By Ray Hamill — Little League softball is returning to the Eel River Valley.
Next spring, Eel River Little League will become the second local organization to add softball in recent years, following McKinleyville Little League’s decision to bring the sport back in 2024.
Registration for the new season opens on Monday and will run through Halloween, as long as there are spots remaining.
“We’re just excited to give the girls another option to compete and build their skills and represent their community,” board member Justin Andersen said.
The inaugural season is open to players aged 6-10 (as of Dec. 31, 2026) and will feature Minor A and Minor B leagues.
But registration is being limited to 100 players and eight teams total.
The season will begin in early March and run through the first week of June.
All games will be played in Loleta and Scotia, aside from a few inter-league games against McKinleyville.
Eel River Little League has been working with McKinleyville Little League in preparation for the season.
“McKinleyville brought it back two years ago, and we studied that to see what worked well for them,” Andersen said. “The main thing is to make sure we do it the right way.”
While the league organizers are still working on some ideas, the Minor B teams will use machine pitching and the hope is that the Minor A teams will transition from machine pitching to some player pitching.
Players will be able to register online at ERLLonline.com, and additional information will also be available through the league’s Facebook page.
