The Community
Pledge
West Hartford Girls Softball League believes that how we play, and how we treat each other, matters more than any final score. This pledge is our shared commitment: to every player, parent, coach, and family who is part of our community.
The Data Behind the Pledge
The primary reason is not lack of talent; it's that sports stopped being fun. Culture determines retention.
The Aspen Institute's "State of Play" research found parental pressure consistently cited above injury, time, and cost.
Athletes on teams with a strong psychological safety culture develop life skills, grit, communication, leadership, at significantly higher rates.
WHGSL has been part of West Hartford families for over 40 years. This pledge is how we protect that legacy.
Three Pledges. One Community.
Tap each section to read the full commitment.
- 1
I will play with heart and hustle.
I give my best effort every practice and every game, not for the scoreboard, but for my teammates and myself.
- 2
I will treat opponents with respect.
I compete hard, shake hands with sincerity, and never taunt or belittle another player, in person or online.
- 3
I will lift my teammates up.
I celebrate their wins, support them in mistakes, and never use words that tear down. We win and lose together.
- 4
I will accept coaching.
I listen, ask questions, and stay open to feedback. Being coachable is as important as talent.
- 5
I will own my mistakes.
Errors happen. I will acknowledge them, learn from them, and move on, without excuses and without shame.
- 6
I will stand against bullying.
If I see a teammate, opponent, or anyone being treated unkindly, I will speak up, get help, or report it to a coach or parent. Silence is not neutral.
- 7
I will represent WHGSL with pride.
In my uniform, in the community, and online, I represent every player who has worn this jersey before me.
Zero Tolerance
for Bullying
Bullying in any form, verbal, physical, social exclusion, or online, has no place in WHGSL. If you witness bullying, report it immediately to your coach, a league official, or use the contact form below. Reports are taken seriously, acted upon swiftly, and handled with care for all involved.
WHGSL follows Little League International's Child Protection Program guidelines and maintains a safe-sport framework built for youth athletics.
Report a Concern
If you have witnessed bullying, a safety issue, or a code of conduct violation, please let us know. You can report anonymously or include your identity. All reports go directly to the WHGSL board and are treated with care.
Make It Official
Share this page with your team, your division, or the full WHGSL community. The more people who read and commit to this pledge, the stronger our culture becomes.
Research References
- [1]Aspen Institute Project Play, "State of Play 2023: Insights & Trends." The Aspen Institute, 2023. The 70% dropout figure is derived from longitudinal tracking of youth sport participation; the report cites the Obama Foundation / ESPN research as a primary data source.
- [2]Aspen Institute Project Play, "State of Play 2022." Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute. "Fun" and relief from adult pressure are consistently ranked as the top reasons children both continue in and leave organized sport.
- [3]Positive Coaching Alliance, "Research on Psychological Safety in Youth Sport." PCA National, 2023. Also: Duda, J.L. & Hall, H. (2001). "Achievement goal theory in sport." In R.N. Singer, H.A. Hausenblas, & C. Janelle (Eds.), Handbook of Sport Psychology (2nd ed.). Athletes in mastery-focused environments show greater intrinsic motivation, greater resilience, and longer sport participation careers.
- [4]Positive Coaching Alliance, "The Double-Goal Coach® Framework." PCA National, 2023. Athletes who feel their mistakes are treated as learning opportunities rather than failures are more likely to take productive risks and persist through adversity.