Thank-you for your interest in the 2017 Women's Summer Collegiate Fast-Pitch Softball League. This is a brand-new program and is intended for active college players at the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA levels.

The league is being organized and administered by the Metro Sports Report of Cedar Rapids.

Anyone who is currently playing softball at a college in Iowa is eligible for the program. Also, all Iowans who are playing at out-of-state colleges are eligible as well. High school players are not eligible.

(CLICK HERE TO REGISTER).

We will play a series of 10 doubleheaders on Sundays, beginning May 28 and running through July 30, for a 20-game season. The games will be played at Kirkwood Community College and Coe College in Cedar Rapids.

We plan to have four teams with 16 players per team. The first 64 players who register and submit their $100 player fee will be welcomed into the program. After that, we will form a waiting list. If there is enough interest, we will consider having six teams with 96 players.

According to collegiate rules, we cannot have more than four players from one college on the same summer team. That means we can accommodate as many as 16 players from one school.

We will assign players to each team, based on competitive balance and the need to have enough pitchers, catchers, middle infielders, corner infielders and outfielders on each team. Whenever possible, college teammates will be assigned to the same team for comfort level and travel purposes.

We plan to use a continuous batting order and free defensive substitutions to ensure equal playing time for everyone. The games will be competitive, but we want to provide a fun environment where everyone benefits from the program.

We will honor all pitching limitations and pitch-counts to make sure pitchers get the work they want, without pushing anyone too far during the summer.

We will provide attractive game jerseys, but we ask each player to provide their own pair of generic white pants along with their own bats, belts, batting helmets, gloves and catching gear.

Here are the playing dates by month:

+ MAY: 28

+ JUNE: 4-11-18-25

+ JULY: 2-9-16-23-30

We expect a high level of attendance during the season, but recognize that players will have family and personal obligations from time to time.

If the need arises, we may "loan" a player from one team to another if one of the teams is short-handed. We will seek the player's permission before asking her to switch teams on a particular day.

We are excited about this new league and anticipate a strong response from colleges and players. Please help spread the word.

Thanks very much. I hope to hear from you soon.