specific age category’s A provincial. The select times for 2026 are all day Friday and after 6 pm on Sunday nights. The 3-day weekend, June 12-14, 2026, will be designated for the AA Program tournament.

1. AA regions will mirror AAA regions. U11, U13, U15 and U17 AA Categories will be run under the guidance of each region’s AAA organization or a Regional Committee of no less than four people.
2. The number of AA teams in each U11, U13, U15 and U17 category will be restricted to a maximum of three (3) from each AAA region.  AAA organizations or the Regional AA Softball Committee will oversee the AA program in their region and be responsible for submitting teams and rosters to Softball Manitoba.  Overseeing will ensure that there is a process to select coaches, arrange tryouts, select athletes, and determine the number of teams registered based on athlete numbers at the tryout with the team’s ability to compete in mind.  If tryout numbers are strong and coaches are available, a second or third team should be considered.
3. This is a development program and age advancement will not occur. There will be no displacement of a player from their age eligible category by an age-advanced athlete.  Under extenuating circumstances only, a region may be exempt from the age advancement policy in order to form a single team in an age category, subject to the approval of the Softball Manitoba Board.  No displacement of an eligible athlete and formation of only one team at that particular age category are requirements to access the exemption.

Team Registration - all AA team (9 player minimum) rosters (players, coaches, manager) must be submitted via Ramp to the Softball Manitoba office by May 8, 2026 for the upcoming season.