The Columbia Basin Girls Softball Association (CBGSA) has announced plans for a six-week season this spring, moving the start date back to allow interested girls to play youth soccer too.

Registration and signups are now open at cbgsa.com or at the organization’s Facebook page. Registration closes on April 16. Player registration is $45, with scholarships available for those in need.

Practices will begin May 3 with two weeks of practice followed by four weeks of practice and games. CBGSA Board President Tiffany Vehrs said the board elected to go with a six-week season rather than its traditional nine-week schedule after months of not being sure whether or not there would even be games this year.

“We originally planned on just a practice-only season, and stuck to that even in Phase 2,” Vehrs said. “We didn’t want to promise anything and have it come back, but with the move to Phase 3, we feel comfortable moving forward, especially with the later season date.”

Sponsorships from small businesses are vital to enable the CBGSA to cover the costs of the season, but the board elected to not ask for them this year due to the struggles many of those business owners have faced.

Vehrs said as a small business owner herself who lost her business to COVID-19, she’s fully aware of the concerns and struggles many business owners are facing. She said she told the board she didn’t feel comfortable asking for money from people who may not even be able to afford their own bills.

Fortunately, Vehrs said a board member who works at Simplot was able to acquire enough donations from that company to support uniforms for all the players.

“Their sponsorship made it possible for us to be able to play games,” Vehrs said.

Youth organizations like the CBGSA are also beginning the SafeSport training required for coaches and volunteers that was supposed to begin last spring. Vehrs said this new sexual harassment training is required for volunteers from every team, which adds just another thing to try and get sorted out before the season.

Community members interested in volunteering as a coach, assistant coach or parent volunteer can sign up at the CBGSA’s website before April 16. Three volunteers are needed for each team with COVID-19 restrictions and policies in place, and background checks and SafeSport training are required for all.

Vehrs said the softball organization has also had to completely change its registration system, with added requirements and forms from each city to comply with COVID-19 regulations. She said it’s still a work in progress, and was part of the reason that registration wasn't opened earlier.

Vehrs said last spring was “heartbreaking” to watch, having the season shut down just days after preseason pitching clinics. As someone who’s been involved with the board for a few years now, she said, she considers them her girls, players she’s watched grow and develop as athletes.

Seeing how tough this year has been on her own daughter, other kids and adults, Vehrs said, board members were really careful to wait until they knew they could promise something that wouldn’t get taken away.

“It’s one of those things where you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Vehrs said. “This year, we tried to be really mindful of that.”