The mother of a 10-year-old pitcher from Lorette is blaming rules for getting in the way of her daughter participating in softball at the level she feels capable playing at.

Jesslyn Neumann didn't attend a formal one-day tryout for the under 12 Eastman Wildcats 'A' level softball team in September because she chose to go to a competitive swimming event on the same day. The tryout is for the 2018 season which starts this coming spring.

Jesslyn then tried out for the Manitoba Thunder in Winnipeg at a later date and made that team but she’s not allowed to play because the Wildcats have denied her release because she didn’t attend the tryout.

"They are treating her like a piece of property and putting her on the shelf," said Laurie Neumann. “What is the hesitation to releasing a girl to go and play. She’s 10.”

“To be quite honest, it didn’t matter to me if she played for Eastman, if she played Thunder or wherever she played. She just wanted to play.”

When Laurie Neumann called the team to arrange an alternate tryout date for Jesslyn after the camp had taken place, she said she was informed the team's roster is full and that it was too late to tryout.

The pitcher and her parents appealed the decision through Softball Manitoba but lost.

"If you don't attend a tryout basically a team would not release you," said Softball Manitoba executive director Don Klym. “The procedure for that is if you want to get released from your regional organization you need to attend a tryout first.”

“Basically to avoid talent migration out of the regions without the regions seeing them first, just makes it fair across the board.”

Klym said 18 players tried out for the Wildcats. Twelve made the team and six were cut.

There’s still room on the Wildcats’ 17-player roster which doesn’t have to be finalized until the end of January.

"I understand they want to protect the rural organizations but they're not worried about the kids," said Laurie Neumann. "Their actions, they've lost her anyway."

"The way I see it is, nowhere in the rules does it say she has to attend that one-day tryout."

Despite not getting a release, Jesslyn has been practicing with the Thunder.

The organization’s president Ken Stewart said no one would be bumped from the Thunder if Jesslyn is allowed to play.

“She has an opportunity to play ‘A’ for us,” said Stewart. “It’s not based on her ability or being sought it’s just we’re giving her the opportunity.”

“Rules are in place but there are also exceptions. I think in this case the voice of reason should’ve prevailed.”

Jesslyn would still be eligible to play ball at a lower level in the Eastman region and attend pitching and skills programs but she said if she can’t play at the ‘A’ level she may not play softball at all.

Laurie Neumann said she’s contacted the president of Softball Manitoba and Softball Canada in order to get the decision reversed.