My daughter, like many other young girls, is passionate about participating in youth sports. She plays in the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) Fastpitch league. However, she and many of her peers are forced to play with players in a higher grade level due to the current age requirements set by the USSSA.  This puts them at a disadvantage as they move into school ball. 

Currently, the age determination date for USSSA Fastpitch determined by the player's age on December 31, of the previous sanction year. Currently some players are older than the actual age group they are playing by the end of the sanction seasons.  By the sanctioned season end date any player with a birthdate before July 31 will always be an age level older than the current level of play. With the proposed change, all players will be the same relative age by the end of the season.  

We propose changing this rule so that a player’s eligible age corresponds with their age on August 1st - which aligns with the start of each new playing season (August 1 through July 31). This would ensure fairness across all teams and divisions and more closely resemble the age groups they will be playing with when they begin school play. 

This proposed change isn't unprecedented; other youth sports organizations have successfully implemented similar rules. For instance, FASA uses August 1 as their cutoff date and USA Fastpitch uses September 1 as their cutoff date for determining player ages. Essentially the age of the player should be determined by their on when the season begins. 

By signing this petition, you're supporting equal opportunities for all young athletes in our community and helping to foster a fairer competitive environment where every child can thrive based on their abilities rather than arbitrary dates. Please sign this petition today to urge USSSA to amend its Fastpitch age requirements accordingly.