AAA Softball
Minor AAA Female Classification - Boundaries of Softball Manitoba:
The boundaries for Softball Manitoba’s Minor AAA Rural Regional Organizations shall be those recognized by Softball Manitoba (as per Sport Manitoba’s 2016 MB Games Rural Map/Boundaries). Players representing their Rural Regional Organizations must reside within these boundaries.
Rural Boundary Maps:
Westman Interlake Eastman Central
Urban Boundaries / Catchment Areas:
For this the City of Winnipeg is divided into 4 quadrants with each quarter representing the 4 current AAA softball organizations. The following organizations would exist in the areas below:
Manitoba Angels - west of the Red River, north of the Assiniboine River, as per the electoral boundaries of the City of Winnipeg. Adding athletes residing in the Westdale Community Club catchment.
Manitoba Thunder - East of the Red River, north of Provencher/Dugald Rd, as per the electoral boundaries of the City of Winnipeg. Adding athletes residing in the South Transcona Community Club catchment and the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul.
Smittys Terminators - west of the Red River, south of the Assiniboine River, as per the electoral boundaries of the City of Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Lightning - East of the Red River, south of Provencher/Dugald Rd, as per the electoral boundaries of the City of Winnipeg
View the City of Winnipeg's community centre boundaries and enter your address here.
The Change for 2024:
The Urban Boundaries outlined above come into effect January 31, 2024. All athletes listed on a AAA roster at all age groups prior to January 31, 2024, would be grandfathered to their current organization regardless of their urban/rural address. Once an athlete leaves the program they are grandfathered to - They must return to the organization in their catchment.
Rationale for the Change:
There is significant inconsistency in the boundaries between A, AA and AAA teams in the northeast area of Winnipeg and surrounding areas. A teams within the NESA catchment include athletes from East St Paul. These athletes account for 26% of NESA athletes in the U11 to U19 Divisions. AA and AAA teams coming out of the NESA area are significantly constrained by the current boundaries, which do not include East St Paul. This is magnified because all AA athletes are required to also play on a A team. For East St Paul athletes, these two levels of teams are not based out of the same area, one in NESA, the other in Phillies area. As a result, NESA has not yet been able to field a AA team. Manitoba Thunder has struggled to form competitive teams, only being able to field a U15 and U17 team in the 2023 season. The future of competitive Softball in our area is heavily dependent on this boundary change. We’ve worked hard to build a program in our area and have seen success at the A level. We would also like a chance to be successful at the AA and AAA level and we feel this boundary change would allow us that opportunity without hampering other areas. Last year, only a few East St Paul athletes played at the AA or AAA level. But more want to!
Don Klym
Executive Director
Softball Manitoba
