Softball Captains Meeting and Rules Clinic March 8, 2018 League - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Spring 2018 Softball Captains’ Meeting and Rules Clinic

March 8, 2018

League Rules and Affiliations

• League is affiliated with USA

Softball (formerly ASA)

• Central Virginia state association

for USA softball

• Played under USA Softball Rules

with select rules amended for Arlington County

• Games umpired by Old Dominion

Softball Umpires Association

Rodney Barber- Umpire-In-Chief, ODSUA

• New Rules for 2018
• Points of Emphasis
• Questions

Rosters

• Teams must be comprised of 66%

Arlington residents

• Resident or business resident
• Proof of residency required
• $30.00 per resident/business resident
• Rosters lock 11:59pm on May 29
• Maximum of 25 players per roster
• Play for one team per division only
• Use of an ineligible/illegal player will

result in forfeiture of game(s)

Proof of Residency

• Required for all residents and business

residents

• Residents-
• Driver’s License
• Utility Bill with players name and address

displayed, all other info blacked out

• Business Residents-
• Paystub with player’s name and employers

name address, all other info blacked out

• Business Card
• Letter from HR
• Scan/Email or US Mail
• Proof of residency/non-resident

payments due May 29

Equipment

• Teams must provide own equipment
• Each team must supply 2 game balls to

umpire

• 52 Cor 300 Compression 12 inch restricted

flight ball. Optic Color

• All bats must meet USA Softball

specifications

• Clearly visible ASA 2000, 2004, or 2013

mark

• Cannot appear on USA Softball Banned Bat

List

• Metal Spikes are not permitted
• Jewelry not to be worn during game

Uniforms

• Teams required to wear jerseys of the

same color, with same team name and/or logo

• Each player must have a unique

number

• Permanently affixed to jersey
• Uniform rules enforced beginning

week of April 23.

• Slight variations allowed
• Exemptions granted in special

circumstances only

Scheduling

• Teams will play 18 games in a

doubleheader format (9 weeks)

• Games played at:
• Barcroft Park, Gunston Park, Jennie Dean

Park, Quincy Park, Utah Park, Virginia- Highlands Park

• Games Times:
• 6:30/7:30pm and 8:30/9:30pm
• 6:00/7:00pm and 8:00/9:00pm (VA-Highlands)
• Game Time is Forfeit Time
• 15 minute grace for games prior to 7:00pm
• Home team will alternate

Weather Cancelation

• Games canceled for inclement

weather and/or field conditions

• May be on days following wet weather
• May not impact all fields
• Field Status available after 3:00pm-
• DPR Weather Line- (703) 228-4715
• Rainedout.com- to receive text message
• Prior to 6:00pm decision made by

DPR, after 6:00 decision made by umpire on site

• Rescheduled by DPR

Forfeits/Reschedules

• Official/default game time scheduled

by DPR

• Games can be rescheduled upon

request with consent of both teams

• On alternate day of play
• Reschedule requests must be

received no later than 5:00pm day prior to game (Friday for Monday games)

• Forfeits can happen- please try to

provide advance notice so

• pponents, umpires can be contacted

Forfeits/Reschedules

• Teams are required to report to the umpire ready to

play at "scheduled game time“ unless the grace period is invoked

• Failure to have the required number of players (8) at

"scheduled game time" shall result in forfeiture

• If at the “scheduled game time” of the first game of

a doubleheader, a team has zero (0) players at the field, that team shall immediately forfeit both games

• f the doubleheader.
• The grace period shall not be invoked for a team

that has zero (0) players at the field.

• If neither team has the required number of players

(8) at the “scheduled game time” (grace period included), then the game(s) shall be declared a double forfeit.

Game Length

• 7 innings in length
• 6 ½ with home team leading
• No new inning after 55 minutes
• Complete current inning, unless home team ahead
• New inning begins with 3rd out of previous

inning

• Run Rule- Team ahead by 10+ runs after 5

innings

• Game is official after 5 innings (4 1/2 with home

team ahead) completed

• Any suspended regular season game will be

replayed from beginning

• Umpire will have official time
• No extra innings in regular season

Lineup

• 10 players (5 males/5 females for Coed)
• May start with 8 (4/4 Coed)
• Additional Players up to 10 may be added
• May use 2 extra players (EP)
• Must be present at start of game
• Coed- must be one of each sex (11 not

permitted)

• If line-up reduced due to injury or other

reason- out must be taken

• All players may re-enter one time

General Rules

• Batters start with 1 and 1 count
• 1 courtesy foul ball with two strikes
• Pitch must have “perceptible arc” and

reach a minimum of six feet, while not exceeding twelve feet

• Umpires judgement
• Home Run Limits
• C League- 3
• may use B league limit of 7 upon mutual

consent of both teams prior to game

• D League-1
• Can go +1, all other are an out
• Double 1st Base
• Courtesy Runners

Coed Rules

• 5 males and 5 females
• Batting order must alternate in gender
• If playing 9, an out must be taken
• 11 not permitted
• Substitutions on a sex for sex basis
• USA Softball positioning not in effect
• Women may play in men’s leagues, will

play under men’s league rules.

Tournament Rules

• Top 8 teams in each division will advance

to post-season

• If less than 8 in league, all teams advance
• Double elimination format
• Higher seed is home team
• Championship- undefeated team is home
• If game- winner of original game is home
• Extra Innings Played in Tournament games
• USA tie-breaker format, except championship
• Suspended games played from point of

interruption

USA Softball Tiebreaker

• Last batter due up in line-up will start

the inning on 2nd base

• Hitters begin with a 3-2 count
• Walk, strike-out, ball in play, foul ball=out
• Played Until a winner is determined

Awards

• Regular Season Division Champions will

receive t-shirts

• Champions determined using point system

and designated tie-breakers

• Tournament Champion and Runner-Up

will receive team trophy

Protests

• May protest rules or player eligibility
• Umpires judgement not subject to protest
• Must notify umpire at time of protest
• In scorebook please note:
• score, inning, outs, count to batter, location of

runner(s), and time remaining

• Commissioner must be notified of protest via

email or phone by COB the following day.

• Monday 9:00am for Friday or Saturday games
• Commissioner will make ruling in

consultation with UIC

• Commissioner’s decision is final
• Failure to follow procedure will result in

protest being denied

Conduct

• Arlington Code of Conduct
• Language, failure to comply with DPR staff or

umpire, arguing calls, failure to follow league rules, etc.

• Illegal to possess or consume alcohol

and/or drugs at park, playground, or athletic facility

• Arlington County code 14.2
• Failure to follow Code of Conduct and
• ther rules will result in ejection
• Minimum of one game suspension, additional

discipline possible based on offense

• If ejected must leave site and sound of

the field in a reasonable amount of time

Score Reporting

• Home team scorebook is the official

book for game

• Check regularly
• Winning team captain responsible for

reporting/entering scores

• Scores entered at rectrac.arlingtonva.us
• Directions for score entry available HERE
• Will be emailed to captains as well
• Please try and keep scores and

standings up to date

Free Agents

• Players without teams register as free agents
• List available in Youth Leagues via Team

Management page

• List contact information and any information they

wish to share

• Please contact them prior to addition to your

roster

• Add using team management page
• Directions on adding free agents to roster available

HERE.

• Free Agent Tryout-
• 12:00pm Saturday, March 24
• Barcroft Park Field #4- 4200 S Four Mile Run Dr
• All teams encouraged to attend

Practices

• All teams will receive one complimentary

pre-season practice

• March 17 – April 1
• First Come- First Serve
• Based on Field Availability
• Scheduled through Facilities Scheduling

Unit

• Practice Request Form emailed to captains
• n Friday, March 9.
• Available HERE
• Additional practices available via DPR

rental policy

Early Bird Tournament

• Early Bird Tournament to be held week
• f March 19
• Teams guaranteed 3 games
• Round Robin play followed by elimination

tournament

• $300.00 per team
• Men’s and Coed C and D offered
• Deadline to register is Wednesday,

March 14

• Additional information and registration

available on tournament webpage

Contact

• League Commissioner- Ryan Amato
• ramato@arlingtonva.us
• (703) 228-1835
• Will make every attempt to return

communication in 24 hours

• Please take time to review prior to

contacting

Summary

• Games begin week of April 2
• Schedules released no later than COB
• n Monday, March 19
• Free Agent Tryout- Saturday, March 24
• 12:00pm at Barcroft #4
• Register for Early Bird Tournament!

Field Changes at VA-Highlands

• Portions of 1st and 3rd baseline fences
• n both fields removed.
• Enable easy access to the fields when not

scheduled

• Enable safe play when fields are scheduled
• Enable staff to monitor use and field

conditions, which will inform future planning work

• Additional Information

Sports Commission Update

• Shirley Brothwell
• Chair, Arlington Sports Commission
• Opportunities for Input and Advocacy

Wrap-Up

• Questions?
• Thank you for attending