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"WESA Athletics is about learning, not judging. We focus on developing the four core skills of softball: Hitting, Running, Fielding, and Throwing. The annual Skills Assessment is simply a tool that helps players understand their progress, recognize their strengths, and identify opportunities for growth." - WESA


Page Contents:

• WESA Athletics Approach
• Learn With Us - Program Descriptions
• Schedule

WESA Athletics

PLAY. LEARN. BELONG.

At WESA Athletics, we believe that every player can improve.

Whether you’re picking up a glove for the first time or preparing for tournament play, every player has the opportunity to learn, build confidence, and enjoy the game.

WESA Athletics is the League’s player development program. Through clinics, coaching, field days, and game experience, we help players develop the knowledge, skills, and attitude needed to continue improving throughout their softball journey.

The WESA Athletics Approach

Every season, the same four softball skills—Hitting, Running, Fielding, and Throwing—guide both how we help players develop and how we assess skills.

These are two connected processes with different purposes.

One focuses on player development.

The other supports fair and sustainable division placement.

Together, they help every player find opportunities to learn, contribute, compete, and succeed.

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Player Development

Player • Coach Squad • WESA Athletics

Player development is a partnership. Players bring their enthusiasm, effort, and willingness to learn. The Coach Squad shares knowledge, provides encouragement, teaches skills, and creates opportunities for growth.

WESA Athletics supports that journey by providing clinics, field days, educational resources, and development opportunities throughout the season.

The goal is simple:

Help every player become the best softball player they can be.

WESA Skills Assessment program

Player • Team Coach • SQ COMMITTEE

The WESA Skills Questions (SQs) use the same four softball skills to provide a consistent framework for annual skills assessment.

Players participate honestly in the assessment process. Team Coaches contribute observations based on a player’s demonstrated abilities throughout the season.   The  SQ Committee with the WESA Skills Assessment process promotes consistency across the league by applying the Skills Questions fairly and objectively.

The Commission then uses the completed Skills Assessments, together with league policies, to determine division placement.

The purpose of the Skills Assessment process is to promote:

• Fair play
• Competitive balance
• League sustainability
• Positive player experiences

Skills Assessments are not a measure of a player’s worth or value. They are one tool used to help place players where they are most likely to enjoy the game while contributing to balanced competition.  Read more.

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Knowledge × Practice × Attitude = Results

At WESA Athletics, we believe that improvement comes from more than natural ability.

• Knowledge gives us direction.
• Practice builds our skills.
• Attitude shapes our journey.

Results are earned one step at a time.

Knowledge

Learning the game.

Knowledge helps us understand what to do and why it matters.

• Understanding the rules
• Learning proper techniques
• Recognizing game situations
• Learning from coaches and teammates

Practice

Building skills through repetition.

Practice turns knowledge into ability.

• Attending clinics
• Playing catch
• Batting practice
• Showing up consistently
• Trying new things

Attitude

Choosing to grow.

Every player brings different natural strengths to the field. Some players are naturally fast, some throw harder, and some pick up new skills quickly.

Talent is valuable, but growth depends on how we choose to use our abilities.

A positive attitude means being willing to learn, working through challenges, supporting teammates, accepting feedback, and continuing to improve. Players who embrace growth often accomplish more than those who rely on natural ability alone.

Results

The outcome of the process.

When knowledge, practice, and attitude work together, results naturally follow.

• Improved skills
• Greater confidence
• Better teamwork
• More enjoyment of the game
• Continued development as a player

The Four Core Skills

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Everything we do at WESA Athletics is built around four fundamental softball skills.

Hitting
Developing the ability to make consistent contact, make good offensive decisions, and contribute at the plate.

Running
Building speed, confidence, awareness, and good base-running habits.

Fielding
Learning proper positioning, clean fielding techniques, and defensive decision-making.

Throwing
Developing accurate, consistent throws and good defensive mechanics.

These same four skills form the foundation of both player development and the WESA Skills Assessment process.

Opportunities to Learn

WESA Athletics offers learning opportunities throughout the season, including:

• Softball Essentials Clinics
• Pre-Draft Field Days
• Monthly Skills Clinics
• Saturday Open Practices
• Position-specific instruction
• Coach Squad development programs

Whether your goal is to make better contact, improve your throwing accuracy, learn a new position, or simply become more confident on the field, WESA Athletics is here to help.

Our Philosophy

Learning creates confidence.

Confidence creates opportunity.

Opportunity helps every player belong.

Knowledge teaches us what to do.

Practice helps us do it.

Attitude determines how far we are willing to go.

Results take care of themselves.

LEARN WITH US

Softball Essentials - Learn the fundamentals
Pre-Draft Field Days - Meet coaches and complete initial assessments
Monthly Field Days - Clinics and development opportunties
Saturday Open Practice - Build skills through repetition
Coach Squad Clinics - Develop future coaches

FIELD DAYS

PRE-DRAFT
New & Returning members who have not been registered on a team roster since 2023 need to attend at least one Pre-Season Field Day which takes place at Strathcona Park (857 Malkin Avenue).

All Coaches and participants are requested to show up at least 20 mins early.  Attending Pre-Draft Camp is required for NEW Players or members who have not been on a rostered WESA team since 2023.  

POST-DRAFT FIELD DAYS
Once a month, the Coach Squad comes together to run clinics in Hitting, Running, Fielding, and Pitching.  

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Learn more about the four skills categories and how the league assesses players HERE.

SATURDAY OPEN PRACTICE

(All levels)
Year round skills clinic with a focus on PITCHING and HITTING.  Please contact Lead Coach, Peter at PHaughton (at) Hotmail.com for more information. Meet at SW Fountainhead Diamond.   The skills covered will expand depending on attendance and goals of the group on the day.
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A common schedule for this clinic is to have developing Pitchers to practice early, then progress into a pitching and batting practice.

WESA 2026 SOFTBALL ESSENTIALS

presented by ​

Lead Coaches: Emily D & Pat K

Designed especially for WESA 2026 New Members & Rookies who are keen to learn softball essentials before Spring Ice Breaker Sunday (Sunday, April 12, 2026) and our 48th Season Opening Day (Sunday, April 19, 2026)!  Please register so we know how many are coming for each date.  For additional information, please join our private Facebook group by searching “WESA / SoftballEssentials with Pat & Emily”.

You can also contact Emily & Pat directly at SoftballEssentials (at) Outlook.com. For other questions, please email Commission (at) WESA.net.  Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!

Meet at SW Fountainhead Diamond at Strathcona Park. See park map HERE.

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SE Part 1 - Rules/Positions/Throwing/Catching
Wednesday March 11, 2026 ~ 6:15pm
Sunday, March 15, 2026 ~ 10am

SE Part 2 - How to play the Infield
Wednesday March 18, 2026 ~ 6:15pm
Sunday, March 22, 2026 ~ 10am

SE Part 3 - How to play the Outfield
Wednesday March 25, 2026 ~ 6:15pm
Sunday, March 29, 2026 ~ 10am

SE Part 4 - Base Running & Batting
Wednesday April 1, 2026 ~ 6:15pm
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 ~ 6:15pm

SE Part 5 - Scrimmage Game
Sunday, April 5, 2026 ~ 10am

SE Part 6 - Scorekeeping Clinic - online
Thursday, April 9, 2026 ~ 7pm
REGISTER Here.

2026 OPEN MIXER SCRIMMAGE GAMES 

Open scrimmage games give players more opportunity to practice and gain confidence.

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On the long weekends during the Pennant Season, the league will have two open practice games at Strathcona Park, CTR Celebrities Diamond, for members on the Sundays of Easter Weekend, Victoria Day Weekend, and Canada Day Weekend:

Easter Weekend, Sunday, April 5, 2026 
10:30am - Softball Essentials Scrimmage Game (for Rookies and Novice Players)
12pm - Open Scrimmage Game (for all WESA Members and registered spares)

Victoria Day Weekend, Sunday, May 17, 2026 
10:30am- Softball Essentials Scrimmage Game (for Rookies and Novice Players)
12pm - Open Scrimmage Game (for all WESA Members and registered spares)

Canada Day Weekend, Sunday, July 5, 2026
10:30am - Softball Essentials Scrimmage Game (for Rookies and Novice Players)
12pm - Open Scrimmage Game (for all WESA Members and registered spares)

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