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General League Information
AFFILIATION
The Sharpsburg A.A.B.C. League, Inc., is affiliated with the American Amateur Baseball
Congress (AABC).The League complies with all the rules and regulations promulgated by the AABC unless local rules have been adopted by the League for regular season play. The local rules adopted by the League are stated within the following sections. In tournament play, rules and regulations of the AABC will prevail over these local rules.
GROUND RULES
These local rules are not to be confused with ground rules of a particular field of play. Any ground rules will be discussed at the beginning of each ball game with the two team managers and all umpires involved.
DEFINITIONS
A.Membership: Any persons in a position of parent or guardian of a child playing in the league, league officers, managers/coaches, scorekeepers, team moms and umpires, are considered a member of the Sharpsburg AABC League.Any person must be 21 years old to be eligible to serve in the position of an officer, official,coordinator, manager, or assistant coach in this League. Any person at least 18 years old may assist the team manager and/or assistant coach, and may be the team scorekeeper.
Umpires must be at least 15 years old with AABC certification.
B.Ballpark: The ballpark is considered ALL of the area inside the entrance gate off of Andrew Bailey Road, to include fields, dugouts, spectator areas, parking lots, etc.
C.Sharpsburg AABC Baseball Board: The elected volunteers who serve the members of the Sharpsburg AABC League. The Board consists in three parts: 1) Executive Board which includes President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. 2) Directors which include Registration, Equipment, Fields, Umpires, Fundraising, Sponsorships,Public Relations, Rules/Regulations and Tournaments. 3) Coordinators which include Age Group Coordinators for each speefic age group.
LEADERSHIP, TRAINING, AND CODE OF ETHICS
ALL League members are considered role model leaders, and are therefore expected to set an outstanding example of good behavior for all players in every age group whenever directly associated with the League program or participating in League activities (reference Constitution, Article 11 Purpose; and By-Laws, Article Vill Representation, sections 7, 8, and 1 0.)
DRUG FREE EXAMPLE
During ball games or practices, there will be no usage, consumption, visible
possession of or influence of nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs while in the ballpark by any League member. Detection of alcohol on the breath of a person while in the ballpark willbe considered usage.
TRAINING
A.The League shall provide nationally recognized training programs for purposes of improving the quality of coaching and League play.
B.A youth coaches training program (certification) shall be held prior to the beginning of regular season play. Each manager and assistant coach shall obtain training and/or to coach in any given year.
C.Responsibility for payment of any required certification fee shall be the responsibity of the person seeking such certification. Additional training may be held as determined by the League.
CODE OF ETHICS
ALL League members (including parents/guardians), shall annually sign a printed copy of the Code of Ethics. All managers and coaches must sign the Code of Ethics to be eligible to coach in any given year.
VIOLATIONS
Any persons violating these standards for the Drug Free Example or the Code of Ethics shall be removed from their coaching and/or leadership position for the remaining duration of regular season play.
APPEALS
Within the Local Rules: There will be no appeals of any situation within the scope of the local rules. All local rules have been reviewed and approved by the League Board of Directors.
Outside the Local Rules: For any situation occurring outside the scope of the local rules, a team manager must present their problem to their Age Group Coordinator for resolution. If unable to resolve the problem, the Age Group Coordinator may ask the appealing manager to present the appeal before the next League Board of Directors meeting for final resolution.
AMENDMENTS
These local rules may be amended only by the League Board of Directors (reference By-Laws,Article Vill Representation, Section 1).
DRAFT AND ASSIGNMENTS
PROOF OF AGE
A copy of the player's birth certificate shall be required at registration as proof of age.
PLAYER REGISTRATION
(4 YEAR OLDS = PRE T-BALL)
This age group shall consist of boys and girls who are 4 years old on or before May
1st of the calendar year in which they are registered to play.
PLAYER REGISTRATION (5-6 YEAR OLDS = T-BALL)
This age group shall consist of boys and girls who are 5 or 6 years old on or before August 1st of the calendar year in which they are registered to play in order to play in AABC tournaments. A child may register to play if he/she is 4 years old by May 1st in order to play in AABC tournaments.
PLAYER REGISTRATION (7 YEARS AND OLDER)
Players must meet the age requirements for that age group on or before May 1st of the calendar year in which they are registered to play. Players may play UP one age group with the consent of the parents and the Board of Directors.
A player may play down in age group if:
a.It is in the best interest of the player for emotional or physical reasons.
b.A two-thirds majority of managers within the affected age group agree to allow the
player to remain within the age group.
c.Final approval is with the Board of Directors.
REGULAR TRYOUTS:
All players moving up in age group, new players to the league, players not a freeze, and those going into the draft, will be required to attend regular tryouts. All players attending tryouts will be placed in an open draft. T-Ball players will not attend regular tryouts as they all will be placed in a open draft. All players attending tryouts will be given a number. That number only will be used to identify that player in the open draft.
Any player not attending regular tryouts, and not otherwise designated, shall be placed in a blind draft.
GENERAL DRAFT RULES
A.Player draft shall be held no less than 2 days, and no more than 7 days after the tryouts.
B.For T-Ball, all players returning to the same age group will be placed on the team they played on the year before. Parents must request, in writing, if they want their child to be placed in the draft instead, with an explanation as to why the child is not returning to the previous year's team. This request will be reviewed by the Board of Directors for approval. This child can not be a freeze, or follow a parent who coaches to another team. However, if the parent chooses to be a MANAGER of an expansion team, he can take his child with him to the new team as a freeze.
C.In the event that a team of players from the previous year does not have any coaches or parents willing to manage the team (a dissolved team), all of the returning children must return to the draft.
D.New players to the league and those moving up in age group, can be a freeze.
E.Younger siblings may be placed on an older siblings team in that age group at the request of the parents, however the younger sibling will be considered a freeze. If this option is NOT requested, the younger child will be placed in the draft. Or, parents may request both children go to the draft and be placed on the same team.
F.In a few cases, there may be players assigned to be drafted with other players, for reasons approved by the Director of Registration. If a manager chooses one of these players in a round, he must also take the second player and take a bye in the next round. This would apply for twins or siblings also. If a manager declines both players selected, he may choose another player in this round without penalty. If in the final round, a manager chooses two players which go together, and exceeds his maximum number of players, he must drop a previous draft pick.
G.All managers and coaches must be designated and assigned a team, prior to draft.
H.There will be no more than 12 players assigned to any one team. However, in T-Ball, 7/8 coach pitch and 13/14 additional players may be added if there are not enough players in that age group to form another team, or not enough managers to coach another team. The maximum allowed by AABC is 15 players per team.
OPEN DRAFT
1.Prior to the start of draft, each manager will receive two rosters to be filled out in duplicate; one for the league and one for his own use. Each manager will receive a list of NUMBERS only, to be used to choose his draft picks, which correlates to the number given to each child at tryouts. In T-ball, where there are no tryouts, each manager will receive a list of the players and their ages to be used to choose his draft picks.
2.Prior to the start of draft, each manager will have assigned the following to his team: all allowable freezes as per that particular age group. The freezes must have been turned in during the required registration period prior to the open draft. Managers who are recruited during or after the registration period, may freeze their own child and the child of an assistant coach if applicable.
3.Prior to the start of the draft, all managers will draw a number, and the teams will be placed on a list with number 1 being first number 2 listed second, etc. This does not mean the number 1 team will pick first in the draft. The order of draft is determined by the following factors:
a.the NUMBER chosen prior to draft.
b.how many PLAYERS are assigned to your team.
c.the DIRECTION of the draft round.
4.Round number one will start from top to bottom, round number two will go from the bottom to the top, round number three will start from the top to the bottom, round number four will start at the bottom to the top, etc. HOWEVER, a manager will not pick in a round until the other managers with FEWER players have equalled him in the number of players assigned to his team. He will receive a BYE in all rounds until the other teams have the same number of players.
5.A manager will choose a number when it is his turn in the draft, at which time the Age Group Coordinator will give him the name and phone number of that child selected. After players are chosen in the open draft, the Age Group Coordinator will start with the blind draft.
BLIND DRAFT
Those players in the blind draft will also be designated by numbers, as in the open draft. When a manager selects a number in the blind draft, the Age Group Coordinator will give the manager a player's name and phone number which was previously assigned by the Director of Registration. The blind draft continues until all players have been selected.
POST DRAFT
A.Managers have 24 hours following draft to finalize a trade, which can only be done with the consent of the parents, both managers involved, the Age Group Coordinator and the Board of Directors. Both managers are responsible to notify the Director of Registration of the trade.
B.Each manager will notify each player of his assignment, and will schedule a meeting/practice within one week of the draft. If a manager is unable to contact a player for any reason, he must notify the Age Group Coordinator.
C.A manager must make every effort to keep all assigned players on his team. No player will be dropped from a team roster without Age Group Coordinator and Board approval. A manager shall notify the Age Group Coordinator whenever a player resigns.
D.In case there are additional players following draft, the Registration Director will assign the add-on players in the same order used in the draft. Managers cannot pick up players after draft to be assigned to his team
UNIFORMS
1. All players on the field shall be consistent in conformity of uniforms. Shirts must be worn with shirt tails tucked inside the pants. Hats must be worn at all time, excluding the catcher.
2. All players on the field shall wear standard Sharpsburg AABC Youth Baseball League issued uniforms only. All jerseys and pants shall be league issued only. Fitted caps, different colored socks and belts shall be consistent in conformity with other players on that team. Socks, hats and belts must be consistent and uniform with team colors.
3. Players must be in league issued uniforms to legally participate in a Sharpsburg AABC Youth Baseball League game. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit and/or disqualification.
4. During a ball game, all managers and first assistant coaches should make every attempt to be consistent in conformity, of the uniform shirt they wear. Managers and Coaches should attempt to wear matching Jerseys like the other coaches of their team.
NOTE: The league understands that there will be occasions that Managers and/or coaches are unable to change their attire prior to a game and therefore it is understood that there shall be no penalty accessed because of Manager or coachs attire. Wearing of a uniform baseball cap and/or baseball pants by a manager or coach is optional.
SCHEDULES
A.A printed schedule of all games shall be furnished to each team manager prior to opening day. Home teams will be designated on the schedules.
B.Any swaps in games scheduled must be with the consent of all coaches in the affected age group, and meet the approval of the Age Group Coordinator. Requests for game swaps must be submitted to the Age Group Coordinator at least one week prior to the scheduled game involved in the swap.
C.Regularly scheduled games which are postponed and/or suspended for any reason shall be scheduled at the next available open date and time by the Age Group Coordinator, with every effort made to prevent the playing by any team of more than three games in one week, or three days in succession.
D.Managers are responsible to insure that they have obtained any rescheduled date(s) from the Age Group Coordinator. As soon as possible after a cancelled game, the manager should contact their Age Group Coordinator to see when game will be rescheduled. Failure to show up for a rescheduled game will result in a forfeit.
COACHING AND SCOREKEEPING
A.Coaching is only permitted in designated coaching areas defined as the playing field, dugout, coaches box, and bullpen.
B.Coaches must keep at least one foot in the coaches box at all times when the ball is in play.
C.Coaches physically touching/assisting base runners while the ball is in play may be ejected from the game. The runner(s) shall be called out whenever the umpire observes such action.
D.For T-Ball and 7-8, if the ball hits the pitching coach, the batter is out. The Pitching coach cannot coach the bases.
E.The home team scorekeeper is the official scorekeeper of the game.
F.The home team manager is responsible for notifying the Age Group Coordinator of the game results.
FIELD AND EQUIPMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1.Managers will be assigned sufficient equipment to properly equip their team. This equipment is on loan to the manager for the duration of the baseball season. It is the full responsibility of the manager to properly take care of the equipment and to return the equipment in a timely fashion, after the season, to the Director of Equipment.
2.Managers are responsible to provide volunteer assistance on scheduled work days at their age group's field. Work days will be scheduled by the Director of Fields and the Age Group Coordinators will inform each Manager of the work days. Preferred practice times will be given based on amount of each team's volunteer assistance.
3.Prior to the first game of the day, if the County has not lined the fields, the home team manager is responsible for setting up the score box and for lining the field.
4.After the final game of the day, the home team manager is responsible for the following:
a.removing and returning the scorebox to the nearest concession stand.
b.shutting off the electrical devices (lights, scorebox, etc) with care NOT to turn off the main power breaker at field #11.
c.locking all buildings outfitted with locks.
d.locking the main gate if you are the last to leave the park.
5.Any damages need to be reported to the Director of Fields.
SAFETY
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
A. All batters must wear a safety helmet while in the batter's box. All runners must wear a safety helmet while on base. Safety helmets with the face cages are available upon request.
B.Players will be called out if their helmet is removed at any time unless first, time is called to allow for any adjustments to be made.
C.Players who, in the opinion of the umpire, intentionally discard their helmet while running shall be called out.
D.A bat boy/girl must wear a safety helmet while on the playing field.
E.Catchers must wear a catcher's mask, helmet, chest protector, and shin guards. A catcher's glove shall be used for all baseball games (optional for T-ball.).
F.For ages 7-8 and up, all catchers must wear a protective athletic cup. Female catchers must wear some sort of female protection device, either a maxi pad or a soft rubber protective cup.
SAFETY BALLS
A.The League shall determine use of safety balls or regular baseballs for each age group (for practices and games), prior to player draft.
B.For any age group that is determined to require a safety ball, the League shall select any nationally approved safety baseball officially recommended by the manufacturer to be used by that particular age group.
C.The degree of safety provided by safety balls that the League selects shall be distributed between the age groups such that the greatest degree of safety provided is applied to the T-Ball age group. Whenever possible, a determination of the degree of safety provided shall be based upon a scale of measurement regardless of construction used in the manufacture of the balls.
CONDUCT
1.Umpires shall have charge of the ball game in its entirety.
2.Ejection
a.Umpires and League officers and officials shall eject any person from the ballpark for audible or visual profanity, un sportsmanlike conduct (including heckling of players on any team after one warning to cease) fighting or actions which may interfere with normal play of the game.
b.Two or more members of the League Board of Directors (reference Constitution, Article IV- Government, Section 3) may eject an umpire from a game for profanity or gross unprofessional conduct. Those board members must immediately inform the President of such action and jointly file a written report to the President within two days of the ejection.
c.Any player who, in the opinion of the umpire, intentionally throws a bat or helmet shall be ejected from the game.
3.Any player receiving 2 ejections during a season, shall be required to go before the Board of Directors, along with the parents and manager, to determine the status of the player's participation. Following the first ejection, the participating umpire shall inform the Director of Umpires, and a letter will be sent to the parents advising them of this League rule.
4.Any manager or assistant coach who is ejected from a game will be reported by the participating umpire to the Director of Umpires. The ejected manager or coach will receive a letter of acknowledgment from the Board of Directors. If a manager or coach receives more than 2 ejections, he must go before the Board of Directors. The League shall have the right to suspend and/or remove any individual (coach/player) ejected from two games from further participation in the League program (reference ByLaws Article VI II Representation, Section 1 0.)
6.The team manager (or assistant manager in the absence of the team manager) is responsible for the team's actions on the field and for their spectators in the stands, and is to represent the team in communication with the umpire and the opposing team. Only the team manager may register a protest or discuss calls with an umpire. There shall be no arguing judgement calls with umpires. Arguing judgement calls with the umpire is grounds for ejection.
7.Dugouts
a.During a game, players shall stay in their respective dugout. Only persons designated by the team manager are permitted in the dugout during a game. b. Except for passage of players and coaches to and from the playing field, the dugout gate shall remain closed at all times when a game is in progress.
8.No loud music or any other activities shall be permitted at the ballpark which, in the opinion of an umpire on the field or League Officer, may interfere with player or spectator participation in the game.
9.During AABC post season play, any coach, team, or parent that incurs a fine due to inappropriate or irresponsible behavior, will be responsible for paying said fine. This fine must be paid before the coach, team, or parent will be permitted any further participation in the Sharpsburg AABC League.
ACCIDENT, INJURY, AND LIABILITY
ACCIDENT OR INJURY
A.Any accident involving an injury, or possible injury, must be verbally reported by the team manager to the Age Group Coordinator immediately provided that so doing will not jeopardize the safety of the injured player(s).
B.The Age Group Coordinator shall request the manager to file a written report with the President for all injuries considered serious.
REINSTATEMENT OF A PLAYER WITH A DISABLING INJURY
A.Reinstatement may be denied, if in the opinion of the League, the injury may not have fully recovered and may become aggravated by playing prior to full recovery. A Doctor's statement of health will accompany the players request for reinstatement.
B.The League may impose any playing limitations it considers appropriate upon any player reinstated after disabling injury acquired during the regular season as in the best interest of the player (ex: pitching prohibition for five (5) consecutive games after reinstatement.)
WAIVER OF LIABILITY
Neither Coweta County, nor it's officials, officers, or employees; neither the League, nor it's officers, directors, members or employees shall be responsible for accidents or injury it's officers, directors, members or employees shall be responsible for accidents or injury to players, coaches, or spectators, and neither shall be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property during League activities at any ballpark.
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