2026 Winkler Minor Ball Evaluation Schedule
*ALL EVALUATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE MERIDIAN EXHIBITION CENTER IN WINKLER*
Evaluation schedule for U11-U17/19 Softball
U11 Softball - Thur April 16 - 5:00PM - 6:00PM & Sat April 18 - 1:00PM - 2:00PM
U13 Softball - Thur April 9 - 6:00PM - 7:30PM
U15 Softball - Thur April 9 - 7:30PM - 9:00PM
U17/19 Softball - If there is an evaluation needed we will email the group
Evaluation schedule for 11U-18U Hardball
11U Hardball
All 11U Players will be emailed in advance as to which of the three groups they will be placed in. After the first evaluation your group may change. This session is an evaluation in order make even teams.
11U Hardball (Group 1) - Sat April 11 - 1:00PM - 2:30PM & Thur April 23 - 5:00PM - 6:30PM
11U Hardball (Group 2) - Sat April 11 - 2:15PM - 3:45PM & Thur April 23 - 6:15PM - 7:45PM
11U Hardball (Group 3) - Sat April 11 - 3:30PM - 5:00PM & Thur April 23 - 7:30PM - 9:00PM
13U Hardball
All 13U Players will be emailed in advance as to which of the two groups they will be placed in. After the first evaluation your group may change. This session is an evaluation in order make even teams.
13U Hardball (Group 1) - Thur April 16 - 6:00PM - 7:30PM & Sat April 25 - 1:00PM - 3:00PM
13U Hardball (Group 2) - Thur April 16 - 7:30PM - 9:00PM & Sat April 25 - 3:00PM - 5:00PM
15U Hardball
All 15U Players will be emailed in advance as to which of the two groups they will be placed in. After the first evaluation your group may change. This session is an evaluation in order make even teams.
15U Hardball (Group 1) - Sat April 18 - 2:00PM - 3:30PM & Thur April 30 - 5:00PM - 7:00PM
15U Hardball (Group 2) - Sat April 18 - 3:30PM - 5:00PM & Thur April 30 - 7:00PM - 9:00PM
18U Hardball
As of now, there will be no evaluations needed for our 18U Baseball program.
Winkler Minor Ball - Player Evaluation Info
The purpose of this short guide is to prepare you and your child for the WMBA Player Evaluation session and help put them at ease if they’ve never been through the Player Evaluation process before.
What To Bring - Each player should bring their glove, bat and a water bottle. If a player has his own batting helmet, they can bring that, too, otherwise one will be provided (players are encouraged to have their own helmet for the season).
What To Wear - Dress the same as you would for an indoor baseball/softball practice: indoor shoes, tee shirt and/or sweatshirt, baseball pants or sweatpants.
How It Works - The players will be evaluated in five baseball skills. Formal evaluations are conducted by a group of coaches and WMBA exec members, who will rate each player in each skill on a 1-to-10 scale. These ratings, along with coaches' opinion, are used to help determine the proper league placement for each player. Each coach may also conduct his own informal evaluation of each player.
Under no circumstances will any WMBA exec member, evaluator, or coach reveal the ratings or ranking of any individual player. So please don’t ask!!!
The Skill Stations
Batting - They are evaluated based on how well they swing the bat and their technique (swing mechanics), how well they hit the ball (contact), and how hard/how far they hit the ball (power). They are assigned one overall rating for batting.
Pitching - They are evaluated on how hard they throw (velocity), and how accurately they hit the strike zone (control) and assigned ratings for each. In addition, most coaches will evaluate them on their form and technique (pitching mechanics), though they will not receive a formal rating for each.
Fielding - Each player will be hit ground balls and fly balls. While the player's success in catching the ball is factored in, the evaluators are mainly looking at the player's form, technique, and footwork (fielding mechanics) to come up with a ground ball rating and a fly ball rating. They are also assigned a throwing rating, which includes their throwing accuracy, throwing mechanics, and release (how quickly they get in position to throw and get rid of the ball after fielding it). The throwing rating and pitching rating are distinct, which allows evaluators to differentiate between a player who doesn't throw well and one who does throw well but has either not learned how to pitch or lacks pitching experience.
WE CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH: The evaluation ratings will not be shared with any player or parent, so please don't ask!!!
How To Make a Good Impression On The Coaches
- Be on time.
- Follow the directions of the volunteer running the drill station. Coaches love players who listen and follow directions!
- Have your child come prepared and dressed appropriately. Nothing screams, "Rookie!" like showing up to an evaluation in jeans and a flannel shirt or going through the fielding station with a catcher's mitt!
- Practice, practice, practice! Most players put the bat and glove away after the last season ended and won't take it out again until evaluations. Mistake! If possible, get out there the weekend before and take some light batting practice and throw the ball around. Shake the rust off so when evaluations come the coaches will see "the real you".
- Most importantly, HAVE FUN! Let the coaches see what a great kid you are and how much you love the game. SMILE! - If you make a mistake, shake it off, grit your teeth, and give it another try. Make it clear you love the game and you're ready to learn. Most coaches would rather have a player with average skills and a great attitude than a player with very good skills and a poor attitude.
Thank you and GOOD LUCK
Any Questions, Please Ask!
Winkler Minor Ball