Frequently Asked Questions
The All-Access Annual Pass is available to individuals for an annual fee of $15 (+HST). This Pass includes insurance coverage, eligibility to participate in leagues and tournaments, access to the Play Slo-Pitch app, and exclusive member discounts, contests, and promotions.
Rules from both Slo-Pitch Ontario and Slo-Pitch National have been utilized to create program-specific rules, guidelines and procedures for various specialty Tournament Programs and Championships.
Membership options for Individuals include a Base Membership, or an All-Access Annual Pass that can be customized to fit your slo-pitch needs for the year! For more information, Please click here!
Play Slo-Pitch offers a broad range of membership benefits to players, teams, leagues, tournament directors, and umpires – all you need for all things slo-pitch, all year long!
PLAY SLO-PITCH is the biggest game changer in the history of slo-pitch in Ontario, bringing Slo-Pitch Ontario and Slo-Pitch National (Ontario Region) TOGETHER to offer more benefits, programs and services, more perks and rewards, more opportunities to play and umpire, more competition for teams, and more opportunities to get involved, to anyone in Ontario who shares our love of slo-pitch!
Respected and experienced local community slo-pitch leaders make up our province-wide network of volunteers. This group of people is a collection of current and former players, league and event organizers and officials who all have a passion and dedication to contribute to the current and future development of the game of slo-pitch. If you’re interested in volunteering or contributing to the growth of our sport, contact Tom Buchan or Trish Harrow Rodic!
The Code of Conduct was created to outline to all participants the expectations that are always in place to foster an environment that: displays respect for the rights, dignity and worth of athletes, coaches, officials, other volunteers, media, friends and spectators, and treats everyone equally regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, or ability.
Play Slo-Pitch is affiliated with Slo-Pitch Ontario, Slo-Pitch National, Softball Ontario, and Softball Canada. Several international relationships are also in place.
Play Slo-Pitch is a collaboration between Slo-Pitch Ontario and the Ontario Region of Slo-Pitch National. A province-wide network of over 50 community Slo-Pitch expert volunteers is steered by CEO Tom Buchan, and COO Trish Harrow Rodic, together with a Board of Directors, an Advisory Board and full-time office staff – all available as valuable resources to assist our members and to carry out the day-to-day business operations all year long!
Play Slo-Pitch Events will be hosted across the province by local Tournament Directors. In addition to local tournaments, specialty tournament programs and events including Super Series, Grand Slam Series, Senior Circuit, Northern Shootout, Bill Miller Classic CanAm, Provincial Championships and National Championships are also hosted throughout the year. Go to the Event Calendar.
Our Mission is to continue to foster, build, strengthen and expand the game of slo-pitch, through leadership, commitment, development and promotion.
SPN and SPO began working closely together during the pandemic. As a result of some positive collaborative efforts to solve huge challenges presented at that time, further conversations resulted in the determining that merged efforts would enhance our game and the overall player experience.
Both organizations are committed to moving the game of slo-pitch forward into the future by prioritizing the development of technologies that our current and future membership are expecting. These investments are complex, challenging and expensive, but by working together they are achievable.
Leagues registering with Play Slo-Pitch have the choice between having Individual Member Registration for their players, with no Per Team fee paid, or pay a Per Team registration fee, with no individual fee to be paid by their players. Check out our Membership Comparison chart to determine what will work best for your League!
A Certificate of Insurance can be requested by the League President right through our Member Registration System when completing your League registration, or you can contact the office to have a request submitted for you. You can also request to have the name(s) of a municipality added as an Additional Insured, and a Certificate will be emailed to you.
Commercial General Liability insurance is offered to all registered Leagues to cover you, and your Executive and volunteers, while acting within the scope of their duties on the League’s behalf. It is also offered to all registered participants, together with secondary sport accident insurance.
We can put you in contact with Umpire-in-Chiefs across the province to assist with your officiating needs! Visit Umpires for more information.
Membership options have been designed for various levels of participation by you and your teams, but whichever way you choose to register, every League receives Scorebooks, Rulebook or Digital Handbook access, liability insurance, an Invitation for every team to compete at the Provincial Championships, merchandise rebates, access to amazing Awards and Prizes at discounted prices, a Worth Ball Deal from Home Run Sports, live and online support available from full-time office staff, and an online Member Registration System for an easy way to keep your league organized, communicate with team contacts and players, and offer a convenient way for players to register and make the most of their slo-pitch season.
We encourage all Leagues to utilize Rules that work for their own League and to consult with their local Officials to answer any Rule questions they may have, or inquire about any necessary modifications.
Rules are available through the Slo-Pitch Ontario Handbook and/or the Slo-Pitch National Rulebook.
Player rankings are determined by individual skill levels and/or by the ranking of the team that you currently play with, or competed on in the past. When you’re logged into the Member Registration System, your ranking will show on your Profile. If you are uncertain about what you should be ranked, or need assistance, our volunteers across Ontario can provide you with information, or you can contact our office.
Please check with event organizers regarding rules pertaining to participation on multiple teams within specific events.
Of course, you can play for multiple teams, however, please be aware that some leagues, tournaments, events and programs may have restrictions on the eligibility of players, ratings and classifications and/or applicable qualifying requirements, and some terms, conditions, policies and guidelines may apply. We encourage all players to consult the guidelines/rules for each specific league and event.
Programs are available to provide opportunities to compete locally in league play (weekly) or in events that take place mainly on weekends. For more information on how to find out where you can play, please contact us.
The All-Access Annual Pass is available to individuals for an annual fee of $15 (+HST). This Pass includes insurance coverage, eligibility to participate in leagues and tournaments, access to the Play Slo-Pitch app, and exclusive member discounts, contests, and promotions.
Please check with event organizers regarding rules pertaining to participation on multiple teams within specific events.
The Grand Slam Series is a series of weekend slo-pitch tournaments providing registered Mens D and Womens D teams the opportunity to compete in a consistent and structured program, earning Points to determine divisional Grand Slam Champions each season. For more information, including registration information, visit Grand Slam Series.
A request for a reclassification of a Team’s rating can be made between December 1st and __*___ each year by completing and submitting the online Form provided during that time. Some terms, conditions, policies and guidelines may apply.
Team rankings are established based on your participating players, and your tournament history. Team ranking guidelines are available here. If you are unsure what your team should be ranked, you can contact your local representative or contact our office.
A maximum of 25 members can be added to each Roster in our Member Registration System. Some restrictions to Event and/or League Rosters may apply.
We’d be happy to find a League for your team to play in and have contact information for over 500 leagues across Ontario! Contact us to get your search underway.
There are many playing options available to Teams across Ontario, including local tournaments and events, competitive tournament programs such as Super Series, Grand Slam Series, and Senior Circuit, as well as special events like the Bill Miller CanAm Classic, Northern Shootout, Provincial and National Championships. Several international events are also available through our relationships with ISF, ASA, USSSA, ISSA, SSUSA and the Pacific Rim Federation.
Provincial Championships are hosted each year over multiple weekends to determine Champions in over 25 divisions of play for qualified teams in Mens, Womens, Coed, Masters and Senior categories. Event locations vary based on divisions. For more information, go to Provincial Championships.
The Rawlings Senior Circuit is a series of weekend slo-pitch tournaments providing registered Mens teams of all competitive levels and players aged 50-75, the opportunity to compete in a consistent and structured program, earning Points to determine divisional Senior Circuit Champions each season. For more information, including registration information, visit Senior Circuit.
Remember, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." (George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950)
The Miken Super Series is a series of weekend slo-pitch tournaments providing registered Mens and Womens A, B and C teams the opportunity to compete in a consistent and structured program, earning Points to determine divisional Super Series Champions each season. For more information, or registration information, visit Super Series.
Commercial General Liability insurance is offered to Tournament Directors for their events, and having fully registered and insured teams and participants helps to protect you from liability. Liquor Liability Insurance is available to be purchased separately and can be tailored to meet your specific requirements.
Whether you’re already an experienced Tournament Director/Organizer or a complete beginner, please contact our office for more information on tournament hosting. Join Play Slo-Pitch and help us in our Mission to provide more opportunities to play, more competition for teams, and to build, strengthen and expand the sport of slo-pitch across Ontario.
All events should be entered into the Play Slo-Pitch calendar well in advance of the event. In addition to the calendar – organizers should have a tournament poster that can be utilized on social media for additional exposure.
Event organizers are also encouraged to create and manage an email list of participants to communicate information about your events on a regular basis.
Your Event will show on our Events Calendar and will allow teams to register right from our website through the Member Registration System, and allow for us to promote your tournament on our social media pages. Using our System ensures that teams consist of registered and fully insured members who are in good standing for the current season, and who are rated correctly to compete in the divisions you’re offering. You can even make use of the Communication area in the System to keep in touch with and provide event information to the Team Contacts.
Slo-Pitch Ontario and Slo-Pitch National rules can be utilized for your events. Many local tournaments will utilize customized rules based on what works in your specific area or make any necessary adjustments due to associated facilities or league rules. If you have questions about rules, please contact the office for more information.
We can put you in contact with Umpire-in-Chiefs across the province to assist with your officiating needs! Visit our Umpires page for more information.
Umpires who are affiliated with Softball Ontario or Slo-Pitch National are recommended to officiate at your events.
For the 2024 season, Officials can card with Softball Ontario and/or Slo-Pitch National. For more information, go to Umpires.
Visit Umpires/Clinic Listings to find one near you! (Specifics on each Clinic are available from the hosts of each event.)
Once you have successfully completed your 2024 Officiating requirements, opportunities are available within local leagues and tournaments across the province. Contact your local Umpire-in-Chief to inquire about work available in your specific area.
Umpires interested in officiating in any of our specific Tournament Programs or specialty Events, as well as any Provincial and National Championships, should contact us for more information!
Your local Umpire-in-Chief, umpire association, Tournament Director or League can instruct you on uniform requirements.
Slo-Pitch National and Slo-Pitch Ontario and Play Slo-Pitch umpires are covered for officiating during their respective sanctioned events and leagues. Umpires will not be covered under the insurance program for any event that SPN, SPO or Play Slo-Pitch has not approved.
Umpires who have been selected to officiate at the National Championships will have attended a current year clinic. Provincial Umpire-In-Chiefs work with the National Umpire-In-Chief to select umpires for the National Championships. For selection criteria, please contact your Provincial Umpire-In-Chief.
Provincial Umpire-In-Chiefs will select the umpires for the Provincial Championships. For selection criteria, please contact your Provincial Umpire-In-Chief.