AA Softball

1. 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.

2026 AA Softball Regional Tryouts

The AA softball season will commence March 1 of every year. Regions may host tryouts between March 1 - April 30 and the first weekend in May (May 1-3 for 2026). 

2026 AA Softball Registration Deadline - May 8^th

All players and coaches will be required to register on their respective team's Ramp website. Each AA Association will be invoiced $200 per team in 2026. This fee helps cover insurance and online registration expenses. 

Player Transfers

If a player is cut from their Home AA Club, they are eligible to apply for a Player Transfer to a AA Club within another region needing players based on the following Regulations.

TRANSFER REGULATIONS

1. The purpose of Player Transfers is to sustain a full capacity of teams at the AA level and to ensure that each region is able to field a team. Effort must be made to recruit players within home regions. Special consideration will be given to areas that have an adequate number of players but do not have pitchers or catchers.
2. The Transfer athlete must be a fully eligible player as defined by Softball Manitoba and have attended tryouts in their home catchment area, but not have been selected to their home region’s team.
3. Any Transfer Player cannot displace a regional player.
   • Any players attending a regional tryout and not on the regional roster cannot be replaced by a transfer player.
4. All Transfer players are to return to their home region for tryouts in the following year.
5. Maximum Fill Players per Team: AA Clubs applying for a Player Transfer may add a maximum of FOUR (4) Transfer players to bring its roster up to twelve (12) players.
6. All applications must contain the following:
   • Parental Consent.
   • Consent of AA Club from which the player resides.
   • Acceptance of AA Club receiving the transfer.
   • Softball Manitoba Approval.

Find more information on the AA Player Transfer Process and application here, AA PLAYER TRANSFER POLICY AND APPLICATION

2026 MINOR DIVISION AA PROGRAM TOURNAMENT WEEKEND

AA Program Tournament Host Application Deadline - April 13, 2026

The Program Tournament will be held from Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 14, 2026. This is a mandatory event in order to enter AA provincials.

Hosts are required for all 4 age categories. 

Softball Manitoba will be responsible for collecting the showcase fee ($450/team) at the same time a provincial entry fee ($450/team). Team entry deadline is May 15, 2026. 

All showcase fees will be forwarded to the host committee who will be responsible to run the event including payment of umpires.

AA PROGRAM TOURNAMENT APPLICATION - PLEASE EMAIL programcoordinator@softball.mb.ca FOR A COPY OF THE APPLICATION

2026 MINOR DIVISION AA PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - COMING SOON

COACH CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

AA Head Coaches will require the Community Softball Ongoing Participation Certification. If AA Softball moves on to compete at a Western Canadian Championship in future years, Competition Introduction Coach Certification would be required.

All coaching staff (Head, Assistant and Manager) require a Respect in Sport Certificate and Criminal Record Check within the past five (5) years as well as NCCP Creating a Positive Sport Environment (taken through your Locker Profile) by May 1, 2026.

You can find a detailed listing of our Coaching Certification Requirements on our website here.

For further questions regarding Softball Manitoba’s AA Category, please contact Executive Director Don Klym via email or 204-925-5674.

AA REGION CONTACTS