Resources

The resources listed below are historical and developmental documents created to support understanding and implementation of Softball Canada’s Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) principles. These materials—including the Long-Term Player Development Guide, Play Ball! recommendations, and related PDFs—provide context and background on Softball Canada’s approach to athlete growth and competition structure.

They are intended to be used in conjunction with Softball Canada’s Athlete Development Matrix (ADM), which contains the most up-to-date guidance on athlete skills, stages of development, and coaching frameworks.

Please note that all documents are living resources that evolve over time; updates are made routinely to reflect new insights, best practices, and community feedback. Always consult the latest ADM and Softball Canada official publications for current standards and recommendations.

Play Ball! Recommendations from Softball Canada's Competition Review (PDF - 1.31MB)

This document was created by Softball Canada's Competition Review Committee, who have recommended several changes to softball's competition structure. The document identifies problem areas and gives the rationale behind the proposed changes as they relate to Long-Term Player Development principles. There are also programming recommendations broken down for each stage of Softball Canada's LTPD model.

Long-Term Player Development Guide for Softball in Canada (PDF - 13.48 MB)
This is the complete document that provides a general overview of Softball Canada's Long-Term Player Development model. It identifies the key stages of development as well as the ten (10) key factors influencing player development. It is general in nature and outlines general training and competition objectives based on the developmental age of players.

	Long-Term Player Development  One Page Brochure (PDF - 1.96 MB)
This is a one page brochure that was developed to give a quick overview of the Long-Term Player Development Guide for Softball in Canada. The brochure highlights the key objectives for each stage of development.

Long-Term Player Development A Guide for softball parents (PDF - 6.08 MB)
This resource is a 24-page document intended for parents to help them understand the key components outlined in the Long-Term Player Development Guide for Softball in Canada. In addition to information on each of the stages, this document also includes recommendations for parents on how to develop their children's physical abilities properly according to Long-Term Player Development principles.