All questions related to the scheduling of practices should be directed to the AGSL Director of Scheduling (Matt Greve) at matt.greve@ashburnshootingstars.com and, if you are a House league team, copied to the AGSL Director of Coaches (Jessica Butler) at jessreeves@hotmail.com.

 

When Are Practices And How Many Do I Get?

Practices are typically scheduled to take place from 5/530 - 7/730 pm or 7/730 - 9/930 pm Monday through Friday. Teams with older players will typically be in the later time slots. Upon request, and if space permits or under unusual circumstances, teams may be provided “odd” practice times (including weekend practices). 

 

• Travel teams get two 2-hour practices each week and, if space is available, one optional 1-hour batting cage slot at Trailside Park per week. Travel teams get two batting cages side-by-side for 1-hour each (example Cage 1 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Cage 2 5:30-6:30 p.m.).
• House teams get one 2-hour practice each week and, if space is available, one optional 1-hour batting cage slot at Trailside Park per week. House teams get two batting cages side-by-side one for an hour and the other for a half hour (example: Cage 1 5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. and Cage 2 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.).

House teams may request extra practice field time in lieu of their batting cage time. The Director of Schedulingmay provide House teams an additional field for up to two hours, but only if space permits, and will usually schedule it on an available Middle School or Elementary School field. 

House teams typically request (and are provided) two 2-hour practices each week. 

Can I Start Practice Earlier than the Allotted Time?

Practices on non-lighted school fields that are not staffed by the county may begin at 5 p.m. The county strictly enforces the 5:30 p.m. start time on lighted (and county staffed) fields, although some county staff have allowed teams to start practice at 5:20 p.m.  

Also, school practice fields are sometimes “blacked out” by the school for special events (school concerts, etc.). You will be provided notice if your field is not available due to a special event. An attempt will be made to provide you a makeup practice day. 

Who Determines Practice Days and Times and Is There a Hierarchy for Approvals?                                     

After setting aside fields for House League games, the AGSL Director of Scheduling (Matt Greve) will attempt to schedule practice days and times in accordance to the team’s submitted preferred practice days and times.  

In cases where there are multiple requests for specific days and times (or for specific fields) preference is provided according to the following order:  

1. Board Members (President, Vice-President and Treasurer have first priority, in that order; followed by combined length of tenure on the Board). 
2. Shooting Stars/Athletics Mercado Gold teams (older teams get priority).  
3. Shooting Stars A/B teams (older teams get priority). 
4. Shooting Stars C teams (older teams get priority). 
5. House League (older teams get priority). 

Note: During the spring softball season, middle and high school softball games take place on Mondays and Fridays. As a result, during the spring season, 12U through 18U travel teams typically request practices involving some combination of Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Younger travel teams and most house league teams typically request practices involving some combination of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but may utilize Tuesdays and/or Thursdays depending on field availability. 

 

What is a Priority 1, 2 OR 3 Field?

Priority 1 and 2 fields have lights and are staffed by the county (e.g., county staff line the fields and set the pitching plate distance). These fields are typically assigned for House league games, Travel team practices, and, if space permits, House league practices (usually teams with older players). Note: travel team parents pay AGSL a fee for access to AGSL assigned fields and other AGSL support.

Priority 3 fields do not have lights and are not staffed by the county (e.g., the coaches line the fields). Middle School and Elementary School fields are priority 3 fields.  These fields are typically assigned to House teams and younger Travel teams that practice in the early time slot.  

 

Do I Inform AGSL if I Cancel a Practice?

It depends.  

You should inform the AGSL Director of Scheduling (Matt Greve) by email at Matt.greve@ashburnshootingstars.com if you cancel a practice on a Priority 1 or 2 (lighted) field (preferably at least one day in advance). The AGSL Director of Scheduling will, in turn, inform the county (or assign it to another AGSL team looking for an additional practice). 

 

If there is a cancellation on the same day by yourself or because of field conditions on a lighted field, contadt AGSL Director of Scheduling (Matt Greve0 by 4:30PM. After that, coaches will contact PRCS After Hours Hotline themselves to cancel the field and prevent PRCS from sending out an employee. The hotline number is (571) 233-0424.

If the field is not being used, the county will let their staff know that they do not have to line the field and, if not needed elsewhere, may go home. County staff are instructed to inform the county’s scheduler of “no-shows.” The county may restrict league access to its fields if it determines that a league has frequent no-shows.  

There is no need to contact the AGSL Director of Scheduling if your practice is cancelled by the county or you cancel practice on a priority 3 field. 

 

Can I Reschedule a Practice that is Rained Out?

Yes. Contact the AGSL Director of Scheduling (Matt Greve) to see if a practice field is available. Typically, practice fields are available for rainouts on Fridays and the weekends.  

 

Are There Any Special County Requirements That I Need to Know About?

AGSL has a contract (Memorandum of Understanding) with Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) to access county and school property. Access to these fields and school facilities is subject to strictly enforced rules and regulations. Some specific county requirements of interest:  

• Never schedule a field or school facility (school field, building space/gymnasium, or parking lot area) yourself. All requests for access to county or school property must be made through the AGSL Director of Scheduling who, in turn, forwards AGSL-approved requests to PRCS for final approval.

 

• PRCS requires 3 business days’ notice for additional practice field requests on Priority 1 and 2 (lighted) fields and 2 business days’ notice on Priority 3 fields (note: these requests are usually made by teams that have had practices canceled due to weather and wish to reschedule that practice). 

 

• PRCS requires AGSL to return the fields to their original condition following practice (no litter, etc.), prohibits any field alterations (other than allowing throw down and temporarily spike-held pitching plates), and prohibits activities that could damage the field or its facilities (e.g., no hitting of balls against the fences, removing turf without county permission, etc.).

County staff enforce PRCS rules and regulations and report any issues to the county’s scheduler. For example, some county staff (at lighted fields) prohibit activities that may create extra work for them (e.g., some teams have been instructed at lighted fields not to have water balloon fights which may result in county staff having to pick up burst balloons after the team leaves).  

If approached by county staff, please remember that we are their guests at these fields and PRCS can take these fields from us.  

 

Where Can I Find Out if My Practice Field is Closed Due to Weather?

The county maintains a web page concerning its fields’ status at: 

https://www.loudoun.gov/fieldstatus.  This website is updated by the county each weekday by 3 p.m. and on weekends at 7 a.m. 

You can also access this information by downloading the app called Rainoutline.com. Here is the link that takes you directly to Loudoun County’s field status: https://rainoutline.com/search/dnis/7034540011/.