SOUTH CHEROKEE RECREATION ASSOCIATION,
INC.
SOFTBALL DIVISION
BYLAWS
I.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Softball Board of Directors is comprised of
volunteers elected by the General Members (all parents and coaches of children
in this Division) at the conclusion of the softball season each year. The elected positions of this Board of
Directors are as follows:
President Head Team
Coordinator
Vice
President Equipment
& Safety Director
Secretary Publicity
Director
Sponsor
Director Commissioner
Field
Director
In addition, the following positions are appointed by
the incumbent Board:
Treasurer Webmaster
Concessions
Director Travel Coordinator
League
Managers Tournament
Director
Special
Event Coordinator
Both elected and appointment positions shall have
voting privileges on this Board.
II.
OFFICER DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
A. The
President:
i. Shall
provide leadership for the program ensuring that all matters proceed in an
organized manner and are within adherence with the Constitution, Bylaws and
Guidelines of SCRA and the Softball Division to include budget guidelines
established by this Board;
ii. Shall
prepare the agenda, provide a meeting place, and chair all meetings of the
Board;
iii.
Shall, in his/her
absence, delegate authority to the vice president, and in the absence of the
vice president delegate authority to the secretary;
iv. Shall
supervise the activities of the other Board members;
v. Shall
appoint committees as needed;
vi. Shall
not override duties of other officers and committee chairmen unless lack of
action would place the program in jeopardy;
vii. May
vote when voting by secret ballot; otherwise only to break a tie;
viii. May
have his/her decisions reviewed by any two officers, with a majority vote of
the entire Board of Directors necessary to override his/her decision;
ix. Shall
be responsible for forwarding to the succeeding president the above mentioned
important information and minutes of Board Meetings;
x. Shall
be responsible for all debts incurred by the program for which he/she is
responsible, and shall ensure that all debts incurred by the program are paid
in a timely manner;
xi. Shall
have the authority to make any decisions necessary for the day-to-day
operations of this program provided these decisions are not in violation of the
Constitution, Bylaws and Guidelines of the Division;
xii. Shall
make decisions on inclement weather/field conditions and ensure the
Commissioner notifies League Managers and umpires concerning game cancellations
and rescheduling;
xiii. Shall
present a proposed calendar of events and work with the treasurer to present a
proposed budget at the first meeting of the Board of Directors each year which
may be held any time after July 1.
xiv. Shall
have the authority to authorize any expenditures which are included in the
approved budget. Any other expenditures
in excess of $300 must be approved by the Board of Directors.
B. The Vice
President:
i. Shall
act as an aide to the President;
ii. Shall
assume the responsibility of the president in his/her absence and shall assume
the responsibility of President in the event of his/her resignation;
iii.
Shall assume any
duties delegated to him/her by the President;
iv.
Shall act as a
liaison between any committees and the Board of Directors and shall assist
other officers upon request in carrying out their duties.
C. The
Secretary:
i. Shall
record all business transactions at all officer meetings and shall maintain a
file of minutes for reference;
ii. Shall
assist the President with the processing of forms, letters, etc.;
iii.
Shall assist in
the typing of documents as needed in a timely manner;
iv.
Shall call the
meeting to order in the absence of the President and Vice President and shall
then reside until a President Pro Tem is elected;
v.
Shall provide
copies of documents, minutes, and correspondence when requested.
D. The Sponsor
Director:
i. Shall
actively pursue maximum sponsorship support from persons and businesses in the community;
ii. Shall
maintain accurate and current records of all sponsorship activity and donations
and ensure all monies and forms are turned in to the treasurer in a timely
manner;
iii.
Shall ensure
sponsors receive appreciation plaques in a timely manner at the end of the
season;
iv.
Shall act as a
liaison with sponsors and the Board of Directors to ensure sponsors’ special
requests are met;
v.
Shall make sure
each team (with the exception of T-Ball) has turned in the required sponsorship
and report to the president any team failing to do so by the deadline;
vi.
Shall order all
sponsor signs and be responsible for having them displayed in a timely
manner.
E. The Field
Director:
i. Shall
be responsible for field preparation and shall ensure that the areas
surrounding the park are properly maintained;
ii. Shall
act as chairman of the park clean-up committee or park improvement committee;
iii.
Shall monitor all
expenditures relating to park improvements or maintenance, and shall ensure
that the expenditures remain within the guidelines of the budget;
iv.
Shall furnish the
President and Treasurer an itemized list of proposed expenditures prior to any
purchase;
v.
Shall oversee
hiring and training of teenage workers to line fields, cut grass, etc;
vi.
Shall maintain
the upkeep of all fields and surrounding areas including lawn equipment,
scoreboards, lights, etc.
F. The Head
Team Coordinator:
i. Shall
act as a liaison between team coordinators and the Board of Directors;
ii. Shall
coordinate activities and responsibilities of the team coordinators such as
fundraisers, pictures, workday, etc;
iii.
Shall provide the
President and Treasurer with an accurate and detailed accounting of any
fundraiser, picture sales or other coordinated activity;
iv.
Shall be
responsible for obtaining a minimum of two bids from companies and ordering end
of season participation trophies and end of season tournament trophies.
G. The
Equipment and Safety Director:
i. Shall
obtain and present a minimum of two bids from companies to the Board of
Directors for review/discussion before purchasing any equipment, uniforms or
trophies;
ii. Shall
be in charge of all uniform, trophy and equipment purchasing for the program,
and shall ensure that the purchase of such uniforms and equipment remains
within the guidelines of the budget;
iii.
Shall furnish the
President and Treasurer with an itemized list of all proposed expenditures
prior to purchasing;
iv.
Shall provide a
complete and accurate inventory of all equipment to the President before
additional equipment or uniforms are ordered at the beginning of the
season. This inventory shall again be
compiled at the close of the season after all equipment has been turned in;
v.
Shall be
responsible for keeping equipment in good and safe condition and shall replace
any equipment that is deemed unsafe or not repairable;
vi.
Shall be
responsible for maintaining the equipment room inventory;
vii.
Shall forward to
the Treasurer itemized invoices so as to allow for timely payment;
viii.
Shall be
responsible for obtaining through community hospitals/medical facilities a
first aid kit for each field, and replace items as needed in a timely manner
throughout the season;
ix.
Shall be
responsible for issuing all uniforms and equipment and recording all such
activity.
H. The
Publicity Director:
i. Shall
help promote the activities of this Division as directed by the President or
other committees and shall coordinate the advertising of registration;
ii. Shall
coordinate with local newspapers the publishing of articles regarding the
Softball program;
iii. Shall
coordinate with the President the publishing of a weekly/monthly newsletter for
players and general members.
I. The
Commissioner:
i. Shall
oversee the overall day-to-day operation of this Division as a member of the
SCRA Board of Officers and as such shall have the authority to suggest,
recommend and advise the Softball Board of Directors;
ii. Shall
be responsible for reporting to the SCRA Board of Officers any discrepancies in
the operation of the Softball Board to include failure to comply with the
Constitution or these Bylaws;
iii. Shall
attend all meetings of the SCRA Board of Officers;
iv. Shall
be responsible for maintaining registration files, skill grades and other
important information on all participants as well as coaches’ applications and
other important information regarding the overall program;
v.
Shall be
responsible for scheduling games and practices with consideration of age, time
frames, best use of fields, umpires and budget.
This would also include working with other parks when traveling is
necessary;
vi.
Shall work with
the President in making decisions on inclement weather/field conditions and
shall notify League Managers and umpires concerning game cancellations and
rescheduling;
vii.
Shall coordinate
with the Board a procedure for opening and closing the Softball portion of the
Park;
viii.
Shall be
responsible for scheduling and overseeing coaches’ meetings and to hold draft
according to the bylaws section IX;
ix.
Shall be
responsible for adding new players to teams when necessary, and being a
player-team liaison after draft.
J.
The Treasurer:
i.
Shall work with
the president to have a proposed budget by July 1st of each year;
ii.
Shall be
responsible for collecting and recording all monies received by this Division;
iii.
Shall be
responsible for recording and maintaining accurate and complete records of all
financial transactions and shall routinely report to the President those
financial transactions;
iv.
Shall generate
and provide monthly financial statements and shall provide copies to the Board
of Directors, as well as to the SCRA Board of Officers;
v.
Shall pay all
debts in a timely manner;
vi.
Shall advise the
President and appropriate officers or committees as to the expenditures
allotted to them in the budget and shall advise such parties as expenses
approach the maximum allotted in the budget;
vii.
Shall have
available current financial statements as well as projected expenditures at
each General Membership meeting, with copies available if desired;
viii.
Shall be
responsible for the collection of all monies owed to this Division, to include
registration payments, bad checks, etc., and shall provide records of such
transactions to the Board.
K. The Concession Stand Director:
i.
Shall be
responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Softball concession stand;
ii.
Shall compile and
submit to the President and Treasurer a list of initial expenditures as well as
a projected list of expenditures for the balance of the season;
iii.
Shall meet with
the Treasurer once a week to turn in all receipts, invoices for expenditures,
and invoices charged on account;
iv.
Shall be
responsible for maintaining the concession stand inventory at proper levels and
ensuring cleanliness of the area;
v.
Shall coordinate
any schedules for volunteer workers and oversee the hiring of teenage workers
as needed within the allowed budget;
vi.
Shall make every
effort to maximize the profits of the concession stand and shall make every
effort to achieve the goal set forth in the budget;
vii.
Shall present a
concession stand price schedule to the Board of Directors for approval;
viii.
Shall receive a
salary if determined by the Board of Directors.
L. The Travel Director:
i.
Shall act as a
liaison between travel teams and the Board of Directors;
ii.
Shall coordinate
any and all agreements made for registration of travel players;
iii.
Shall work with
the Commissioner to coordinate practice schedules of travel teams in accordance
with such agreements.
iv.
Shall have no
affiliation with any organization other than SCRA Softball.
v.
SCRA Softball
does not support any particular travel organization. The Travel Director shall submit any and all
submissions for travel to the SCRA Softball Board of Directors for approval.
M. The Tournament Director:
i. Shall be responsible for
scheduling SCRA Softball tournaments;
ii. Shall represent the Park in all
communications with teams wishing to play in tournaments;
vi.
Shall be
responsible for scheduling game times and umpires for all tournaments;
vii.
Shall work with
the Equipment Director to order trophies or other awards for all tournaments;
iv. Shall work with the Concessions
Director and Field Director to prepare for tournaments.
N. The League Managers:
i.
Shall act as
liaison between coaches in their league and the Commissioner;
ii.
Shall present any
unresolved problems or situations which occur in his/her league to the
Commissioner;
iii.
Shall present all
written protests and any pertinent information regarding such to the President
to as to enable the Protest Committee to render a decision as quickly as
possible;
iv.
Shall attend as
many games as possible within his/her league so as to become as familiar as
possible with coaches, players, situations and/or potential problems;
v.
Shall be responsible
for reporting to or obtaining from coaches within his/her league any
information about the Program or as directed by the President.
O. The
Webmaster:
i.
Shall maintain
and update the Program’s website as needed;
ii.
Shall be
responsible for obtaining information needed and posting of scores in a timely
manner;
iii.
Shall work with
the Commissioner to maintain and update field schedules and other important
information contained on the website;
iv.
Shall inform the
Treasurer of any and all expenses pertaining to the website.
P. The Special Events Coordinator:
i. Shall coordinate any and all special
events including but not limited to: opening day; Easter egg hunt; end of
season tournaments; Summer Sizzler; Halloween festival, and Christmas parade.
ii. Shall solicit donations and vendors for
any and all special events.
iii. Shall oversee any and all actual events
and activities from beginning to end of event.
iv. Shall be responsible for securing
workers during events and clean up after events including but not limited to
trash and bathrooms.
v. Shall schedule workers for event
activities and provide breaks for such workers.
vi. Shall
schedule and coordinate any and all special fundraisers such as Hot Wheels night,
Stevie B’s night, etc.
III.
COACHES
A. All volunteers wishing to be considered for a coaching
position must complete an application prior
to team selection;
B. Coaching applications will be turned over the
President and reviewed by the Board of Directors. Notification of approval/disapproval will be
done by mail or phone; all decisions of the board are final;
C. All volunteers approved by the Board to coach must
become certified under the coaching association approved by the Board of
Directors prior to assuming any responsibilities as coach. ALL coaches must agree to a background check
if requested by the Board of Directors, and all new coaches who have never
coached at SCRA shall have a background check performed for the safety of the
athletes and the park;
D. All coaches must attend the spring coaches’ clinic;
failure to do so will result in grounds for review or forfeit of team;
E. Coaches will be required to follow the Rules and
Guidelines of these bylaws as well as the Guidelines attached to these bylaws
under Section V of these bylaws. Failure
to do so will result in review by the Softball Board of Directors;
F. Coaches shall be responsible for all equipment used by
their team not limited to the score-brain, pitching machine and catcher’s gear;
G. The last coach to leave the park each day will ensure
the lights are turned off, trash is put away, all equipment is secured and all
locks are locked.
IV.
AGE LIMIT/LEAGUE DIVISIONS
A. This program shall be available to all children
between the ages of 3 and 18. The date
for determining eligible age in T-Ball, 6 & U and 8 & Under leagues
shall be January 1st of the current calendar year for the spring
season, and January 1st of the following year for the fall
season. The date for determining
eligible age in 10 & Under and older leagues shall be January 1st
of the current year for all seasons. Leagues
will be divided into two-year increments.
B. Parents/Coaches may request their child “play up” to
an older league; however, the Board reserves the authority to determine if this
is in the best interests of the child or the Program. There is no provision for “playing down” to a
younger league.
V.
RULES AND GUIDELINES
The attached set of Rules and Guidelines is provided
for more specific details of the operation of the Softball Program as
“Attachment A”, and may be amended by the Softball Board of Directors without
change to this set of bylaws.
SCRA
SOFTBALL RULES AND GUIDELINES ATTACHMENT A TO BYLAWS
I.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Softball Board of Directors
is comprised of volunteers elected by the General Members (all parents and
coaches in the program) near the end of the playing season in accordance with
the SCRA Constitution. The elected
positions are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Head Team Coordinator,
Field Director, Equipment and Safety Director, Sponsor Director, Publicity
Director, and Commissioner. In addition,
the positions of Treasurer, Concession Director, League Managers, Webmaster,
Travel Coordinator and Tournament Director are appointed by the incumbent
Board. (See Softball bylaws for
responsibilities of each position.) All
elected and appointed positions have voting rights on the Board of Directors.
II. AGE/LEAGUE
STRUCTURE
A. Eligible age for T-Ball, 6&Under and 8&Under
is determined by girls’ age as of January 1st of the current
calendar year for the spring season, and January 1st of the
following year for the fall season. This
is to allow the girls to move up and learn the rules of an older age group in
the fall when the leagues are smaller.
Eligible age for 10&Under and older leagues is determined by girls’
age as of January 1st of the current year for all seasons.
League Ages League Ages League Ages
T-Ball 3&4 10&Under 9&10 14&Under 13&14
6&Under 5&6 12&Under 11&12 16&Under 15&16
8&Under 7&8 18&Under 17&18
Parents/coaches may request to have their child “play
up” to an older league; however, the Board reserves the authority to determine
if this is in the best interests of the child or the Program. There is no provision for a child to play
below her age group.
B. The leagues have been designed to provide the
appropriate activity level for the age involved, based on the advice of child
psychologists, other child development specialists, and in keeping with The
National Standards for Youth Sports established by the National Youth Sports
Coaching Association. Therefore, the
following standards will apply:
1. T-Ball – This league is designed to introduce very
young children to the game of softball in a non-stressful, low-key atmosphere. Emphasis shall be placed on the development
of the basic skills of running, batting off of a tee and the use of a glove in
a manner geared to the level of ability and attention span of these
players. Games are purely for the
purpose of demonstrating skill development.
Coaches are encouraged to make practices and games fun. The 10 inch Saf-T ball is used, all children
hit off a tee and three coaches are allowed on the playing field for hands-on
instruction. Coaches are allowed to hold
hands with the child in order to teach the art of running bases, but in no case
shall the coach pick up the child and run with her. One umpire is used in this league, and score
is not kept. All batters must wear a
helmet with chin strap and face guard.
2. 6 & Under – This league is designed to help young
children learn the game of softball.
Emphasis shall be on the development of the basic skills of catching,
throwing, batting and running geared to the level of ability and attention span
of these players. All players play
defense regardless of number of players on a team and coaches are encouraged to
allow players to experience all positions.
The 11 inch Saf-T ball softball is used; coaches pitch, and 2 defensive
coaches are allowed in the outfield for hands-on instruction. All batters must wear a helmet with chin
strap and face guard. This league plays
on a small dimension field and only one umpire is used since balls and strikes
are not called. Score is kept in this
league. Competition is kept low-key to
allow the girls to continue to learn the sport and develop skills without
pressure to win. A round-robin
tournament or double-elimination tournament of in-park teams will be held at
the end of the season. All-Star
selection is recommended for this league, but is optional. It should be kept at a stress-free
environment and will be decided in May.
3. 8 & Under – While emphasis remains on basics as
girls enter this level, the game is expanded somewhat to give the girls a
broader knowledge of the sport. Competition
is still kept somewhat low-key to allow the girls to learn and develop better
skills of the game. The dimensions of
the field are enlarged slightly, a real 11 inch softball is used; all players
play defense up to a maximum of 12 players.
All batters must wear a helmet with chin strap and face guard. Pitcher’s helper must wear protective
gear. Coaches still pitch to the
players, but are encouraged to pitch at a faster speed and remove the arc to
prepare the girls for fast pitch. Only
one defensive coach is allowed in the outfield.
One umpire is assigned to games, since balls and strikes are not called. A double elimination tournament of in-park
teams will be held at the end of the season.
All-Stars are still recommended if kept to a low-key environment and
will be decided in May.
4. 10 & Under – As these girls enter into the first
level of fast pitch, there will be emphasis on pitching since at this level the
girls begin to pitch instead of the coach.
Pitching lessons are strongly encouraged if a child is serious about
pitching. An 11 inch softball is
used. Base paths are extended and
pitching distance is 35 feet. ASA or
modified pitching rules will govern all games, at the Board’s discretion. Umpires are somewhat lenient on strike
zones. Defensive coaches are not allowed
on the field. Two umpires are used. All batters must wear a helmet with chin
strap and face guard. A double
elimination tournament is held to end regular season play. All-Star selection is optional and will be
decided in May.
5. 12 & Under – At this level, girls have made a
surprising leap in ability and have become more competitive in other areas of
their lives which spill onto the playing field.
The base paths are extended as well as pitching distance. The infield fly rule, ignored in younger
leagues, is enforced in this league.
Umpires enforce pitching regulations.
Many girls will drop out after this age group, either because of other
interests or because they have not had a fun experience. It is especially important that the coaches
make the extra effort to understand this age group and to make practices and
games fun. A 12 inch fast pitch softball
is used. All batters must wear a helmet
with chin strap and face guard. A double
elimination in-park tournament will end regular season play. Post season play/All-Star selection is
optional and decided in May.
6. 14 & Under – This is the middle school age
group. Things have drastically changed
from their elementary years, and they are well on their way to young womanhood. These girls are easily embarrassed and
feelings are also easily hurt. Usually
by this league the better athletes outnumber the weaker ones, which in itself
contributes to a higher level of competition.
Coaches must be aware of the special needs of this level while
continuing to teach game skills and tactics with patience and fortitude. A 12 inch fast pitch softball is used. All batters must wear a helmet with chin
strap and face guard. A double
elimination in-park tournament will end regular season play. All-Star selection is optional and will be
decided in May.
7. 16-18 & Under – This is the hardest group to hold
together. Unless other activities
prevent, most of these girls will try out for high school level softball or
have already played one or more years at the high school level. They are very competitive and become more
possessive of their positions on the field.
These girls have developed minds of their own which means coaching at
this level requires dedication, a strong knowledge of the game, and the ability
to use players in different positions to still be competitive when other
players have other commitments. They
also love to socialize, which can be frustrating to a serious-minded coach who
finds herself/himself with a talented team who would rather talk than
practice. Usually at this level weaker
players have gone on to other interests and it is rare for a girl to play for
the first time at this level. A 12 inch
fast pitch softball is used. All batters
must wear a helmet with chin strap and face guard. A double elimination in-park tournament will
end regular season play. All-Star
selection is optional and will be decided in May.
III. COACHING
REQUIREMENTS/TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES
A. In accordance with SCRA Softball bylaws, all volunteers
desiring to be considered to be a coach in this program must complete a
coaching application, which will be reviewed by the Board of Directors for
approval or disapproval. Notification of
the Board decision will be done via phone or e-mail by the commissioner. NOTE: This applies to new and returning
coaches.
B. In order to provide the girls of our program the time
and attention necessary, a coach may not participate as a head coach on more
than one team.
C. Selected head coaches are required to become certified
under the Coaching Association selected by the Board. Training will be arranged and paid for by the
Softball Board. Coaches may not assume
any responsibilities of coaching a team until this training has been
completed.
D. Conduct of the team’s assistant coaches, team
coordinator, parents, other spectators and players is the responsibility of the
head coach.
E. The home team is required to provide an adult
scorebook keeper for each game. Training
will be provided by the Softball Board.
Scorekeepers should arrive at the scorer’s booth no later than 5 minutes
prior to game time to prepare book. The
visiting team is required to provide an adult to operate the scoreboard for
each game. Coaches must submit line-ups
to scorekeepers no later than 5 minutes prior to game time. Children are not allowed in the scorer’s
booths.
F. Each team must provide a Team Coordinator or other
adult representative to coordinate with the Head Team Coordinator on all
activities of the Program.
G. Both teams of the first game of the day (
H. If needed, teams will be required to assist in the
operation of a concession stand and park clean-up. A schedule will be provided for these
assignments. Failure to meet this responsibility
could result in forfeiture of the next scheduled game.
I.
Each team must
provide eight hours of work on work-day sessions scheduled by the Board. This may be one parent for eight hours or two
parents for four hours each, etc.
Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the first game which that
team wins. Board members will be
expected to attend but his/her hours do not count towards the eight team
hours. An all-volunteer organization
must have the cooperation of all to prepare the park for play. Lack of this cooperation in the past has made
this rule necessary.
J.
Sponsors should
be contacted as soon as possible. Each
team is responsible for getting a sponsor in the amount chosen by the
Board. Their funding is extremely
important to us, and we need to establish good relationships with them. At the end of the season the Sponsorship
Director will order a plaque for each sponsor.
It is the team’s responsibility to see that the plaque is delivered to
their sponsor in a timely manner.
IV. GROUNDS
FOR REVIEW
Any of the following specific incidents will be cause
for review and appropriate disciplinary action by the Board:
A. Any report of physical, mental or emotional abuse to
any child in the Program;
B. Failure to uphold Code of Ethics Pledge;
C. Failure to cooperate with the Board on the decisions
made or parameters set for the Program, including any attempt to enlist parents
to oppose Board decisions;
D. Failure to respect the rights and responsibilities of
others;
E. Any involvement with umpires, parents or other fans in
which arguing or other disruptive/disturbing behavior is exhibited in the
presence of players.
F. Ejection from a game by an umpire.
G. Repeated failure to fulfill team responsibilities as
outlined in III above.
H. Letters from parents complaining of failure to meet
team’s expectations.
Steps for filing a grievance:
1. Contact a
Board Member and attempt to have it resolved.
2. Present the
grievance to the Board of Directors.
3. Put the
grievance in writing, signed by the parent(s), and present it to the Board of
Directors.
Profane language, obscene gestures, possession of
firearms or other weapons, use of alcohol, unsportsmanlike conduct or any other
display which could pose a danger to participants will not be tolerated from
coaches, players, fans, or umpires.
Violators must leave the park immediately. Any Board member shall have the authority to
enforce this expulsion from the park and to summon law enforcement officers if
needed.
Only handicapped trained dogs will be allowed in the
park. No other dogs are allowed for the
safety of the public.
V. RETURNING
COACHES/PLAYERS
A. There will be a maximum of 4 protected players
per team. These must include the
children of the head coach, one assistant coach and a team coordinator. Siblings of only the head coach can count as
1 freeze up to 3 players,; all other siblings must be obtained in the
draft. It shall be the responsibility of
the person running the draft to make sure that all siblings are on the same
team.
B. Protected
players cannot be traded in the draft.
C. A
player requesting not to be returned to the previous year’s coach/team will be
placed in the open draft unless she is protected by another coach.
D. A
Player Review Committee will consist of the Softball President and/or Vice
President, and all league managers who do not have a vested interest in the
outcome of the situation. This committee
will be responsible for reviewing and resolving any player’s specific
circumstances regarding team placement and/or other problems when requested to
do so by a parent or coach. The decision
of this committee will be final.
E. Any
coach who leaves the SCRA Recreational League to coach at another park or to
coach a travel team will lose his/her seniority if returning; however, if a
coach takes a year or two off without coaching then the seniority is
restored.
VI. PLAYER
PARTICIPATION
A. Coaches are required to allow each player to play a
minimum of two complete innings on defense unless the game is shortened due to
weather or run rule, or if the player is physically unable to play due to
injury or illness. Failure to do so will
be cause for protest. The ASA re-entry
rule will not apply for in-park play.
(In other words, coaches may freely substitute both starting and
substitute players throughout the game without penalty, the purpose being to
allow as much playing time as possible for each player.)
B. Continuous batting will be observed by all
leagues. Each player will be listed in
the batting order and will bat in her turn throughout the game regardless of
defensive play.
1. A player arriving after a game has been started must
be added to the bottom of the batting order.
2. A player who is injured, becomes ill, or must leave a
game for personal reasons during a game and cannot take her place in the
batting order may be skipped without penalty the first time. If this player is
unable to bat the second time in her place in the batting order, her name will
be removed from the batting order without penalty to the team for the remainder
of the game. This must be told to the
scorekeeper and opposing coaches before the next batter takes her place at
bat. Coaches are warned not to use this
as a ploy to alter the outcome of the game and should make certain the player
has a legitimate injury, illness, or excuse to leave the game.
3. Any other instance for a missed turn at bat is covered
under the ASA Rules of Batting out of Order.
C. A coach must advise the umpires and opposing team’s
manager prior to the start of the game if a player in the dugout has a medical
or physical condition which limits play, or if a player will not be playing due
to discipline measures issued or approved by the Board, or if a player will be
leaving for personal reasons prior to the conclusion of the game.
D. A player shall not change teams without the approval
of the Player Review Committee.
E. A player shall not play on more than one team with a
regular schedule unless agreed upon by both teams’ coaches.
Violators of D or E above will be suspended from
participation in the SCRA Softball program for the remainder of the season
without benefit of refund of any fees paid.
VII. EQUIPMENT
A. Equipment will be issued to each team on an
availability basis. There will be a
$150.00 deposit collected at the time of issue which will be returned or
destroyed when the equipment is returned.
Failure to return equipment in good condition will result in the deposit
being cashed and review for consideration for coach’s selection for the next
season. The date/time to turn in
equipment will be established by the Equipment Director at the conclusion of
the season.
B. Catchers are required to wear catcher’s helmets and
chest protectors. In leagues 10 & up
playing fast pitch, catchers must also wear shin guards.
C. Batter/base runner helmets are mandatory for base
runners, batters, and on-deck batters. Each
helmet must have a chin strap and face guard.
Base runners deliberately removing helmets during play will be declared
out by the umpire.
D. Jewelry may not be worn during games, and is
discouraged during practice for safety purposes. Medical alert bracelets or necklaces are not
considered jewelry and should be taped to the body.
VIII. SKILLS
ASSESSMENT
A.
Any player who did not participate in the SCRA Softball Program the
previous season or who participated in the T-Ball league and is moving into the
6 & Under league must attend skills assessments in order to obtain a skill
grade to be used for drafting purposes.
Such players will be given an average grade until skills have been
assessed, and will be drafted last, to prevent coaches from using this as a
tactic to stack teams.
B.
A committee will be appointed by the President to assist with the
grading of players’ skills. This
committee will ideally consist of league managers and other adults familiar
with each particular age group.
C.
Players in 10 & Under and older leagues will be graded on a scale of
1 to 5 in each of the general categories of batting, fielding and throwing
ground balls, and catching and throwing fly balls, with the lowest possible
score a 5 and the highest possible score 25.
D.
6 & Under and 8 & Under are exempted from catching and throwing
fly balls in the interest of safety and are therefore only graded on the
remaining skills listed in C above; the lowest grade will be 3 and the highest
15.
E.
These number grades are then interpreted into letter grades as follows
for drafting purposes:
6/8U: 3-6=D, 7-9=C, 10-12=B, 13-15=A. 10U and older: 5-8=D, 9-14=C, 15-19=B,
20-25=A. Letter grades are then
simplified into point value: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1.
E. Near the end of each season, a meeting will be held
with all coaches of each league to review and up or down grade skills as
needed. In the spring season this will
be when the All-Stars will be nominated.
These grades will be used for returning players the following
season. Records of these grades will be
kept by the Commissioner and revised each season for as long as the child
remains in the Softball Program. Players
moving up into the next age group will be dropped 1 letter grade.
IX. DRAFTING
PROCEDURE
A. Copies of registration forms which were filled out at
registration with name, phone number, uniform sizes, etc. for all new and
returning players will be provided to the coaches at the conclusion of
draft. This is the only source of player
information the coach will receive.
B. Each league will draft separately, and sufficient time
should be allotted to cover draft, order uniforms, clarify rules and discuss
any other specifics of the Program/league.
C. Each player’s grade will have been tabulated and
listed on the registration form along with age and jersey size, and shall be placed
in view of each coach during draft.
D. Numbers corresponding to the number of teams to be
drafted will be placed in a “hat”. Each
team will be asked to draw a number, and that becomes the team’s Draft
Preference Number, and part of the team number.
These numbers will be used throughout the draft to determine who will
select the next player.
E. All protected players’ forms will be pulled off the
table and points added up for each coach by the Draft Director. These numbers will be recorded on the board
and the registration forms will be handed to the coaches. These numbers will set the parameter as listed
below.
F. The registration forms will be divided into three
categories: the players graded A & B players, the players graded C & D,
and the unrated. The A & B category
will be equaled to begin. The forms of
these players in the draft will be placed on the table. The team with the highest total of A & B players will set the parameter,
which the other teams must build to as closely as possible without going over. The coach with the lowest points in the
category drafts first. Once teams are
balanced as closely as possible, drafting from the A & B category is
stopped for the time being until the C & D category is equaled.
G. The coach with the highest total points in the C &
D category is the team to which other teams must come as close as possible
without going over in this round. If
this team had a D player, the teams which do not have a D player must draft a D
player in the first round of this category.
Once teams are as evenly balanced as possible in this category, the A
& B totals are added to the C & D totals and drafting continues from
all remaining players including the unrated players with the team having the
lowest total points drafting first. If
the points are equal, draft continues in order of Draft Preference Number.
H. Maximum and minimum players per team will have been
predetermined from the number of girls registered in that age group. Maximum will be no more than 12. Once a team has reached the minimum number of
players, the coach shall have the right to pass; however, in succeeding rounds,
the coach with the highest number of total points will not have this option and
will be required to draft a player from the remaining players in the pool. Obviously, if there are exactly enough
players for each team to be equal, passing will not be an option.
I.
As each coach
drafts, he/she must show the registration form to the draft director before the
coach is allowed to accept this player.
The draft director will determine if this player either (a) carries a
sponsor and should not be drafted to a team which already has a sponsor, (b)
carries a sister within the same league, or (c) the player has requested not to
return to that coach. If (a) or (c)
occurs, the coach will be asked to draft again.
In (b), if the team still has enough vacancies to take two players, the
sister’s form will also be given to the coach and her points tallied as well at
that time. The player can also have one
request not to play for a certain coach, for whatever reasons they may have. There can only be one request (not including
not returning the previous coach).
J.
Once all players
have been drafted, trading can begin.
Coaches are not required to trade but are encouraged to do so. Coaches should trade for like-graded players
whenever possible, and each trade must be agreed upon by both coaches
involved.
K. Once all trading has been completed, coaches will be
issued both a uniform order form and team roster, which shall be filled out
with player information in ALPHABETICAL order from the draft sheets.
L. Returning coaches in a league will have the first
preference on uniform color. In the
event two returning coaches in a league want the same color, the draft
preference number will be used. Draft preference
numbers will determine order of color choice selection for new coaches in a
league.
M. After drafting is complete, there shall be no further
trading of players unless approved by the Player Review Committee. Refunds will not be granted to any player
after the draft except in case of a legitimate injury.
X. POST
SEASON PLAY
A.
The Board of Directors shall have the authority to decide if the budget
is solid enough to hold post season in-park tournaments, or sponsor teams to
participate in tournaments outside the park to end the season. Such tournaments have been held/participated
in the past. The following guidelines
will be observed:
1. There will be a Round Robin tournament for the T-Ball league, if the
coaches feel that the girls are still interested enough to enter into one or
more games, remembering these are 3 & 4 year olds.
2. All other leagues will continue to have a double elimination
tournament to give all girls in those leagues the opportunity to participate in
a tournament.
XI. ALL-STAR
SELECTION PROCESS/COACHING STAFF
The
selection of an All-Star or All-Tournament team inevitably causes hurt
feelings, temper flares, disgruntled parents and other unpleasant experiences
and are therefore discouraged. However, this is an option. All-Star coaches will be responsible for
scheduling and organizing all tournaments and games for his/her team. Coaches will be asked to vote on this
decision in May. If the decision is to
select an All-Star team, the following guidelines will be followed:
A. In order to be eligible for All-Star nomination, a player
must have played at least one half of her team’s regular season schedule.
B. Any girl nominated for All-Stars should be a true
All-Star and not be nominated because she has won a popularity contest. Any girl making the All-Star team will be an
A player unless she will be moving up into the next league; refer to section
VIII-E. If the All-Star coach has called
all of the nominees and fails to obtain a full team, he/she may then take
suggestions from the coaches as to who would be available to be alternates to
help fulfill the team’s positions. These
girls would not automatically be graded an A, but if they play a full All-Star
season they will be graded a B.
C. All-Star teams may not begin practice prior to the
completion of all regular season play and in-park tournaments.
D. The All-Star manager shall be the first place coach in
his/her league. This manager must be
certified by the association chosen by the Board. This elected manager must submit to the Board
for its approval the names of his/her desired coaching staff within 48 hours of
election. It is strongly recommended
that at least one of the staff also be certified.
E. One, and only one, All-Star team will be selected per
league, and the selection will be in accordance with the process listed below. Violation of this rule will render violators
ineligible to participate in SCRA Softball the following season.
F. Selection Process: The manager of each team shall
nominate as many players from his/her team as he/she feels are truly worthy of
consideration to represent SCRA Softball.
Ability, attitude, commitment and good sportsmanship should be
considered with the goal being to form the most competitive team possible which
will exemplify good sportsmanship at all times.
1. Nominations should be submitted to the league managers
prior to the start of in-park tournaments listing name, birth date, jersey and
pants sizes, jersey number, and position usually played.
2. League managers shall submit all nominations to the
Softball President. A ballot will be
prepared consisting of all players nominated.
Copies of these ballots will then be given to each coach within the
league. COMPLETE CONFIDENTIALITY MUST BE
MAINTAINED REGARDING NOMINEES to avoid emotional upsets during
tournaments. Coaches should use this information
to observe the players nominated from other teams in order to be as
well-informed as possible at All-Star selection.
3. At a time to be set by the President, all coaches
within a league will be invited to attend All-Star selections. Only one coach will be permitted to vote per
team. Coaches may send a delegate to
represent him/her; however, if neither coach nor delegate attend all rights are
waived for input on All-Star selection.
4. In the event any coach feels a player from another
team has not been nominated who should have been, he/she may request her name
be added to the ballot.
5. Coaches should decide the number of girls to be
selected. Most tournaments limit the
number of players to 15. Whatever number
is decided upon, the elected manager should have the option of selecting 3
additional players of his/her choice from the list of nominees (i.e. if coaches
decide to have 15 players, the balloting would be to elect 12).
6. Each coach will have as many votes as is decided in 5
above, and may vote for that many girls in the first round. Ballots will then be collected and tallied by
the President or his/her designate.
Girls receiving 75% of the votes of the coaches present will
automatically be placed on the team.
7. If the desired number of girls is not selected in
round one, then each coach will have the number of votes to achieve that
desired number in round 2 Ballots will
again be collected and tallied. If the
desired number is not reached in this round, the name(s) of any girl who
received one or less votes in the two preceding rounds will be dropped from the
ballot and a third round vote held with each coach having the number of votes
to achieve the desired number.
G. The manager elected to coach the All-Star team must
name the 3 additional players he/she selects, if desired, as soon as possible
after balloting. Coaches should not
divulge the names of the girls selected until after in-park tournaments are
completed.
H. The Softball President or designate will be
responsible for preparing the necessary entry forms, etc. for entering teams in
tournaments.
I.
Birth
certificates (copies only) will be required for each girl selected and should
be collected as soon as possible after in-park tournaments are complete.
J.
Uniform costs
will be the responsibility of the parents of the girls involved unless
otherwise decided by the Board of Directors.
XII. GENERAL
PLAYING RULES
ASA Softball Rules will apply with the following
exceptions/additions. These rules apply
to all leagues unless modified by specific league rules which will be outlined
in Section XIII.
A. There must be a minimum of eight players to constitute
a team for game purposes in all leagues except for T-Ball and 6 &
Under. 6 & Under must have a minimum
of seven players to constitute a team.
T-Ball can play with a minimum of three players. As the program expands, then they must have a
minimum of seven players.
B. An uncaught third strike foul is NOT an out.
C. All games will have a time limit of one hour and 15
minutes. No new inning may begin after 1
hour and 10 minutes have elapsed. If a
new inning is begun prior to the 1 hour and 10 minutes, that inning must be
completed if the home team is behind, regardless of the time limit.
D. In the event of a tie at the end of the game or time
limit, it shall be recorded as a regulation tie game unless it is the last game
of the day on that field; if it is the last game, play will continue for a
maximum of 2 innings using the international tie breaker in both of those
innings.
E. Umpires will ensure that the game proceeds in a timely
manner and that coaches do not use tactics that would make the clock a factor
in the outcome of the game.
F. Time will be called by the umpire to end play ONLY
when the lead runner has been stopped for ages 5/6, 7/8, & 9/10. BALL IS LIVE FOR AGES 11/12, 13/14, 15/16 AND
17/18; TIME WILL ONLY BE CALLED IF DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE UMPIRE (INJURY,
ETC.).
G. If a game is called due to bad weather prior to 4
complete innings of play (3 for 5/6 & 7/8), the game will be replayed in its
entirety regardless of run limit.
H. There will be a run limit in all leagues; 6 &
Under and 8 & Under may not score more than 6 runs per inning. All other leagues (fast pitch) may not score
more than 4 runs per inning, or as agreed to with the selected organization
with which they are playing. T-Ball may
not score more than 4 runs per inning.
Once the limit has been reached, sides should be reversed regardless of
the number of outs.
I.
In the younger
leagues (10 and younger), the infield fly rule will not be used. It will be observed in all older leagues (11
and older).
J.
Mercy rule: the
game will be called by ASA rules if the team is ahead by 8 runs after the 5th
inning (for fast pitch teams); younger ages will play time limit.
K. Continuous batting will be used in all leagues. A player entering the game late may only be
added to the bottom of the batting order.
A player who is injured, becomes ill, or must leave a game for personal
reasons may be skipped one time in the batting order. If unable to take her place in the batting
order the second time around, the girl will be removed from the order with no
penalty to the team. If a girl is
injured while a base runner and cannot continue, she is NOT OUT. A pinch runner will be allowed and will be
the girl that made the last out or the last out in the previous inning.
L. T-Ball league will play with the 10” Saf-T Ball, 6
& Under will play with 11” Saf-T Ball, 8 & Under and 10 & Under
will play with regulation 11” softballs, and all other leagues will play with
regulation 12” softballs.
M. Excessive foul balls do not constitute an out.
XIII.
SPECIFIC LEAGUE RULES
T-Ball: Games will be umpired by one parent from each team (one in
the infield and one in the outfield). Score
will not be kept. There must be a
minimum of 3 players to constitute a team.
15-minute grace period will be allowed to a team waiting on a player if
there are less than 6 at game time. A
player may be “borrowed” only if she is currently a registered S.C.R.A. T-Ball
player.
All girls bat off the tee and will swing until the
ball is hit into fair territory. After 5
swings the coach may assist with swing.
(Foul balls do NOT entitle batter to extra swings.) An uncaught 3rd strike foul is
NOT an out.
3 outs/3 runs per inning. Games will be called at 35 minutes; however,
the current inning must be completed. Exception: The game will not end until
every player has had an opportunity to bat at least once.
All players play defense, maximum of 5 players in the infield
(1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, shortstop,
pitcher position). All other players
must be in the outfield. No defensive
player may cross the home plate arch until after the ball is batted.
3 defensive coaches are permitted on the playing field
to direct play. 3 offensive coaches are
permitted on the playing field (pitcher, 1st base coach and 3rd
base coach). At NO TIME shall a coach
intentionally touch a live ball or interfere with defensive play. Coaches may run alongside a runner but may not
pick them up or otherwise physically carry the runner to base.
Time should be called by parent/umpire when a
defensive player in the infield has possession of the ball and has stopped the
lead runner. No circle ball.
6
& Under: There must be a minimum of 7 players to constitute a
team. A 15-minute grace period will be
allowed to a team if they have less than 7 and are waiting on a player. After the 15-minute grace period, failure to
produce at least 7 players will result in a forfeit. A player may be “borrowed” only if she is
currently a registered S.C.R.A. player in the same age division or
younger.
SAF-T Ball softballs will be used for all games. Base paths: 50 feet. Pitching distance for pitcher-coach is as
close as desired as long as it does not, in the umpire’s judgment, interfere
with defensive play.
Home team
keeps the scoreboard; visiting team keeps the scorebook. Winning team is responsible for reporting
score to commissioner.
Continuous batting will be used. All players bat. A player entering the game late may only be
added to the bottom of that batting order.
A player who is injured, becomes ill, or must leave a game for personal
health reasons may be skipped one time in the batting order. If unable to take her place in the batting
order the second time around, the girl will be removed from the order with no
penalty to the team. If a girl is
injured while a base runner and cannot continue, she is NOT OUT. A pinch runner will be allowed and will be
the player who made the last out.
All players play defense. Since the field dimensions are shorter, girls
should be positioned near normal positions rather than closer to the batter to
give the girls sufficient reaction time to the hit ball. There will be a maximum of 5 players in the
infield (1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base,
shortstop, and pitcher position). All
other players must be in the outfield.
No defensive player may cross the home plate arch until after the ball
is batted.
Coaches will pitch to his/her players, and must not
intentionally touch a live ball or otherwise interfere with defensive
play. Violation of this rule will result
in an out. A maximum of 7 pitches will be pitched to each batter. If a batter fails to hit any of these pitches
into fair territory, the batter will be declared out. (Foul balls do not entitle batter to extra
pitches.) Only girls 4 years old and
under may attempt to hit the last two pitches of each at bat off a tee. Coaches are not allowed to touch a player
until time is called or an injury occurs.
Run limit: 6
runs per inning. Once 6 runs have
been scored in an inning, sides should be switched regardless of number of
outs.
8
& Under: There must be a minimum of 8 players to constitute a
team. A 15-minute grace period will be
allowed to a team if they have less than 8 and are waiting on a player. After the 15-minute grace period, failure to
produce at least 8 players will result in a forfeit. A player may be “borrowed” only if she is
currently a registered S.C.R.A. player in the same age division or
younger.
Regulation 11” softballs will be used. Base paths are 55 feet, pitching distance 35
feet. The scoreboard will be run by the home team; scorebook by the visiting
team. Winning team is responsible for
reporting score to commissioner.
Continuous batting will be used. All players bat. A player entering the game late may only be
added to the bottom of that batting order.
A player who is injured, becomes ill, or must leave a game for personal
health reasons may be skipped one time in the batting order. If unable to take her place in the batting
order the second time around, the girl will be removed from the order with no
penalty to the team. If a girl is
injured while a base runner and cannot continue, she is NOT OUT. A pinch runner will be allowed and will be
the player who made the last out.
All players play defense at one time, with a maximum
of 12 players. Only one defensive coach
is allowed (in the outfield) on the playing field to direct play. This coach must not intentionally touch a
live ball or otherwise interfere with defensive play. Violation of this rule will result in an
out. Coaches are not allowed to touch a
player until time is called or an injury occurs.
Coaches will pitch to his/her players, and must pitch
from the pitching rubber. The coach
pitcher must start the pitch with both feet on the rubber. At no time is any coach allowed to
intentionally touch a live ball or otherwise interfere with defensive
play. Violation of these rules will constitute
a “dead ball”. A maximum of 7 pitches will be pitched to each batter. If a batter
strikes at 3 pitches or fails to hit the ball into fair territory within 7
pitches, she will be declared out. An
uncaught 3rd strike foul is NOT an out. Excessive foul balls do not constitute an
out.
All games will have a time limit of 1 hour 15 minutes, with a maximum of 6
innings. No new inning may begin after 1
hour and 10 minutes have elapsed. If
a new inning is begun prior to 1 hour and 10 minutes, that inning must be
completed if the home team is behind, regardless of time limit.
Run limit: 6
runs per inning. Once 6 runs have
been scored in an inning, sides should be switched regardless of number of
outs. Time will be called by the umpire
to end play ONLY when the lead runner has been stopped or an injury
occurs.
One defensive coach is allowed on the playing field to
direct play. Offensive coaches should
consist of only 1 pitcher, 1 coach on 1st base and 1 coach on 3rd
base.
An uncaught 3rd strike foul is NOT an
out. Excessive foul balls do not
constitute an out. All games will have a
time limit of 1 hour 15 minutes, with a
maximum of 6 innings. No new inning may
begin after 1 hour and 10 minutes have elapsed. If a new inning is begun prior to 1 hour and
10 minutes, that inning must be completed if the home team is behind,
regardless of time limit.
10/12/14/16/18 & Under
(Fast Pitch): ASA rules will be
followed, with the exception that continuous batting will be used.
XIV. UNIFORMS
All teams must use uniforms supplied by the Softball
Association. Teams can purchase hats to
complement the uniform if these are not furnished. The only additions allowed to the uniform
itself will consist of girls’ names or sponsors’ names on the backs of the
shirts, or stripes and numbers on the pants.
All of the above expenses will be the responsibility of the team or
sponsor. Any other alterations will have
to be approved by the Softball Board.
GIRLS PLAYING FAST PITCH SHOULD HAVE SHIRTS TUCKED IN
Revised and retyped June 2006