PEGASUS SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION
PSSA Rules and Regulations
PEGASUS SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION
2017 Competitive Division Rules and Regulations
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 1 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Article I. General .........................................................................................................4 1.01
PSSA Defined .........................................................................................................4
1.02
Member Defined....................................................................................................4
1.03
Rules Defined ........................................................................................................4
Article II. Eligibility ......................................................................................................4 2.01
Eligibility................................................................................................................4
Article III. Membership ................................................................................................4 3.01
Dues/Fees..............................................................................................................4
3.02
Forms ....................................................................................................................5
Article IV. Disqualification and Suspension ..................................................................5 4.01
Acts Resulting in Disqualification ............................................................................5
4.02
Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................6
Article V. Rosters.........................................................................................................6 5.01
Player Limit............................................................................................................6
5.02
Roster Completion/Deadlines ................................................................................6
5.03
Released Player .....................................................................................................7
5.04
Select Teams ..........................................................................................................8
Article VI. Schedule .....................................................................................................8 6.01
Schedule ................................................................................................................8
6.02
Forfeits ..................................................................................................................9
6.03
Opening Day Ceremony..........................................................................................9
6.04
Postponements / Cancellations ..............................................................................9
6.05
Time Limit............................................................................................................ 10
Article VII. Competition ............................................................................................. 10 7.01
Divisional Alignment ............................................................................................ 10
7.02
Player Ratings ...................................................................................................... 11
7.03
Tiebreakers .......................................................................................................... 11
7.04
NAGAAA World Series League Team Representation ............................................ 12
7.05
Lineups ................................................................................................................ 13
7.06
Game Balls........................................................................................................... 13
7.07
Bats ..................................................................................................................... 13
7.08
Courtesy Runner .................................................................................................. 14
7.09
Pitching ............................................................................................................... 15
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 2 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.10
Batting................................................................................................................. 15
7.11
Home Run Limits .................................................................................................. 15
7.12
Run Rules ............................................................................................................ 16
7.13
Pick-up Players .................................................................................................... 17
Article VIII. Uniforms ................................................................................................. 17 8.01
Uniforms ............................................................................................................. 17
8.02
Cleats .................................................................................................................. 17
Article IX. End of Season Tournament (EOS) ............................................................... 17 9.01
Qualification ........................................................................................................ 17
9.02
Procedure ............................................................................................................ 17
9.03
Seeding................................................................................................................ 18
9.04
Time Limit............................................................................................................ 18
9.05
Home Team ......................................................................................................... 18
9.06
Forfeits ................................................................................................................ 18
9.07
Officiating ............................................................................................................ 18
Article X. Outside Participation ................................................................................. 18 10.01
League Fundraising Events ............................................................................... 18
10.02
Individual Team Fundraising Events .................................................................. 20
10.03
Extra Innings .................................................................................................... 20
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................. 21 Definitions ....................................................................................................................... 21 Ratings Procedures – Regular Season................................................................................ 22 Ratings Protest Procedures – End of Season Tournament .................................................. 29
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 3 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Article I. General 1.01 PSSA Defined (a)
PSSA is a slow pitch softball league.
1.02 Member Defined (a)
PSSA is a member in good standing of the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA), and as such, subscribes to their policies, goals and rules for softball unless specifically stated otherwise in our by-laws.
1.03 Rules Defined (a)
Rules of play shall be those adopted by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and NAGAAA unless stated otherwise in these Rules.
Article II. Eligibility 2.01 Eligibility (a)
Participants must be an amateur as defined in “Definitions” of the Appendix.
(b)
Participants must be 18 years of age on or before the first scheduled day of play of the current season
(c)
Participants who play in multiple NAGAAA GSWS eligible leagues must declare which league will be their primary GSWS eligible league during registration or they will be deemed ineligible for the GSWS.
Article III. Membership 3.01 Dues/Fees Membership dues are payable on a date as annually determined by the Board of Officers as follows: TEAM REGISTRATION (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
No two teams may be registered with the exact same team name.
Page 4 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(b)
Coaches will register their team online using the leagues online Spring registration tab located on the following site: www.dallaspssa.org Contact the league secretary at [email protected] if you have questions.
(c)
Coaches will prepare the online team roster under the teams registration tab for his or her players that have registered online AND paid their annual member dues online.
(d)
Coaches will submit, to the treasurer, the completed online form referred above of the players on the roster.
MEMBER/PLAYER REGISTRATION (a)
Member/player registration will be done online including payment of member’s league dues online during the registration process. Upon registration the member will provide his/her coach notification that he/she has registered online.
(b)
Each individual player must register themselves, including agreeing to all documentation required by the board. Coaches may not register for the players.
(c)
Fees are non-refundable and are not transferrable to another member in accordance with Section 4.07 of the PSSA by-laws.
3.02 Forms (a)
Members are required to complete all required League documents as presented on the league’s online Spring registration website at www.dallaspssa.org
(b)
Coaches must submit team rosters along with all required documents to the League Secretary on or before a date as specified by the Board.
Article IV. Disqualification and Suspension 4.01 Acts Resulting in Disqualification The following is a list of acts, any of which may be justification for suspension or disqualification of any player or team: (a) Revised on 2/19/16
Unsportsmanlike conduct.
Page 5 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(b)
Physical violence of any kind against players, spectators or umpires while participating in practice, league or tournament competition and presenting themselves as a member of PSSA.
(c)
Players participating under an assumed name, falsifying affidavits or roster or intentionally giving incorrect information to League officers will be considered as committing fraud and disciplined as such.
(d)
Participating while knowing he, or his team, does not meet the eligibility requirements of PSSA.
(e)
Knowingly competing with players that have been suspended and are ineligible from participating in League play.
(f)
Teams forfeiting three or more games during regular season play may be disqualified from further competition.
(g)
Use of equipment during league play that is deemed illegal by NAGAAA or PSSA. (See Article 7.07 – Bats)
4.02 Jurisdiction If a team or player is disciplined for any of the above, they are disqualified and cease to be eligible to compete in League play, League conducted tournaments or tournaments conducted or sanctioned by NAGAAA while disqualified by NAGAAA or PSSA.
Article V. Rosters 5.01 Player Limit (a)
Each team shall be composed of a minimum of ten (10) and not more than sixteen (16) playing members and four (4) non-playing members.
(b)
A player's name may not appear on more than one (1) roster at a time.
5.02 Roster Completion/Deadlines (a)
Each coach/manager must electronically submit their initial League roster and NAGAAA rating roster by the Spring League Meeting along with any additional forms/information required.
(b)
All information indicated on the roster must be completed as specified by PSSA.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 6 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(c)
Rosters may be amended between the Spring league meeting and the freeze date set by the board. Rosters for each day of play are due on the Thursday prior to that weekend at 5 PM. Roster changes after that deadline will not be in force until the following week.
(d)
Failure to comply with roster deadlines may result in an assessed late fee of $100, forfeits and suspension from all League activities until such fee is paid and the roster is received.
(e)
After the freeze date, teams may petition the board for a waiver to amend their roster should circumstances deem it necessary. The following criteria must be met in order to adjust rosters at that time:
Any new players must be able to qualify to play in the EOS and GSWS under PSSA and NAGAAA guidelines The team’s roster must have 10 or fewer players A team with 8-10 players on their roster may add a maximum of 2 new players to their roster. A team with 7 or fewer remaining players may add as many as are needed to get back to 10 players, but may not go above 10 players.
(f)
Once Board approval is granted, amended rosters for the team, plus any other appropriate documentation, must be submitted to the Secretary of the League by 5 pm on the Thursday prior to the next regular scheduled game.
(g)
After opening day, players in Competitive may not transfer to another Competitive Division team, only to a Recreational Division team, and no player may transfer between teams more than once during a season.
(h)
Before a new player is eligible to participate in League competition, all requirements for membership must be met. The coach must submit all information and funds owed for that player as well as submit an amended roster and all appropriate documents to the League Secretary indicating the addition or deletion of players by 5 pm on the Thursday prior to the next scheduled game.
5.03 Released Player (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
A hearing before the Board of Officers may be requested within forty-eight (48) hours of release by any player who feels they have been released without due cause. Page 7 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(b)
Should the Board rule in favor of the player he/she may continue to play for their original team; but, playing time and other factors will still be controlled by the coach of the team.
5.04 Select Teams (a)
Invitation only teams will be operated by the league as additional games for participants. Intended to get exposure at a higher level for players on the border between divisions in terms of skill.
(b)
Invites will be extended in 2017 by asking coaches to nominate players on their own teams for inclusion.
(c)
(i)
In 2018 and beyond, invites would be given to the players voted in as all-stars from the previous season with any additional roster spots filled by invitations from the commissioner and ratings chairs.
(ii)
Teams would by populated on a voluntary basis, with players having the option to participate or not once they have been invited.
(iii)
Stats and skills shown in select team games would be inadmissible in ratings committee meetings. These games are not intended to be used towards ratings in any fashion.
Each division, excluding A and Rec, would have a select team that plays in a schedule matrix against the next division up (D Select plays Lower C teams, Lower C Select plays Upper C teams, etc.). (i)
They will be scheduled to play up to 6 games with games being considered an exhibition game for both teams.
(ii)
Forfeits for regular teams will count in the standings to encourage teams to play these games.
Article VI. Schedule 6.01 Schedule (a)
A schedule of League games will be displayed on the web site and distributed to all team coaches at least seven (7) days prior to the start of League play.
(b)
The schedule will list time, date and location of each game.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 8 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(c)
In the event of team additions or deletions, weather conditions and field availability, etc. adjustments to the schedule may be made periodically as deemed necessary. Notices will be displayed on the web site and it is the coach/manager’s responsibility to check for any changes, etc.
(d)
All teams will play all other teams within their division the same number of times. Any additional games will be viewed as exhibition games that do not count in league standings and will be clearly marked on the schedule as such.
6.02 Forfeits (a)
Scheduled game time is forfeit time. Any team not able to field nine (9) players by the scheduled starting time of their game shall forfeit the game with a score of 7-0. (See section 7.13 regarding pickup players.)
(b)
In the event the previous game runs overtime, the starting time shall be assumed as the time at which the previous game ends.
(c)
If teams have to move from one field to another in back to back games, the start time of the game on the second field will be delayed 5 minutes after the end of the game on the first field to allow the arriving team to occupy the dugout and create a lineup card.
6.03 Opening Day Ceremony (a)
Opening day will vary from season to season to coincide with the beginning of League play. All teams are requested to appear in uniform for Opening Ceremony as scheduled.
6.04 Postponements / Cancellations (a)
In the event a game is postponed or cancelled for any reason, every effort will be made to reschedule the game(s) at the corresponding times designated on the playing schedule.
(b)
In the event there are no available time-slots due to multiple games being affected, it may be necessary to reschedule only games that will ultimately affect the order of teams in the final League standings.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 9 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(c)
The decision to cancel or delay the start of games due to inclement weather before the first scheduled game time will be made by the Assistant Commissioner and/or City/Field representatives.
(d)
Umpires will make the decision to postpone or cancel games in progress.
(e)
Coaches/managers should check the PSSA rainout hotline and/or the web site for any early announcements of time changes for games.
(f)
In the event of unusual circumstances, the Assistant Commissioner will be responsible for contacting all team coaches/managers.
6.05 Time Limit (a)
A time limit will be in effect for regular League play. No inning will start after 55 minutes from the actual starting time of the game.
(b)
A game will be considered as complete if four (4) full innings have been played (or three and a half (3 ½) innings if the home team is ahead) should it become necessary to postpone a game before 55 minutes has passed.
Article VII. Competition 7.01 Divisional Alignment (a)
Teams will play within the NAGAAA defined divisions plus a “Lower C” division.
(b)
Standings will be based on winning percentage for games played within your defined division only.
(c)
For the End of Season Tournament the league shall be divided into four (5) divisions (A, B, Upper C, Lower C and D) in adherence to the current NAGAAA 27-point rating system using the total of the ten (10) highest individual rating scores.
Revised on 2/19/16
(i)
“A” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 170+ OR that has any individual player whose rating is 20 or greater
(ii)
“B” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 175 or lower and has individual players whose ratings are 19 and lower Page 10 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(iii)
“Upper C” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 135 or lower and has individual players whose ratings are 14 and lower
(iv)
“Lower C” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 115 or lower and has individual players whose ratings are 13 14 and lower
(v)
“D” teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 0-95 AND which has no individual player whose rating is greater than 10.
7.02 Player Ratings (a)
All players will be rated based on the approved NAGAAA 27 point rating standard. Ratings must be submitted to the Commissioner by the date stated in Appendix: Ratings Procedures.
(b)
Player ratings may be challenged based on the Ratings Procedures and Ratings Protest Procedures located in the Appendix.
7.03 Tiebreakers (a)
(b)
During regular season play, if time has run out, games may end in a tie with home team getting the last at bat. Standings will be based on: (i)
The head to head win/loss record of the teams involved in the tie
(ii)
Then the run differential within head to head results of all of the tied teams
(iii)
Then coin flips
During EOS tournament, NAGAAA World Series rules will be followed and the International Tiebreaker rule will be utilized. (i)
A new inning shall be played with the visiting team placing 1)
Revised on 2/19/16
Its’ final batter from the previous inning on second base and then completing the half inning as usual.
(ii)
The home team shall follow the same format.
(iii)
If, after one (1) full inning the score remains tied, teams will follow this format until runs scored declare a winner.
Page 11 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.04 NAGAAA World Series League Team Representation (a)
NAGAAA allots berths to the GSWS based on the size of a league for the current season. Berths will be allotted relative to the makeup of the League divisions as decided annually by the Board of Directors.
(b)
Teams representing PSSA at the annual GSWS will be determined as follows: (i)
All available GSWS berths will be awarded based on the order of finish in the End of Season Tournament for each division
(ii)
In the event a qualifier cannot field a team, the berth will be offered to the next highest EOS finisher in order with seed used to break any ties until all berths are satisfied
(c)
The End of Season Tournament will be open to all Competitive Division PSSA teams, in accordance with the stipulations above.
(d)
Teams will not be permitted to accept a bid to the GSWS in any division other than the one in which they declared to be in and finished the regular season.
(e)
Teams will play only those teams in their division as outlined in 7.01.
(f)
To qualify to play in the EOS tournament, a player must have participated in a minimum of 50% of the regular League games in the current PSSA season. Players must also meet any qualifications set forth in the NAGAAA World Series guidelines.
(g)
Teams that do not achieve a GSWS bid in accordance with the above stated terms will not go to the GSWS. (June 2008 - If these events should occur the Board will convene to further discuss the allotment of berths as the current Board does not favor the idea of sending less than two (2) teams per division regardless of finish.)
(h)
Teams whose ratings deem them to be an A team are allowed unlimited berths to the Series.
(i)
All funds collected on behalf of the teams allotted berths to the World Series as previously designated will be divided equally between the teams attending, including the Master’s team and one addition qualified team to be drawn at the awards banquet.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 12 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.05 Lineups (a)
An official lineup sheet must be submitted to the scorekeeper for the field with copies to the home plate umpire and the opposing team clearly listing the first and last names of all starting players, substitutions and jersey numbers ten (10) minutes before the scheduled start of the game. If proper names are not included on the lineup card, the team will not be permitted to take the field and will result in a game forfeit. The top copy of the lineup sheet must be submitted for each game. Duplicate and/or carbon copies of lineup sheets are not permitted and will result in a forfeit.
(b)
Changes to the lineup sheet after the official lineup has been submitted must be made to the home plate umpire at the time of the change.
(c)
Late arrivals may be added up until the first pitch of the top of the 3rd inning.
(d)
Coaches/managers from both teams must sign the score sheet with the scorekeeper for that field to verify score and player participation at the conclusion of each game.
(e)
After all completion of play the official lineup sheets and score sheets shall be collected by the League Secretary for the purpose of recording player participation.
7.06 Game Balls (a)
PSSA will use 12” restricted flight core .52, 300 compression, optic yellow softballs as adopted by NAGAAA. The league will provide the game balls.
7.07 Bats (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
All bats for PSSA league play will be provided by PSSA via a picka-stick format. (i)
No bat other than those provided by PSSA may be used in league play at any time.
(ii)
Two bat types (end loaded and balanced) will be provided with three weights of each type (typically 26, 27 and 28 ounces).
Page 13 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Bats will be secured and delivered to each field by the Competition Coordinator, other board member, UIC or Park Manager only. 1)
Bats will be placed in a bucket near home plate and will be returned to that bucket after use.
2)
Umpires will be responsible for bats between games to ensure no one uses, removes or switches any bats and will return the bucket to the Competition Coordinator or other board member at the end of their games each day.
3)
Should a bat break or be deemed illegal during game play, that bat will be replaced by a bat of the same style and weight from the PSSA set of bats for the remainder of play.
While league bats are on the field: 1)
No league bat may be taken into a dugout at any time. Any player taking a league bat into a dugout will be immediately ejected from the game and brought before the ethics committee.
2)
Any player bringing a foreign bat onto the field of play or into their dugout will be immediately ejected from the game and brought before the ethics committee.
A player/team discovered using any unapproved bat will be subjected to the following penalties: 1)
The team will be required to forfeit the game.
2)
Player will be ejected for the following game.
3)
Player will be brought before the Ethics Committee.
7.08 Courtesy Runner (a)
During league play one (1) courtesy runner is allowed per team each inning.
(b)
The courtesy runner may be any player listed on the lineup card for that game.
(c)
A courtesy runner is considered in the game when the runner touches the base.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 14 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(d)
If the courtesy runner is on base at the time of their at-bat, the batter will be called out.
(e)
All other game rules will remain the same for the courtesy runner.
(f)
For EOS Tournament courtesy runners will be allowed under the same guidelines.
7.09 Pitching (a)
For both league and EOS play we will start with a 1-1 count with one courtesy foul.
(b)
We will also play with pitch height defined as 6’ to 12’ and not adopt the change implemented by ASA.
7.10 Batting (a)
(b)
During league play: (i)
A team may bat all roster players up to a maximum of sixteen (16).
(ii)
All players actively participating in play that will not be starting in fielding positions must be clearly identified on the line-up sheets as “extra hitters.”
(iii)
Substitutes must also be listed on line-up sheets and identified accordingly. (All players listed must be present at the field at the time line-up is submitted.)
(iv)
In the event a team bats all eligible roster players and a player is subsequently injured or must leave before the game is concluded, that player is considered as an out at each missed batting opportunity.
For EOS Tournament, batting is limited to eleven (11) players.
7.11 Home Run Limits A home run will be defined as any fair ball that goes over the fence unassisted by a defensive player. (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
A - 4-6 per game (i)
Each team is allowed four (4) home runs.
(ii)
Once both teams have reached four (4), either team may hit a fifth (5th).
Page 15 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(iii)
The team with five (5) home runs may not hit another until the other team has hit its fifth (5th).
(iv)
After that, both teams may hit a sixth (6th).
(v)
Home runs will be limited to six (6) for either team.
(vi)
Home runs above the limit, in any of these cases, constitute an out.
(vii)
No team will be allowed to hit a game-winning walk-off homerun.
(b)
B – 2 per game (additional over the fence, unassisted home runs result in an inning ending out)
(c)
C – 1 per game (additional over the fence, unassisted home runs result in an inning ending out)
(d)
D – 0 (An over the fence, unassisted home run will be an inning ending out.)
7.12 Run Rules (a)
(b)
Revised on 2/19/16
The following run rule will be in effect: (i)
20 runs ahead after 3 innings
(ii)
15 runs ahead after 4 innings
(iii)
10 runs ahead after 5 innings
The flip flop rule will be used as follows: (i)
If at the start of an inning, the run rule for that particular inning is exceeded and the home team is losing, the home team will stay up to bat and bat as the visiting team.
(ii)
If, after three outs, they were not able to reduce the run difference, the game will be over.
(iii)
If they are able to reduce the run differences, the visiting team will come up to bat as the home team and continue the game as normal with home and away reversed for the remainder of the game (or until a flip back is required by this same rule).
Page 16 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.13 Pick-up Players (a)
(b)
During league play: (i)
In the event a team has only eight (8) roster players for a regular season game, to avoid a forfeit that team may pick up one (1) player from another team within or lower than their same division making a total of nine (9) with the tenth (10th) batting position being an automatic out.
(ii)
If the team has a ninth (9th) roster player arrive after play has begun, the roster player may be added to the line-up but may only be substituted in for the pick-up player.
(iii)
Rules such as jersey color, permanent, non-duplicate numbers, etc. all still apply.
During EOS tournament: (i)
There are no pick-up players.
Article VIII. Uniforms 8.01 Uniforms (a)
Players are required to appear at each game in full uniform. Full uniform means like-colored jerseys with permanent, non-duplicated clearly visible numbers.
8.02 Cleats (a)
No metal cleats will be worn in PSSA play.
Article IX. End of Season Tournament (EOS) 9.01 Qualification (a)
Players must have met all PSSA and NAGAAA eligibility requirements to participate in the End of Season Tournament.
9.02 Procedure (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
The procedure for the End of Season Tournament will be a double elimination bracket.
Page 17 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
9.03 Seeding (a)
Seeding will be based on overall won/loss record for games played against teams within your league defined division with ties broken as described in 7.03(a).
(b)
EXCEPTION: If a team changes divisions due to a change in the team’s final ratings, that team will be seeded using only divisional games, if any have been played. Otherwise, it will be seeded as last in the division.
9.04 Time Limit
ASA and NAGAAA GSWS rules will be in effect for the PSSA League playoffs with the following exceptions: (a)
All games will be played with a fifty-five (55) minute time limit.
9.05 Home Team (a)
The higher seed will always be home team, with the exception of the championship game where the winner’s bracket champion will be designated home team. The “if game” will be a coin toss.
9.06 Forfeits (a)
If a team is required to forfeit a game due to lack of sufficient number of players, the game will be counted as a loss for that team. If it is their first loss, they will move to the loser’s bracket. If it is their second loss, they will exit the tournament.
9.07 Officiating (a)
During the End of Season Tournament, games will have two (2) umpires officiating.
(b)
During all league and EOS play, no coach or player currently in the league may umpire any league or EOS game.
Article X. Outside Participation 10.01 League Fundraising Events To enable a team (excluding Masters) to secure proceeds from league fundraisers for the annual Gay Softball World Series, PSSA requires each team:
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 18 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(a)
(b)
Have a minimum of 70% from the current team roster on file with the Secretary of the League in attendance at each of the three designated fundraising events. (i)
Sign in will be available for 2 hours after the start of the event. After two hours, sign in will close and no additional sign ins will be accepted.
(ii)
Each player is allotted one (1) player buy-out of one (1) fundraising event per season. (A player buy-out is considered to be one (1) fee paid to the League per player being bought out)
(iii)
Each team is limited to three (3) player buy-outs per event.
(iv)
If a team buys-out a player for a particular event, that player is counted as present and the team receives credit for the player’s participation.
Must participate as a performer in either Miss PSSA or Switch Hitters with a minimum of half of the league participating in each event. (i)
(ii)
Revised on 2/19/16
Registration for the two events will opened at a time designated by the board and will be open on a first come first served basis until one event is filled. 1)
All teams not registered once one of the two events reaches capacity, must participate in the other event.
2)
Teams wishing to participate in both events may do so at their will, but must sign up for one or the other as the required event.
Six total team buyouts will be available for purchase at the time of registration. 1)
Team buyouts are first come first served and will cost $500 with payment due at the time of registration.
2)
Once all 6 have been claimed, teams may request to be put on a waiting list for a Team buyout.
3)
Should a team’s payment not clear the bank, the buyout will be rejected with that team being required to perform at one of the two events and the next team in line on the waiting list will be offered the buyout.
Page 19 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
4)
Teams who buyout will not be required to perform, but will still be required to meet the 70% attendance as outlined in point 10.01(a) above.
10.02 Individual Team Fundraising Events (a)
Teams holding fundraising events may submit a request to the Public Relations Coordinator to advertise their event on the PSSA web site two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled date.
(b)
The League Secretary will no longer forward this information for individual teams/sponsors.
10.03 Extra Innings (a)
Teams may sponsor one (1) “Extra Innings” fundraisers to be held at a specified location of their choice.
(b)
Upon request made to the Assistant Commissioner, these events will be scheduled upon availability and in relation to the games scheduled.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 20 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
APPENDIX Definitions 1. Amateur: Player who engages in the sport solely for pleasure and physical, mental or social benefits derived there from. Players considered to have ever played in a professional capacity or who has been paid to participate in play will not be eligible to participate in PSSA League play. 2. Boundaries of the League: Shall include players residing within the North Central Texas Region as set forth in the PSSA By-laws. 3. Disqualified player: A person who has been disqualified from play in events promoted or conducted by PSSA or by NAGAAA. 4. Non-resident Petition: Any player not living in the designated territory as set forth in the PSSA by-laws may submit a written request to the Board asking permission for an exception to be made allowing them to play in PSSA as a non-resident player. There will be a maximum of two (2) non-resident players per team. 5. Team: Includes all members listed on a league roster (i.e. coaches, managers, players and non-players). 6. Unsportsmanlike conduct: Action that is detrimental or unbecoming to the purposes and objectives of PSSA. Also called unsporting behavior or ungentlemanly conduct, a foul or offense in many sports that violates the sport’s generally accepted rules of sportsmanship and participant conduct. Examples include verbal abuse or taunting of an opponent, an excessive celebration following a scoring play, or feigning injury.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 21 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Ratings Procedures – Regular Season 1. Starting point All players will start with the most recent rating in the NAGAAA database going back to 2014. This includes players who played for PSSA, as well as any other NAGAAA member association. Players with a rating from 2010-2013 may make adjustments to their rating, but any changes will be flagged and reviewed at a ratings committee meeting. Players who do not have a rating from 2010-2016 from any NAGAAA city may start with a new rating. Players who’s rating was increased on question 21 and/or 22 during the 2016 Spring season may move those questions back to no. Any rating being moved to no, however, will automatically be added for consideration as an increase at the first ratings meeting of the season. A list of the players will be provided for league reference prior to the season. There is no allowance for a player being on roster in a lower competitive division than the one(s) which the player qualifies (i.e. player with rating of 11 or greater cannot be on D team). Team coaches will submit Opening Day Rating Rosters the league at the league meeting with your roster, player fees and team fee. Players added to the roster after this date must also include an amended ratings roster. Failure to submit rating rosters by the deadline will result in that team forfeiting game(s) on schedule until all paperwork has been received and/or fines levied by the board. PSSA Commissioner will confirm all ratings for all returning players, whether they are current / former PSSA members or players transferring from other NAGAAA associations. Differences will be sent back to the coach for his/her reference however the rating in the database will be used unless the coach can prove that the database is incorrect. The coach has until 5 PM on the Friday before Opening Day to address inconsistent ratings. If not addressed by then the rating in the database will be used. The rating confirmed by
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 22 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
the Commissioner will be deemed as the official starting point for each player. 2. A Ratings Advisory Council, unaffiliated with the division they advise, will be responsible for submitting questions to the Coach’s Ratings Committee. Composed of 5-8 B/C players (responsible for watching D) and 5-8 D players (responsible for watching C & B) with strong ratings system knowledge. Council members may not coach or play within the division they are responsible for watching. Each council member must submit a minimum of 1 question for increase to each Ratings Committee agenda. Total questions permitted from each council member will be restricted to 5 per agenda. Submissions must be conducted via a completed submission form including player name, team, question and a statement documenting the evidence supporting the submission of that question. Incomplete forms will be sent back to the submitting party to be completely filled out and resubmitted with no extensions to the submission deadline. The name of the council member submitting each question will remain confidential and anonymous. Each council must watch all teams over the course of the season, not just top end players or teams within the division. New players to the league will be flagged and watched by the council before the first ratings committee meeting. 3. Coach’s Ratings Committee All ratings changes will be discussed and voted on by the Ratings Committee. Ratings Committee votes will be submitted to the Board for confirmation the process was followed correctly. Ratings changes become effective after Board Approval. The Ratings Chair for each division (or someone assigned by the ratings chair) will compile agenda items for the Ratings Committee meetings. Committees will meet as a separate D Division, C Division and B Division committee. Revised on 2/19/16
Page 23 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
The B Division Committee will include a representative from each B team plus the 8 board members not including the commissioner. For B, the commissioner will confirm that the process was followed instead of the entire board. Rating Review requests may be submitted by any of the following parties: o The player wishing to have his own rating changed, o Ratings Chair for that division or any board member, o A member of the ratings advisory council, o The player’s coach or any coach wanting an opposing team player’s skills reviewed. No ratings request (increase, voluntary increase or decrease) may be withdrawn once it is submitted. The full process must be followed once it has been submitted to the Ratings Chair. If a player and /or coach submits a request to have specific questions discussed at the Ratings Committee meeting in order to amend the rating of player on their own team (by emailing the Ratings Chair at [email protected]), the player must consent to the request being added to the ratings agenda. The email shall contain the player’s name, the question under review and reason for review. A team can collectively submit up to three (3) questions to be lowered without charge during the season and are limited to seven (7) total decrease requests. Questions submitted by board members or ratings chairs do not count towards the 7 question limit. If more than three questions are submitted the team will be charged as follows: Number of Questions Submitted to be Lowered 0-3 4-7
Cost Free $25 per question
No rating will be reviewed until all fees are paid to the league treasurer. Requests can be submitted prior to Opening Day. Decrease requests may only be filed once per season per player/question.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 24 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Any decrease requests for questions 23-26 must be accompanied by a copy of the team’s current books for the season as supporting evidence. Players and coaches who believe their players’ ratings should be increased can voluntarily increase their rating throughout the season. If player, coach and RC Chair for that division (or Commissioner if the increase is for a team that the RC Chair coaches or plays) agree with increase, the rating will be changed and take effect immediately after Board approval. There is no limit to the number of questions that a team can ask to voluntarily increase. These questions do not go through the Coach’s Ratings Committee. They only require board approval. Once approved by the Board the rating can only be lowered by going through the normal Ratings Committee process. To have an item added to the agenda for an opposing player the opposing coach shall complete a submission form and send it to the rating’s chair asking for a specific question to be is added to the agenda. The submission form shall contain the player’s name, question under review and rationale supporting the review. Items submitted by the Ratings Chair or a Board Member shall follow the same process. Incomplete forms will be sent back to the submitting party to be completely filled out and resubmitted with no extensions to the submission deadline. Increases on opposing teams may only be filed once per season by the person filing the request. This does not prevent other coaches or board members from filing the same question in subsequent meetings or as a protest in the EOS. In the event that reviews are submitted for a team on which the Ratings Chair plays or coaches, all Ratings Chair duties for those reviews will shift to the League Assistant Commissioner, then Secretary if needed. Coaches may assign a player on their team to represent the Coach if he or she is absent. Current Board members, Ratings Chair for the division in question and Commissioner who are also coaches may not vote on the Ratings Committee regarding ratings changes. All voting members should have solid knowledge of the ratings system.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 25 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Any rating change that results in a player being able to play in a lower division must also obtain consent from the board via a majority vote for that change. The following items will be the procedural process. To the extent any issues arise which are not addressed below the Rating’s Chair and Commissioner create procedural items however those will be used in a consistent manner through the rest of the season. o Ratings agenda items must be submitted 14 days or more in advance of the Ratings Committee meeting. o Ratings Chair will send the agenda to the coaches at least 24 hours in advance of the next game day to enable coaches two weekends to watch the players in question. Agenda will include the following for each submitted question: player name, player’s team, question submitted, increase or decrease. Agenda WILL NOT include the following: filing party, player’s current total rating, team’s current total rating o The Ratings Chair will act as an impartial and neutral facilitator of the ratings process only and will conduct the meeting in that capacity. o Rating’s questions will be addressed in numeric order starting with Question 1 and ending with Question 27. o Each team will receive one vote; however, a team will not vote on any issues relating to their own player. One player, voting proxy and other representative is allowed to be present from each team. Teams may request additional people in the room by emailing the Ratings Chair in advance of the meeting. o No one person may vote for more than one team in a committee but may represent multiple teams if they are in separate council meetings. o Ballots will be anonymous, however we will use a secret numbering system to track voting irregularities, while ensuring confidentiality of votes. Ballots will be numbered by the amount of registered teams.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 26 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Each voting team will be provided ballots randomly at each coach’s council to avoid others from learning your number. Only the Coach & Protest Chair will know to whom that number is assigned. The Secretary is permitted to see ballots for the purposes of counting votes only. Voting patterns will be analyzed by the Ratings Chair’s only, with any voting irregularities flagged by the Ratings Chair and addressed with the Commissioner only. o Ratings changes will be effective with a majority of votes cast to increase a rating or 2/3s or more of votes cast to decrease a rating. Non-votes or abstentions do not factor into the formula. Votes required will be rounded to the nearest vote. o The Ratings Chair or person running the meeting shall have the right to remove any person from the room if their behavior is disruptive to the process. That team losses their voting right for any questions discussed after removal. o Coach’s Ratings Committee will meet on the following nights: A/B Divisions – 5/4 & 6/22 Upper C Division – 5/2 & 6/20 Lower C & D Divisions – 5/3 & 6/21 4. Impact of Ratings Changes If a player’s rating is increased by three or more points during the ratings review process or if the team’s ratings exceed the maximum amount of points for that division after increased points are added, that team shall forfeit all games the player was on the team’s roster regardless of whether they played in the game. If a player or team is pushed over the limit for their division, they must make the appropriate changes to their roster prior to the next game being played or move up to the division their roster fits. Ultimately, responsibility for ratings falls on both the coach who submits them and the league as a whole. Any team that incurs fines via protests at the GSWS will be responsible for paying half of those fines back to the league (with the league responsible for the other half). The protested player and the coach on that team’s roster will Revised on 2/19/16
Page 27 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
not be permitted to participate in the league until payment of their portion of the fines has been made. 5. Rating Roster Distribution Rating rosters will be distributed to each coach in each division for review on Opening Day. Amended rosters will be distributed on Friday prior to each week of play and will include any changes once they are approved. 6. Arbitration In the event a player feels his/her rating review was not handled properly, the player may approach the Board to discuss any possible grievances. That meeting will be scheduled at a place and time to be determined based upon need. Please note that, as outlined above, a Board member serving on a Coaches’ Review Council will not be allowed to serve as an arbitrator. Commissioner has veto ability throughout the process to make sure integrity is upheld at all times. Commissioner will serve as final authority in all ratings decisions.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 28 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Ratings Protest Procedures – End of Season Tournament 1. Ratings Protest - Starting point A Protest Committee will rule on all protest regarding player ratings Protest Committee is a standing committee whose members must meet all requirements in PSSA bylaws Ratings protests may be filed during the EOS Tournament 2. Protest Committee Chairperson Commissioner shall appoint, subject to Board approval, a Protest Committee Chairperson who will be in charge of all protest proceedings during league play as well as during the EOS Tournament PC Chair will assemble a Protest Committee after a protest has been filed PC Chair will explain and distribute the procedure to be followed prior to the start of the protest hearing 3. Protest Committee Composition a. Protest Committee will be comprised on members of the Coaches’ Council or their named replacement b. PC members will review protests filed in any division except the one they coach/play c. A maximum of one (1) representative from each team will be allowed d. No player or coach involved in the protest may sit on the PC e. No Board member may sit on PC f. A minimum of five (5) PC members shall constitute a quorum Scheduling a. PC Chair will convene the PC for purposes of hearing the evidence/arguments of a protest at an assigned time and place as best fits schedule of play b. PC members must be present and available to hear the entire protest c. PC members will render its decision immediately after hearing evidence/arguments Revised on 2/19/16
Page 29 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
4. Filing a Protest a. Protests for challenging ratings may only be filed by a team’s designated coach or manager b. Protests must be filed with Assistant Commissioner, Competition Coordinator, or PC Chair while a game is being played. The protest must be filed during the game being played by protested party c. Protests cannot be filed on a player for same question after a previous protest attempt has been made. A single protest may be filed against a player for a skill was reviewed through the Ratings Review process d. When filing a protest, the protesting party must identify the player(s) being protested and the specific question from the Players Rating Guide from the NAGAAA Softball Code appendix 2 e. A CASH protest fee must be posted at the same time the protest is filed i. During EOS Tournament, protest filing fee is $100 with an additional $20 per question f. Handling fees: i. If all questions of the protest are upheld, all fees are returned ii. If all questions of the protest are denied, all fees are forfeited iii. If the protest results in a split decision, then the amount of fees proportionate to the total upheld to those received will be returned 5. Protest Hearings Time and place of hearing will be scheduled as quickly as possible. During league play, hearings can be held at end of the day if needed. During EOS Tournament play, hearing will have to be conducted prior to the start of any game which could be affected by the outcome of the hearing. Notes for all PC hearings will be taken and sent to PC Chair as soon as possible. The notes will then be transferred to League Secretary and placed in League records
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 30 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Player ratings rosters and RC report(s) will be available to PC for their use. It is STRONGLY encouraged that protested player be available to answer PC member questions, if they should have any Protests are to be evidenced-based. Scorebooks and personal observations are allowed The protesting party begins by laying out the basis for the protest, presenting the specifics regarding player(s) skills and why they believe the player rating is in error Protested team /player will then be allowed to refute the arguments After both parties have presented their evidence, PC members may ask questions, review books and RC reports to gather information they need to discuss the protest PC may choose to ask both parties to leave for a few minutes to allow them to discuss findings amongst themselves Voting will be anonymous but taken in clear view of all parties. Votes will be counted in front of parties and results will be announced immediately. Any change to a player’s rating will be reported to league Commissioner and immediately becomes that player’s rating. 6. Automatic penalties During End of Season Tournament a. If the protest results in a player(s) rating change of 1 point that does not cause the player(s) or team to move up a competitive division i. The results of the protested game stands (W-L) ii. Player rating is changed and team total reflects that change immediately iii. Player and team can compete in the same competitive division with no further penalty b. If the protest results in a player moving up 2 points but the team total allows it to remain: i. The result of the game is a loss by the protested team. (If this is second loss in the tournament, the team is eliminated.) ii. Player is eliminated from EOS Tournament and cannot compete at GSWS on any roster
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 31 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
c. If the protest results in a team having 3 or more questions upheld the team is removed from the Tournament and is not eligible to play in GSWS 7. Appeal League Commissioner will hear any appeals on protest decisions Appeal must be based on procedure issues only, not to dispute the committee’s decision League Commission’s ruling will be deemed final
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 32 of 32
PEGASUS SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION
2017 Competitive Division Rules and Regulations
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 1 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Article I. General .........................................................................................................4 1.01
PSSA Defined .........................................................................................................4
1.02
Member Defined....................................................................................................4
1.03
Rules Defined ........................................................................................................4
Article II. Eligibility ......................................................................................................4 2.01
Eligibility................................................................................................................4
Article III. Membership ................................................................................................4 3.01
Dues/Fees..............................................................................................................4
3.02
Forms ....................................................................................................................5
Article IV. Disqualification and Suspension ..................................................................5 4.01
Acts Resulting in Disqualification ............................................................................5
4.02
Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................6
Article V. Rosters.........................................................................................................6 5.01
Player Limit............................................................................................................6
5.02
Roster Completion/Deadlines ................................................................................6
5.03
Released Player .....................................................................................................7
5.04
Select Teams ..........................................................................................................8
Article VI. Schedule .....................................................................................................8 6.01
Schedule ................................................................................................................8
6.02
Forfeits ..................................................................................................................9
6.03
Opening Day Ceremony..........................................................................................9
6.04
Postponements / Cancellations ..............................................................................9
6.05
Time Limit............................................................................................................ 10
Article VII. Competition ............................................................................................. 10 7.01
Divisional Alignment ............................................................................................ 10
7.02
Player Ratings ...................................................................................................... 11
7.03
Tiebreakers .......................................................................................................... 11
7.04
NAGAAA World Series League Team Representation ............................................ 12
7.05
Lineups ................................................................................................................ 13
7.06
Game Balls........................................................................................................... 13
7.07
Bats ..................................................................................................................... 13
7.08
Courtesy Runner .................................................................................................. 14
7.09
Pitching ............................................................................................................... 15
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 2 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.10
Batting................................................................................................................. 15
7.11
Home Run Limits .................................................................................................. 15
7.12
Run Rules ............................................................................................................ 16
7.13
Pick-up Players .................................................................................................... 17
Article VIII. Uniforms ................................................................................................. 17 8.01
Uniforms ............................................................................................................. 17
8.02
Cleats .................................................................................................................. 17
Article IX. End of Season Tournament (EOS) ............................................................... 17 9.01
Qualification ........................................................................................................ 17
9.02
Procedure ............................................................................................................ 17
9.03
Seeding................................................................................................................ 18
9.04
Time Limit............................................................................................................ 18
9.05
Home Team ......................................................................................................... 18
9.06
Forfeits ................................................................................................................ 18
9.07
Officiating ............................................................................................................ 18
Article X. Outside Participation ................................................................................. 18 10.01
League Fundraising Events ............................................................................... 18
10.02
Individual Team Fundraising Events .................................................................. 20
10.03
Extra Innings .................................................................................................... 20
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................. 21 Definitions ....................................................................................................................... 21 Ratings Procedures – Regular Season................................................................................ 22 Ratings Protest Procedures – End of Season Tournament .................................................. 29
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 3 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Article I. General 1.01 PSSA Defined (a)
PSSA is a slow pitch softball league.
1.02 Member Defined (a)
PSSA is a member in good standing of the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA), and as such, subscribes to their policies, goals and rules for softball unless specifically stated otherwise in our by-laws.
1.03 Rules Defined (a)
Rules of play shall be those adopted by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and NAGAAA unless stated otherwise in these Rules.
Article II. Eligibility 2.01 Eligibility (a)
Participants must be an amateur as defined in “Definitions” of the Appendix.
(b)
Participants must be 18 years of age on or before the first scheduled day of play of the current season
(c)
Participants who play in multiple NAGAAA GSWS eligible leagues must declare which league will be their primary GSWS eligible league during registration or they will be deemed ineligible for the GSWS.
Article III. Membership 3.01 Dues/Fees Membership dues are payable on a date as annually determined by the Board of Officers as follows: TEAM REGISTRATION (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
No two teams may be registered with the exact same team name.
Page 4 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(b)
Coaches will register their team online using the leagues online Spring registration tab located on the following site: www.dallaspssa.org Contact the league secretary at [email protected] if you have questions.
(c)
Coaches will prepare the online team roster under the teams registration tab for his or her players that have registered online AND paid their annual member dues online.
(d)
Coaches will submit, to the treasurer, the completed online form referred above of the players on the roster.
MEMBER/PLAYER REGISTRATION (a)
Member/player registration will be done online including payment of member’s league dues online during the registration process. Upon registration the member will provide his/her coach notification that he/she has registered online.
(b)
Each individual player must register themselves, including agreeing to all documentation required by the board. Coaches may not register for the players.
(c)
Fees are non-refundable and are not transferrable to another member in accordance with Section 4.07 of the PSSA by-laws.
3.02 Forms (a)
Members are required to complete all required League documents as presented on the league’s online Spring registration website at www.dallaspssa.org
(b)
Coaches must submit team rosters along with all required documents to the League Secretary on or before a date as specified by the Board.
Article IV. Disqualification and Suspension 4.01 Acts Resulting in Disqualification The following is a list of acts, any of which may be justification for suspension or disqualification of any player or team: (a) Revised on 2/19/16
Unsportsmanlike conduct.
Page 5 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(b)
Physical violence of any kind against players, spectators or umpires while participating in practice, league or tournament competition and presenting themselves as a member of PSSA.
(c)
Players participating under an assumed name, falsifying affidavits or roster or intentionally giving incorrect information to League officers will be considered as committing fraud and disciplined as such.
(d)
Participating while knowing he, or his team, does not meet the eligibility requirements of PSSA.
(e)
Knowingly competing with players that have been suspended and are ineligible from participating in League play.
(f)
Teams forfeiting three or more games during regular season play may be disqualified from further competition.
(g)
Use of equipment during league play that is deemed illegal by NAGAAA or PSSA. (See Article 7.07 – Bats)
4.02 Jurisdiction If a team or player is disciplined for any of the above, they are disqualified and cease to be eligible to compete in League play, League conducted tournaments or tournaments conducted or sanctioned by NAGAAA while disqualified by NAGAAA or PSSA.
Article V. Rosters 5.01 Player Limit (a)
Each team shall be composed of a minimum of ten (10) and not more than sixteen (16) playing members and four (4) non-playing members.
(b)
A player's name may not appear on more than one (1) roster at a time.
5.02 Roster Completion/Deadlines (a)
Each coach/manager must electronically submit their initial League roster and NAGAAA rating roster by the Spring League Meeting along with any additional forms/information required.
(b)
All information indicated on the roster must be completed as specified by PSSA.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 6 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(c)
Rosters may be amended between the Spring league meeting and the freeze date set by the board. Rosters for each day of play are due on the Thursday prior to that weekend at 5 PM. Roster changes after that deadline will not be in force until the following week.
(d)
Failure to comply with roster deadlines may result in an assessed late fee of $100, forfeits and suspension from all League activities until such fee is paid and the roster is received.
(e)
After the freeze date, teams may petition the board for a waiver to amend their roster should circumstances deem it necessary. The following criteria must be met in order to adjust rosters at that time:
Any new players must be able to qualify to play in the EOS and GSWS under PSSA and NAGAAA guidelines The team’s roster must have 10 or fewer players A team with 8-10 players on their roster may add a maximum of 2 new players to their roster. A team with 7 or fewer remaining players may add as many as are needed to get back to 10 players, but may not go above 10 players.
(f)
Once Board approval is granted, amended rosters for the team, plus any other appropriate documentation, must be submitted to the Secretary of the League by 5 pm on the Thursday prior to the next regular scheduled game.
(g)
After opening day, players in Competitive may not transfer to another Competitive Division team, only to a Recreational Division team, and no player may transfer between teams more than once during a season.
(h)
Before a new player is eligible to participate in League competition, all requirements for membership must be met. The coach must submit all information and funds owed for that player as well as submit an amended roster and all appropriate documents to the League Secretary indicating the addition or deletion of players by 5 pm on the Thursday prior to the next scheduled game.
5.03 Released Player (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
A hearing before the Board of Officers may be requested within forty-eight (48) hours of release by any player who feels they have been released without due cause. Page 7 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(b)
Should the Board rule in favor of the player he/she may continue to play for their original team; but, playing time and other factors will still be controlled by the coach of the team.
5.04 Select Teams (a)
Invitation only teams will be operated by the league as additional games for participants. Intended to get exposure at a higher level for players on the border between divisions in terms of skill.
(b)
Invites will be extended in 2017 by asking coaches to nominate players on their own teams for inclusion.
(c)
(i)
In 2018 and beyond, invites would be given to the players voted in as all-stars from the previous season with any additional roster spots filled by invitations from the commissioner and ratings chairs.
(ii)
Teams would by populated on a voluntary basis, with players having the option to participate or not once they have been invited.
(iii)
Stats and skills shown in select team games would be inadmissible in ratings committee meetings. These games are not intended to be used towards ratings in any fashion.
Each division, excluding A and Rec, would have a select team that plays in a schedule matrix against the next division up (D Select plays Lower C teams, Lower C Select plays Upper C teams, etc.). (i)
They will be scheduled to play up to 6 games with games being considered an exhibition game for both teams.
(ii)
Forfeits for regular teams will count in the standings to encourage teams to play these games.
Article VI. Schedule 6.01 Schedule (a)
A schedule of League games will be displayed on the web site and distributed to all team coaches at least seven (7) days prior to the start of League play.
(b)
The schedule will list time, date and location of each game.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 8 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(c)
In the event of team additions or deletions, weather conditions and field availability, etc. adjustments to the schedule may be made periodically as deemed necessary. Notices will be displayed on the web site and it is the coach/manager’s responsibility to check for any changes, etc.
(d)
All teams will play all other teams within their division the same number of times. Any additional games will be viewed as exhibition games that do not count in league standings and will be clearly marked on the schedule as such.
6.02 Forfeits (a)
Scheduled game time is forfeit time. Any team not able to field nine (9) players by the scheduled starting time of their game shall forfeit the game with a score of 7-0. (See section 7.13 regarding pickup players.)
(b)
In the event the previous game runs overtime, the starting time shall be assumed as the time at which the previous game ends.
(c)
If teams have to move from one field to another in back to back games, the start time of the game on the second field will be delayed 5 minutes after the end of the game on the first field to allow the arriving team to occupy the dugout and create a lineup card.
6.03 Opening Day Ceremony (a)
Opening day will vary from season to season to coincide with the beginning of League play. All teams are requested to appear in uniform for Opening Ceremony as scheduled.
6.04 Postponements / Cancellations (a)
In the event a game is postponed or cancelled for any reason, every effort will be made to reschedule the game(s) at the corresponding times designated on the playing schedule.
(b)
In the event there are no available time-slots due to multiple games being affected, it may be necessary to reschedule only games that will ultimately affect the order of teams in the final League standings.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 9 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(c)
The decision to cancel or delay the start of games due to inclement weather before the first scheduled game time will be made by the Assistant Commissioner and/or City/Field representatives.
(d)
Umpires will make the decision to postpone or cancel games in progress.
(e)
Coaches/managers should check the PSSA rainout hotline and/or the web site for any early announcements of time changes for games.
(f)
In the event of unusual circumstances, the Assistant Commissioner will be responsible for contacting all team coaches/managers.
6.05 Time Limit (a)
A time limit will be in effect for regular League play. No inning will start after 55 minutes from the actual starting time of the game.
(b)
A game will be considered as complete if four (4) full innings have been played (or three and a half (3 ½) innings if the home team is ahead) should it become necessary to postpone a game before 55 minutes has passed.
Article VII. Competition 7.01 Divisional Alignment (a)
Teams will play within the NAGAAA defined divisions plus a “Lower C” division.
(b)
Standings will be based on winning percentage for games played within your defined division only.
(c)
For the End of Season Tournament the league shall be divided into four (5) divisions (A, B, Upper C, Lower C and D) in adherence to the current NAGAAA 27-point rating system using the total of the ten (10) highest individual rating scores.
Revised on 2/19/16
(i)
“A” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 170+ OR that has any individual player whose rating is 20 or greater
(ii)
“B” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 175 or lower and has individual players whose ratings are 19 and lower Page 10 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(iii)
“Upper C” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 135 or lower and has individual players whose ratings are 14 and lower
(iv)
“Lower C” division teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 115 or lower and has individual players whose ratings are 13 14 and lower
(v)
“D” teams will be those teams with an aggregate rating total of 0-95 AND which has no individual player whose rating is greater than 10.
7.02 Player Ratings (a)
All players will be rated based on the approved NAGAAA 27 point rating standard. Ratings must be submitted to the Commissioner by the date stated in Appendix: Ratings Procedures.
(b)
Player ratings may be challenged based on the Ratings Procedures and Ratings Protest Procedures located in the Appendix.
7.03 Tiebreakers (a)
(b)
During regular season play, if time has run out, games may end in a tie with home team getting the last at bat. Standings will be based on: (i)
The head to head win/loss record of the teams involved in the tie
(ii)
Then the run differential within head to head results of all of the tied teams
(iii)
Then coin flips
During EOS tournament, NAGAAA World Series rules will be followed and the International Tiebreaker rule will be utilized. (i)
A new inning shall be played with the visiting team placing 1)
Revised on 2/19/16
Its’ final batter from the previous inning on second base and then completing the half inning as usual.
(ii)
The home team shall follow the same format.
(iii)
If, after one (1) full inning the score remains tied, teams will follow this format until runs scored declare a winner.
Page 11 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.04 NAGAAA World Series League Team Representation (a)
NAGAAA allots berths to the GSWS based on the size of a league for the current season. Berths will be allotted relative to the makeup of the League divisions as decided annually by the Board of Directors.
(b)
Teams representing PSSA at the annual GSWS will be determined as follows: (i)
All available GSWS berths will be awarded based on the order of finish in the End of Season Tournament for each division
(ii)
In the event a qualifier cannot field a team, the berth will be offered to the next highest EOS finisher in order with seed used to break any ties until all berths are satisfied
(c)
The End of Season Tournament will be open to all Competitive Division PSSA teams, in accordance with the stipulations above.
(d)
Teams will not be permitted to accept a bid to the GSWS in any division other than the one in which they declared to be in and finished the regular season.
(e)
Teams will play only those teams in their division as outlined in 7.01.
(f)
To qualify to play in the EOS tournament, a player must have participated in a minimum of 50% of the regular League games in the current PSSA season. Players must also meet any qualifications set forth in the NAGAAA World Series guidelines.
(g)
Teams that do not achieve a GSWS bid in accordance with the above stated terms will not go to the GSWS. (June 2008 - If these events should occur the Board will convene to further discuss the allotment of berths as the current Board does not favor the idea of sending less than two (2) teams per division regardless of finish.)
(h)
Teams whose ratings deem them to be an A team are allowed unlimited berths to the Series.
(i)
All funds collected on behalf of the teams allotted berths to the World Series as previously designated will be divided equally between the teams attending, including the Master’s team and one addition qualified team to be drawn at the awards banquet.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 12 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.05 Lineups (a)
An official lineup sheet must be submitted to the scorekeeper for the field with copies to the home plate umpire and the opposing team clearly listing the first and last names of all starting players, substitutions and jersey numbers ten (10) minutes before the scheduled start of the game. If proper names are not included on the lineup card, the team will not be permitted to take the field and will result in a game forfeit. The top copy of the lineup sheet must be submitted for each game. Duplicate and/or carbon copies of lineup sheets are not permitted and will result in a forfeit.
(b)
Changes to the lineup sheet after the official lineup has been submitted must be made to the home plate umpire at the time of the change.
(c)
Late arrivals may be added up until the first pitch of the top of the 3rd inning.
(d)
Coaches/managers from both teams must sign the score sheet with the scorekeeper for that field to verify score and player participation at the conclusion of each game.
(e)
After all completion of play the official lineup sheets and score sheets shall be collected by the League Secretary for the purpose of recording player participation.
7.06 Game Balls (a)
PSSA will use 12” restricted flight core .52, 300 compression, optic yellow softballs as adopted by NAGAAA. The league will provide the game balls.
7.07 Bats (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
All bats for PSSA league play will be provided by PSSA via a picka-stick format. (i)
No bat other than those provided by PSSA may be used in league play at any time.
(ii)
Two bat types (end loaded and balanced) will be provided with three weights of each type (typically 26, 27 and 28 ounces).
Page 13 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Bats will be secured and delivered to each field by the Competition Coordinator, other board member, UIC or Park Manager only. 1)
Bats will be placed in a bucket near home plate and will be returned to that bucket after use.
2)
Umpires will be responsible for bats between games to ensure no one uses, removes or switches any bats and will return the bucket to the Competition Coordinator or other board member at the end of their games each day.
3)
Should a bat break or be deemed illegal during game play, that bat will be replaced by a bat of the same style and weight from the PSSA set of bats for the remainder of play.
While league bats are on the field: 1)
No league bat may be taken into a dugout at any time. Any player taking a league bat into a dugout will be immediately ejected from the game and brought before the ethics committee.
2)
Any player bringing a foreign bat onto the field of play or into their dugout will be immediately ejected from the game and brought before the ethics committee.
A player/team discovered using any unapproved bat will be subjected to the following penalties: 1)
The team will be required to forfeit the game.
2)
Player will be ejected for the following game.
3)
Player will be brought before the Ethics Committee.
7.08 Courtesy Runner (a)
During league play one (1) courtesy runner is allowed per team each inning.
(b)
The courtesy runner may be any player listed on the lineup card for that game.
(c)
A courtesy runner is considered in the game when the runner touches the base.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 14 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(d)
If the courtesy runner is on base at the time of their at-bat, the batter will be called out.
(e)
All other game rules will remain the same for the courtesy runner.
(f)
For EOS Tournament courtesy runners will be allowed under the same guidelines.
7.09 Pitching (a)
For both league and EOS play we will start with a 1-1 count with one courtesy foul.
(b)
We will also play with pitch height defined as 6’ to 12’ and not adopt the change implemented by ASA.
7.10 Batting (a)
(b)
During league play: (i)
A team may bat all roster players up to a maximum of sixteen (16).
(ii)
All players actively participating in play that will not be starting in fielding positions must be clearly identified on the line-up sheets as “extra hitters.”
(iii)
Substitutes must also be listed on line-up sheets and identified accordingly. (All players listed must be present at the field at the time line-up is submitted.)
(iv)
In the event a team bats all eligible roster players and a player is subsequently injured or must leave before the game is concluded, that player is considered as an out at each missed batting opportunity.
For EOS Tournament, batting is limited to eleven (11) players.
7.11 Home Run Limits A home run will be defined as any fair ball that goes over the fence unassisted by a defensive player. (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
A - 4-6 per game (i)
Each team is allowed four (4) home runs.
(ii)
Once both teams have reached four (4), either team may hit a fifth (5th).
Page 15 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(iii)
The team with five (5) home runs may not hit another until the other team has hit its fifth (5th).
(iv)
After that, both teams may hit a sixth (6th).
(v)
Home runs will be limited to six (6) for either team.
(vi)
Home runs above the limit, in any of these cases, constitute an out.
(vii)
No team will be allowed to hit a game-winning walk-off homerun.
(b)
B – 2 per game (additional over the fence, unassisted home runs result in an inning ending out)
(c)
C – 1 per game (additional over the fence, unassisted home runs result in an inning ending out)
(d)
D – 0 (An over the fence, unassisted home run will be an inning ending out.)
7.12 Run Rules (a)
(b)
Revised on 2/19/16
The following run rule will be in effect: (i)
20 runs ahead after 3 innings
(ii)
15 runs ahead after 4 innings
(iii)
10 runs ahead after 5 innings
The flip flop rule will be used as follows: (i)
If at the start of an inning, the run rule for that particular inning is exceeded and the home team is losing, the home team will stay up to bat and bat as the visiting team.
(ii)
If, after three outs, they were not able to reduce the run difference, the game will be over.
(iii)
If they are able to reduce the run differences, the visiting team will come up to bat as the home team and continue the game as normal with home and away reversed for the remainder of the game (or until a flip back is required by this same rule).
Page 16 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
7.13 Pick-up Players (a)
(b)
During league play: (i)
In the event a team has only eight (8) roster players for a regular season game, to avoid a forfeit that team may pick up one (1) player from another team within or lower than their same division making a total of nine (9) with the tenth (10th) batting position being an automatic out.
(ii)
If the team has a ninth (9th) roster player arrive after play has begun, the roster player may be added to the line-up but may only be substituted in for the pick-up player.
(iii)
Rules such as jersey color, permanent, non-duplicate numbers, etc. all still apply.
During EOS tournament: (i)
There are no pick-up players.
Article VIII. Uniforms 8.01 Uniforms (a)
Players are required to appear at each game in full uniform. Full uniform means like-colored jerseys with permanent, non-duplicated clearly visible numbers.
8.02 Cleats (a)
No metal cleats will be worn in PSSA play.
Article IX. End of Season Tournament (EOS) 9.01 Qualification (a)
Players must have met all PSSA and NAGAAA eligibility requirements to participate in the End of Season Tournament.
9.02 Procedure (a)
Revised on 2/19/16
The procedure for the End of Season Tournament will be a double elimination bracket.
Page 17 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
9.03 Seeding (a)
Seeding will be based on overall won/loss record for games played against teams within your league defined division with ties broken as described in 7.03(a).
(b)
EXCEPTION: If a team changes divisions due to a change in the team’s final ratings, that team will be seeded using only divisional games, if any have been played. Otherwise, it will be seeded as last in the division.
9.04 Time Limit
ASA and NAGAAA GSWS rules will be in effect for the PSSA League playoffs with the following exceptions: (a)
All games will be played with a fifty-five (55) minute time limit.
9.05 Home Team (a)
The higher seed will always be home team, with the exception of the championship game where the winner’s bracket champion will be designated home team. The “if game” will be a coin toss.
9.06 Forfeits (a)
If a team is required to forfeit a game due to lack of sufficient number of players, the game will be counted as a loss for that team. If it is their first loss, they will move to the loser’s bracket. If it is their second loss, they will exit the tournament.
9.07 Officiating (a)
During the End of Season Tournament, games will have two (2) umpires officiating.
(b)
During all league and EOS play, no coach or player currently in the league may umpire any league or EOS game.
Article X. Outside Participation 10.01 League Fundraising Events To enable a team (excluding Masters) to secure proceeds from league fundraisers for the annual Gay Softball World Series, PSSA requires each team:
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 18 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
(a)
(b)
Have a minimum of 70% from the current team roster on file with the Secretary of the League in attendance at each of the three designated fundraising events. (i)
Sign in will be available for 2 hours after the start of the event. After two hours, sign in will close and no additional sign ins will be accepted.
(ii)
Each player is allotted one (1) player buy-out of one (1) fundraising event per season. (A player buy-out is considered to be one (1) fee paid to the League per player being bought out)
(iii)
Each team is limited to three (3) player buy-outs per event.
(iv)
If a team buys-out a player for a particular event, that player is counted as present and the team receives credit for the player’s participation.
Must participate as a performer in either Miss PSSA or Switch Hitters with a minimum of half of the league participating in each event. (i)
(ii)
Revised on 2/19/16
Registration for the two events will opened at a time designated by the board and will be open on a first come first served basis until one event is filled. 1)
All teams not registered once one of the two events reaches capacity, must participate in the other event.
2)
Teams wishing to participate in both events may do so at their will, but must sign up for one or the other as the required event.
Six total team buyouts will be available for purchase at the time of registration. 1)
Team buyouts are first come first served and will cost $500 with payment due at the time of registration.
2)
Once all 6 have been claimed, teams may request to be put on a waiting list for a Team buyout.
3)
Should a team’s payment not clear the bank, the buyout will be rejected with that team being required to perform at one of the two events and the next team in line on the waiting list will be offered the buyout.
Page 19 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
4)
Teams who buyout will not be required to perform, but will still be required to meet the 70% attendance as outlined in point 10.01(a) above.
10.02 Individual Team Fundraising Events (a)
Teams holding fundraising events may submit a request to the Public Relations Coordinator to advertise their event on the PSSA web site two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled date.
(b)
The League Secretary will no longer forward this information for individual teams/sponsors.
10.03 Extra Innings (a)
Teams may sponsor one (1) “Extra Innings” fundraisers to be held at a specified location of their choice.
(b)
Upon request made to the Assistant Commissioner, these events will be scheduled upon availability and in relation to the games scheduled.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 20 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
APPENDIX Definitions 1. Amateur: Player who engages in the sport solely for pleasure and physical, mental or social benefits derived there from. Players considered to have ever played in a professional capacity or who has been paid to participate in play will not be eligible to participate in PSSA League play. 2. Boundaries of the League: Shall include players residing within the North Central Texas Region as set forth in the PSSA By-laws. 3. Disqualified player: A person who has been disqualified from play in events promoted or conducted by PSSA or by NAGAAA. 4. Non-resident Petition: Any player not living in the designated territory as set forth in the PSSA by-laws may submit a written request to the Board asking permission for an exception to be made allowing them to play in PSSA as a non-resident player. There will be a maximum of two (2) non-resident players per team. 5. Team: Includes all members listed on a league roster (i.e. coaches, managers, players and non-players). 6. Unsportsmanlike conduct: Action that is detrimental or unbecoming to the purposes and objectives of PSSA. Also called unsporting behavior or ungentlemanly conduct, a foul or offense in many sports that violates the sport’s generally accepted rules of sportsmanship and participant conduct. Examples include verbal abuse or taunting of an opponent, an excessive celebration following a scoring play, or feigning injury.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 21 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Ratings Procedures – Regular Season 1. Starting point All players will start with the most recent rating in the NAGAAA database going back to 2014. This includes players who played for PSSA, as well as any other NAGAAA member association. Players with a rating from 2010-2013 may make adjustments to their rating, but any changes will be flagged and reviewed at a ratings committee meeting. Players who do not have a rating from 2010-2016 from any NAGAAA city may start with a new rating. Players who’s rating was increased on question 21 and/or 22 during the 2016 Spring season may move those questions back to no. Any rating being moved to no, however, will automatically be added for consideration as an increase at the first ratings meeting of the season. A list of the players will be provided for league reference prior to the season. There is no allowance for a player being on roster in a lower competitive division than the one(s) which the player qualifies (i.e. player with rating of 11 or greater cannot be on D team). Team coaches will submit Opening Day Rating Rosters the league at the league meeting with your roster, player fees and team fee. Players added to the roster after this date must also include an amended ratings roster. Failure to submit rating rosters by the deadline will result in that team forfeiting game(s) on schedule until all paperwork has been received and/or fines levied by the board. PSSA Commissioner will confirm all ratings for all returning players, whether they are current / former PSSA members or players transferring from other NAGAAA associations. Differences will be sent back to the coach for his/her reference however the rating in the database will be used unless the coach can prove that the database is incorrect. The coach has until 5 PM on the Friday before Opening Day to address inconsistent ratings. If not addressed by then the rating in the database will be used. The rating confirmed by
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 22 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
the Commissioner will be deemed as the official starting point for each player. 2. A Ratings Advisory Council, unaffiliated with the division they advise, will be responsible for submitting questions to the Coach’s Ratings Committee. Composed of 5-8 B/C players (responsible for watching D) and 5-8 D players (responsible for watching C & B) with strong ratings system knowledge. Council members may not coach or play within the division they are responsible for watching. Each council member must submit a minimum of 1 question for increase to each Ratings Committee agenda. Total questions permitted from each council member will be restricted to 5 per agenda. Submissions must be conducted via a completed submission form including player name, team, question and a statement documenting the evidence supporting the submission of that question. Incomplete forms will be sent back to the submitting party to be completely filled out and resubmitted with no extensions to the submission deadline. The name of the council member submitting each question will remain confidential and anonymous. Each council must watch all teams over the course of the season, not just top end players or teams within the division. New players to the league will be flagged and watched by the council before the first ratings committee meeting. 3. Coach’s Ratings Committee All ratings changes will be discussed and voted on by the Ratings Committee. Ratings Committee votes will be submitted to the Board for confirmation the process was followed correctly. Ratings changes become effective after Board Approval. The Ratings Chair for each division (or someone assigned by the ratings chair) will compile agenda items for the Ratings Committee meetings. Committees will meet as a separate D Division, C Division and B Division committee. Revised on 2/19/16
Page 23 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
The B Division Committee will include a representative from each B team plus the 8 board members not including the commissioner. For B, the commissioner will confirm that the process was followed instead of the entire board. Rating Review requests may be submitted by any of the following parties: o The player wishing to have his own rating changed, o Ratings Chair for that division or any board member, o A member of the ratings advisory council, o The player’s coach or any coach wanting an opposing team player’s skills reviewed. No ratings request (increase, voluntary increase or decrease) may be withdrawn once it is submitted. The full process must be followed once it has been submitted to the Ratings Chair. If a player and /or coach submits a request to have specific questions discussed at the Ratings Committee meeting in order to amend the rating of player on their own team (by emailing the Ratings Chair at [email protected]), the player must consent to the request being added to the ratings agenda. The email shall contain the player’s name, the question under review and reason for review. A team can collectively submit up to three (3) questions to be lowered without charge during the season and are limited to seven (7) total decrease requests. Questions submitted by board members or ratings chairs do not count towards the 7 question limit. If more than three questions are submitted the team will be charged as follows: Number of Questions Submitted to be Lowered 0-3 4-7
Cost Free $25 per question
No rating will be reviewed until all fees are paid to the league treasurer. Requests can be submitted prior to Opening Day. Decrease requests may only be filed once per season per player/question.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 24 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Any decrease requests for questions 23-26 must be accompanied by a copy of the team’s current books for the season as supporting evidence. Players and coaches who believe their players’ ratings should be increased can voluntarily increase their rating throughout the season. If player, coach and RC Chair for that division (or Commissioner if the increase is for a team that the RC Chair coaches or plays) agree with increase, the rating will be changed and take effect immediately after Board approval. There is no limit to the number of questions that a team can ask to voluntarily increase. These questions do not go through the Coach’s Ratings Committee. They only require board approval. Once approved by the Board the rating can only be lowered by going through the normal Ratings Committee process. To have an item added to the agenda for an opposing player the opposing coach shall complete a submission form and send it to the rating’s chair asking for a specific question to be is added to the agenda. The submission form shall contain the player’s name, question under review and rationale supporting the review. Items submitted by the Ratings Chair or a Board Member shall follow the same process. Incomplete forms will be sent back to the submitting party to be completely filled out and resubmitted with no extensions to the submission deadline. Increases on opposing teams may only be filed once per season by the person filing the request. This does not prevent other coaches or board members from filing the same question in subsequent meetings or as a protest in the EOS. In the event that reviews are submitted for a team on which the Ratings Chair plays or coaches, all Ratings Chair duties for those reviews will shift to the League Assistant Commissioner, then Secretary if needed. Coaches may assign a player on their team to represent the Coach if he or she is absent. Current Board members, Ratings Chair for the division in question and Commissioner who are also coaches may not vote on the Ratings Committee regarding ratings changes. All voting members should have solid knowledge of the ratings system.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 25 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Any rating change that results in a player being able to play in a lower division must also obtain consent from the board via a majority vote for that change. The following items will be the procedural process. To the extent any issues arise which are not addressed below the Rating’s Chair and Commissioner create procedural items however those will be used in a consistent manner through the rest of the season. o Ratings agenda items must be submitted 14 days or more in advance of the Ratings Committee meeting. o Ratings Chair will send the agenda to the coaches at least 24 hours in advance of the next game day to enable coaches two weekends to watch the players in question. Agenda will include the following for each submitted question: player name, player’s team, question submitted, increase or decrease. Agenda WILL NOT include the following: filing party, player’s current total rating, team’s current total rating o The Ratings Chair will act as an impartial and neutral facilitator of the ratings process only and will conduct the meeting in that capacity. o Rating’s questions will be addressed in numeric order starting with Question 1 and ending with Question 27. o Each team will receive one vote; however, a team will not vote on any issues relating to their own player. One player, voting proxy and other representative is allowed to be present from each team. Teams may request additional people in the room by emailing the Ratings Chair in advance of the meeting. o No one person may vote for more than one team in a committee but may represent multiple teams if they are in separate council meetings. o Ballots will be anonymous, however we will use a secret numbering system to track voting irregularities, while ensuring confidentiality of votes. Ballots will be numbered by the amount of registered teams.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 26 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Each voting team will be provided ballots randomly at each coach’s council to avoid others from learning your number. Only the Coach & Protest Chair will know to whom that number is assigned. The Secretary is permitted to see ballots for the purposes of counting votes only. Voting patterns will be analyzed by the Ratings Chair’s only, with any voting irregularities flagged by the Ratings Chair and addressed with the Commissioner only. o Ratings changes will be effective with a majority of votes cast to increase a rating or 2/3s or more of votes cast to decrease a rating. Non-votes or abstentions do not factor into the formula. Votes required will be rounded to the nearest vote. o The Ratings Chair or person running the meeting shall have the right to remove any person from the room if their behavior is disruptive to the process. That team losses their voting right for any questions discussed after removal. o Coach’s Ratings Committee will meet on the following nights: A/B Divisions – 5/4 & 6/22 Upper C Division – 5/2 & 6/20 Lower C & D Divisions – 5/3 & 6/21 4. Impact of Ratings Changes If a player’s rating is increased by three or more points during the ratings review process or if the team’s ratings exceed the maximum amount of points for that division after increased points are added, that team shall forfeit all games the player was on the team’s roster regardless of whether they played in the game. If a player or team is pushed over the limit for their division, they must make the appropriate changes to their roster prior to the next game being played or move up to the division their roster fits. Ultimately, responsibility for ratings falls on both the coach who submits them and the league as a whole. Any team that incurs fines via protests at the GSWS will be responsible for paying half of those fines back to the league (with the league responsible for the other half). The protested player and the coach on that team’s roster will Revised on 2/19/16
Page 27 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
not be permitted to participate in the league until payment of their portion of the fines has been made. 5. Rating Roster Distribution Rating rosters will be distributed to each coach in each division for review on Opening Day. Amended rosters will be distributed on Friday prior to each week of play and will include any changes once they are approved. 6. Arbitration In the event a player feels his/her rating review was not handled properly, the player may approach the Board to discuss any possible grievances. That meeting will be scheduled at a place and time to be determined based upon need. Please note that, as outlined above, a Board member serving on a Coaches’ Review Council will not be allowed to serve as an arbitrator. Commissioner has veto ability throughout the process to make sure integrity is upheld at all times. Commissioner will serve as final authority in all ratings decisions.
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 28 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Ratings Protest Procedures – End of Season Tournament 1. Ratings Protest - Starting point A Protest Committee will rule on all protest regarding player ratings Protest Committee is a standing committee whose members must meet all requirements in PSSA bylaws Ratings protests may be filed during the EOS Tournament 2. Protest Committee Chairperson Commissioner shall appoint, subject to Board approval, a Protest Committee Chairperson who will be in charge of all protest proceedings during league play as well as during the EOS Tournament PC Chair will assemble a Protest Committee after a protest has been filed PC Chair will explain and distribute the procedure to be followed prior to the start of the protest hearing 3. Protest Committee Composition a. Protest Committee will be comprised on members of the Coaches’ Council or their named replacement b. PC members will review protests filed in any division except the one they coach/play c. A maximum of one (1) representative from each team will be allowed d. No player or coach involved in the protest may sit on the PC e. No Board member may sit on PC f. A minimum of five (5) PC members shall constitute a quorum Scheduling a. PC Chair will convene the PC for purposes of hearing the evidence/arguments of a protest at an assigned time and place as best fits schedule of play b. PC members must be present and available to hear the entire protest c. PC members will render its decision immediately after hearing evidence/arguments Revised on 2/19/16
Page 29 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
4. Filing a Protest a. Protests for challenging ratings may only be filed by a team’s designated coach or manager b. Protests must be filed with Assistant Commissioner, Competition Coordinator, or PC Chair while a game is being played. The protest must be filed during the game being played by protested party c. Protests cannot be filed on a player for same question after a previous protest attempt has been made. A single protest may be filed against a player for a skill was reviewed through the Ratings Review process d. When filing a protest, the protesting party must identify the player(s) being protested and the specific question from the Players Rating Guide from the NAGAAA Softball Code appendix 2 e. A CASH protest fee must be posted at the same time the protest is filed i. During EOS Tournament, protest filing fee is $100 with an additional $20 per question f. Handling fees: i. If all questions of the protest are upheld, all fees are returned ii. If all questions of the protest are denied, all fees are forfeited iii. If the protest results in a split decision, then the amount of fees proportionate to the total upheld to those received will be returned 5. Protest Hearings Time and place of hearing will be scheduled as quickly as possible. During league play, hearings can be held at end of the day if needed. During EOS Tournament play, hearing will have to be conducted prior to the start of any game which could be affected by the outcome of the hearing. Notes for all PC hearings will be taken and sent to PC Chair as soon as possible. The notes will then be transferred to League Secretary and placed in League records
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 30 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
Player ratings rosters and RC report(s) will be available to PC for their use. It is STRONGLY encouraged that protested player be available to answer PC member questions, if they should have any Protests are to be evidenced-based. Scorebooks and personal observations are allowed The protesting party begins by laying out the basis for the protest, presenting the specifics regarding player(s) skills and why they believe the player rating is in error Protested team /player will then be allowed to refute the arguments After both parties have presented their evidence, PC members may ask questions, review books and RC reports to gather information they need to discuss the protest PC may choose to ask both parties to leave for a few minutes to allow them to discuss findings amongst themselves Voting will be anonymous but taken in clear view of all parties. Votes will be counted in front of parties and results will be announced immediately. Any change to a player’s rating will be reported to league Commissioner and immediately becomes that player’s rating. 6. Automatic penalties During End of Season Tournament a. If the protest results in a player(s) rating change of 1 point that does not cause the player(s) or team to move up a competitive division i. The results of the protested game stands (W-L) ii. Player rating is changed and team total reflects that change immediately iii. Player and team can compete in the same competitive division with no further penalty b. If the protest results in a player moving up 2 points but the team total allows it to remain: i. The result of the game is a loss by the protested team. (If this is second loss in the tournament, the team is eliminated.) ii. Player is eliminated from EOS Tournament and cannot compete at GSWS on any roster
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 31 of 32
PSSA Rules and Regulations
c. If the protest results in a team having 3 or more questions upheld the team is removed from the Tournament and is not eligible to play in GSWS 7. Appeal League Commissioner will hear any appeals on protest decisions Appeal must be based on procedure issues only, not to dispute the committee’s decision League Commission’s ruling will be deemed final
Revised on 2/19/16
Page 32 of 32
