Back by popular demand, the Underwood Optimist Club is once again offering our Winter Softball Clinic program. This year there will be a change in the facility location. We will be utilizing the Underwood High School Gym(s) and batting cages.

We have heard so many compliments from Parents, Grandparents, fans, and opposing coaches regarding the growth and skill level of our Underwood youth softball players over the past couple of years of offering this program and hope to see it continue for many years to come. Many of us within the program noticed the marked skill level difference in those girls who have participated in our Winter Clinics and those who did not. We highly recommend that if your daughter wants to play softball, or is interested in learning, these clinics are a great way to learn the skills in advance of the season.

In an effort to keep our Underwood Community Schools youth softball girls engaged in softball during the off-season, the Underwood Optimist Club is hosting OPTIONAL Softball clinics for girls in grades 2nd-8th grade. All clinics are FREE of charge for any girls playing softball on an Underwood Optimist Youth Softball team in WIGSL. This is only available because of the great effort of our softball players and families selling raffle tickets last season to help pay for equipment necessary to be able to train right here in Underwood at our High School. (THANK YOU TO EACH OF THE GIRLS AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR HELPING RAISE THESE FUNDS!)

Each week will have a different focus between throwing, hitting, fielding, base running, or skill drills. In addition, there will be group pitching lessons each week. Pitching is a specialized skill that takes time and repetition to learn and is important to start early in the year and not in late March/April during team practices right before season starts (especially for our younger girls who are just learning to pitch). We encourage all girls who may have an interest in pitching in the upcoming 2025 season to attend these clinics. Clinics will be held from 6-7 pm for 2nd-3rd grade and from 7-9pm for 4th-8th grade on the following Sundays at the Underwood High School (NOTE: The location is a change from previous years)

Participants are NOT required to attend every session.  We are requiring all registered participants to only come to the timeslot for their grade/age group (exception of 4th graders may attend either session) in order to provide more focused skill sessions for each age level and due to safety issues of having our younger girls in the gym with our 6th/7th/8th graders.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR DAUGHTER PARTICIPATING IN THE CLINICS, the first step is to register your daughter. You will need to create an account if you haven't already used the Underwood Optimist Club's online registration site for either softball or volleyball registration. If you have previously used the website to register your daughter, please use your previous login information.

The purpose of registration is to ensure you and your daughter receive all future communications regarding weekly schedules and updates. All girls who are registered will be added to a "team" in the GameChanger app where they will be able to individually RSVP to specific sessions each week. IMPORTANT: If you already have a GameChanger account, it is important to use the same email for creating your Underwood Optimist Club Sports Connect account so when teams are pushed to GameChanger you get the notifications. Please use the app to RSVP each week so we can better plan drills and ensure there are enough coaches to help with drills.

Training sessions will be led by multiple volunteer softball coaches and several parent volunteers. We are always looking for more volunteers! Any adults or high school aged students with an interest in leading any drills or helping out, please email [email protected] OR register as a 'volunteer' at the time you register your daughter (you are not required to be present every week, but extra hands are always helpful if you're going to be there watching your kids anyway!)

The Underwood High School Junior Optimist International Club (JOI Club) and the Underwood Optimist Club are proud to once again offer an annual subscription to celebrate six national holidays by lining the streets of Underwood with American Flags. Annual Subscription is $40 per flag per year (plus a one-time $3 Servicing Fee for online enrollment). Subscription service is limited to addresses within the Underwood City limits. All proceeds support the JOI Club and Optimist Club’s activities and projects. Thanks Underwood residents for your awesome support!

Club volunteers will place a 3’x5’ nylon American Flag on a 10-foot pole in front of your home or business on the following national holidays: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Patriot Day, and Veteran’s Day. (*Please note that in case of severe weather (snow, ice, violent storms, or heavy rain), for the safety of our club members, we may not put out flags.)

Club volunteers will generally install the flags one day (minimum) before the holiday and retrieve them sometime after the holiday.

If you have not previously subscribed, be aware that a receptacle will be installed approximately 3’-10’ from the street in front of your home or business and will remain year-round. We will contact Iowa One-Call before placing receptacles, so utilities are not disturbed. We need approximately 2 weeks' notice to get the receptacle placed. The receptacle will be just above ground level with a red cap so as not to interfere with normal mowing but is visible to us. If you can help us remove vegetation and debris around the cap it will help us greatly to find them.

For anyone who would like to have more than one flag (add another subscription) at your home or business, you may do so. You may also want to donate a subscription to someone else’s home or business.

Annual Subscription enrollment will begin each year in January and close by May 15th to ensure sufficient time to place receptacles and put up flags by Memorial Day. Prior year subscribers will receive an email annually to remind you to renew your subscription.

Any questions, please contact Barb Robertson 402-670-8029 (text or call) or email: [email protected].

Thank You for your support!