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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

CALERA – Time is running out for Calera families to sign their children up for spring sports as the registration period closes on Saturday, Feb. 3.

Registration for youth baseball, softball and soccer, which opened last year on Dec. 16, will close on Saturday, Feb. 3. Parents and guardians who wish to see their children participate in this season’s sporting activities are heavily encouraged to register prior to the deadline.

For youth baseball, which accepts ages 4 through 12, a player’s league placement will be decided based on their age as of April 30, 2024.

Practices are expected to occur two days per week, with practices taking place on either a Monday-Tuesday or Thursday-Friday schedule.

T-Ball, rookie baseball, and 6U softball practices will be held at 6 p.m. All other leagues will have practices expected to be scheduled at 7:30 p.m., but may be changed depending on how many total teams are organized following registration.

Once the season is underway, registered teams can expect practice to occur once a week with an exception for instances in which a team has two games in a single week.

For youth baseball, all bats must have the USSSA 1.15 BPF sticker or the USA Baseball sticker to be accepted in play. This requirement is not applicable to T-Ball, in which “T-Ball” bats are all that is required.

Players aiming for youth softball registration, ages 4 through 12, will have their league placement decided by their age as of Aug. 31, 2023.

Typical practices are also twice a week on a Monday-Tuesday or Thursday-Friday arrangement.

For the upcoming season, Calera has changed sanctioning bodies for youth softball and therefore league age brackets have been affected and may not represent placements as they have been in past years.

The change might lead to some players remaining in the same league as they were in last year, allowing them to play in the same league for an extra season. However, the change will not affect all children equally and is dependent on their birth date.

Calera Parks and Recreation organizers also wish parents and players to remember that players taking part in Calera Middle School Softball will not be eligible for participation in the City League.

As occurred previously, there will also be a mid-season softball tournament for the upcoming season. However, dates and details for the tournament have not yet been finalized or released.

All softball bats must have the USSSA 1.20 BPF sticker to be allowed for play.

All softball and baseball leagues registrations will cost $170, while T-ball registration will cost $100.

Calera’s 2024 spring soccer will break down into two payment brackets this season, with co-ed U6 and U8 placements being $90 for registration and Boys and Girls U9 through U12 being $120.

For the spring 2024 season, league placement will be broken down and dependent by birth year. Placements will be decided through the following system:

• 2018-2019 – U6 – Co Ed
• 2016-2017 – U8 – Co Ed
• 2015 – U9
• 2014 – U10
• 2013 – U11
• 2012 – U12

Calera Parks and Recreation encourages all with questions to contact Alex Campbell via email at acampball@calera.org or by phone at 205-668-7251.