GYGSA League Rules

Article One

I. All players must be registered on a GYGSA team roster before the A.S.A deadline.

II. All players shall be deemed registered and a member of GYGSA when:

A. Registration fee, as established by the GYGSA Board, has been paid.

B. Player’s fee, as established by the GYGSA Board, has been paid.

C. Player is included on a GYGSA team roster.

D. Player and player’s parents’ have signed and turned in a medical release form.

E. Player and player’s parents’ have signed and turned in a waiver.

F. Player has provided a copy of a document for proof of age. Birth certificate, baptismal certificate, hospital certificate, driver’s license, or court approved documents.

V. Players may be rostered on only one GYGSA team.

VI. Player’s fees and registration fees provide monies for:

A. A.S.A team registration.

B. Coach’s subscription to ball and strikes newspaper.

C. Compiling league statistics.

D. Trophies and awards for all divisions.

Administration costs of GYGSA.

F. One umpire per game (if additional umpires requested, umpire fees must be paid in advance by teams involved).

G. Maintenance and improvements of the facilities and fields at Carlon Park.

H. Official scorebook.

III. A player may transfer up or across a division but must submit a request for transfer by April 2^nd. Players desiring transfers after April 2^nd will be required to obtain signatures of both coaches, or refer matter to the Executive Board for action.

IV. All new players will be placed on GYGSA teams, returning players will return to their previous GYGSA reams, unless transfer is made. Any players forming their own team may join GYGSA as an existing team.

V. GYGSA does not restrict itself to player’s who only reside within the Yakima area. GYGSA is open to any player from any area.

Article Two

Divisions

I. There shall be the following divisions within GYGSA, as per current A.S.A. rules: 18 & under, 16 & under, 14 & under, 12 & under, 10 & under.

A. Players are not eligible for the 18 & under division, if they attain the age of nineteen (19) on or before January 1.

B. Player are not eligible for the 16 & under division, if they attain the age of seventeen (17) on or before January 1.

C. Players are not eligible for the 14 & under division, if they attain the age of fifteen (15) on or before January 1.

D. Players are not eligible for the 12 & under division, if they attain the age of thirteen (13) on or before January 1.

E. Players are not eligible for the 10 & under division, if they attain the age of eleven (11) on or before January 1.

F. Minimum age for 10U division will be seven (7) years of age.

Article Three

I. To protect the investment of GYGSA and its sponsors, and to insure the return of all equipment at the end of the season, the following rules shall apply to all coaches:

A. The GYGSA Equipment Manager is responsible for purchasing (with board approval), inventorying, distributing, and collecting equipment during the year. Team coaches will be responsible for the proper care and return of equipment when it is requested by the Equipment Manager.

B. A coach who fails to return any equipment will be held financially responsible. If a coach does not return equipment, that coach will not be able to register a team the following season until the GYGSA Board reviews the matter.

C. Field maintenance equipment, catcher’s equipment, and other equipment approved by the GYGSA shall be purchased by the GYGSA.

Article Four

Liability

I. Parents of players must have a completed waiver and a completed medical release form On file with GYGSA before the player is eligible to participate.

Protest and Procedures

I. Protests on rules interpretations will be accepted if they conform with the current A.S.A
Regulations. Rule 11 Sec. 1-7

II. The Executive Board shall decide all protests. A minimum of three members will be necessary to rule on any protest.

III. Whenever a questionable situation arises during a game, the coach of the protesting team
shall immediately notify the umpire and the opposing coach that the game is being played under protest from that point on. This will provide all interested persons with the opportunity to take notice of the conditions surrounding the making go the decisions and will aid in the proper determination of the issue. Failure of a team to follow this procedure will result in the forfeiting of their right to file an official protest.

IV. The formal protest must be filed within 24 hours of the game in question, if it is based on rules interpretations: and it shall be in the form of a letter, in duplicate, which must contain the names of the teams playing, the date, the field number, the umpire involved, and the rule that they claim has been misinterpreted. The letter shall be delivered to the President who will take it to the Executive Board for a decision.

V. A $25.00 fee must accompany each protest for it to be considered.

VI. A protest based on the ineligibility of a player must be filed with the Executive Board with in 5 days of the game in question. In all tournament games, a protest must be filed before the
next game is played.

VI. The Executive Board’s decision shall be final.

Article Six

I. GYGSA or its committee shall draft schedules. Copies will be issued to each coach, the concessions coordinator, the league coordinator, the Umpire Association, and the field’s coordinator.

II. The selection and the assignment of the umpires for all games will be the responsibility of the Umpire Association. Notification to the Umpire Association of any scheduling changes shall be the responsibility of the league coordinator.

III. Only the coach or the nightly League Official shall have the right to discuss rule interpretations with the umpire. The coach is responsible for player and team conduct, as well as spectator conduct during the game. Violation of this rule could lead to suspension for the player, team, coach, or spectator.

A. Coaches have the important major responsibility of giving their team a positive experience in softball. They must show their team the correct fundamentals of playing softball and have the patience and skill to help them develop their awareness of responsibilities as a team member. A coach must at all times
demonstrate qualities of fairness, honesty, and sportsmanship, as his team will
judge him by his actions

B. No alcohol, drugs, or smoking of any kind will be allowed on the playing field, dugout, concessions, or restroom facilities by any players. Any players ignoring these rules will be banned from further participation on GYGSA teams. Coaches will refrain from smoking or the use of alcohol at any time in the dugout or playing field.

C. Swearing is prohibited.

D. Team members shall not call swing or strike when members of the opposing team are up to bat. Any harassment or discouragement directed at an opposing team is poor sportsmanship. Coaches may suspend any player for poor sportsmanship.

E. If coaches cannot control the spectators’ actions, verbal or otherwise, the game may be forfeited. Umpires will have the final authority on cancellation of the game.

F. Reported violations of poor sportsmanship by coaches and/or teams must be in writing and given to the Executive Board to consider. The Executive Board may recommend disciplinary action (A pink or yellow notice may be issued).

IV. The plate umpire shall be the sole judge as to he fitness of the field for play. If teams have not heard from their coaches by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the game, then the game will be played unless otherwise determined by the umpire at game time.

V. Rules of play shall be in accordance with current A.S.A. rules or as amended by GYGSA and made part to these by-laws. An official A.S.A. softball rulebook shall be available in the concessions stand. Also rulebooks will be available for coaches upon request. These
rulebooks shall be of the current year

VI. The home team will occupy the 3^rd base dugout.

VII. The following game rules and regulations shall be official for all league
games. All divisions will play A.S.A. rules except as modified. These rules apply to division play only. All tournaments are governed by A.S.A. rules

A. Equipment-

1. An A.S.A. approved fastpitch softball must be used during official game play. A 12” ball will be used except for the 10 & under division where an 11” ball will be used. Balls will be available for sale at the concession stand during games. A new ball must be furnished by the home team of each game (Home teams shall be listed first on the schedule). The umpire shall be the judge of fitness of all balls in play.

2. The catcher must wear a helmet with a mask and throat guard, and chest protector at all times.This includes practices.

3. Approved helmet must be worn by the batter, baserunners, and on deck batter.

4. All players must have the same color shirts with visible numbers (minimum of 6 inches in height) on bac

5. GYGSA recommends that players wear full-length pants.

6. No jewelry is to be worn during games.

B. Softball distances

1. 18u, 16u, 14u, 12u

a. 60 foot base

b. 40 foot pitching

2. 10u

a. 60 foot bases

b. 35 foot pitching

C. Game Play

1. All weeknight games will start at 6:00 p.m. Any team causing a delay will forfeit if game is not started by 6:15 p.m.

2 A team that is short members at starting time has the option to forfeit game or start game with a minimum of 8 players that are present. The ninth batter spot is an automatic out.

3. No new innings are to be started after 7:45 pm. The game must be completed by 8:00 pm. If the game is not completed by 8:00 pm the umpire will call the game at that time and the final score reverts back to the end of the last complete inning. The plate umpires is the official timekeeper and his decision is final.
Tie situations; it shall be the umpire’s decision to allow new innings past 7:45 pm, if inning cannot be completed then score reverts back to last inning completed. Time limit, not 5 innings, will equal legal game.

4. Substitution

a. (10u and 12u divisions only) All girls present will bat in a designated order for that game. Example: If 13 girls are present for the game, make out a batting order for all 13 girls and they will bat in that order for the entire game. Free substitution is allowed at defensive positions and it will not alter the batting order. All girls present will play at least one (1) inning of defense unless sick or injured (Exception: A coach may bench a girl at anytime for disciplinary reasons. He must notify the opposing coach and note on roster/score sheet.) Ignoring this rule will result in a forfeiture of the game

b. (14u, 16u, 18u divisions) Each girl present must play a minimum of one (1) complete inning on defense unless sick or injured. (Exception: A coach may bench a girl at anytime for disciplinary reasons. He must notify the opposing coach and note on roster/score sheet.) Ignoring this rule will result in a forfeiture of the game. (Batting exception: 14u only: A coach may choose to bat all girls present for the game. Notification of umpire and opposing team must be made prior to the start of the game. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the game.)

c. Designated hitter or designated player only allowed in 16u and 18u divisions.

d. At the discretion of the umpire, a player who cannot continue playing because of injury or illness may be replaced in the lineup by another player who is otherwise ineligible to return to the game if no other player is available.

e. Benching of any player either for injury or for discipline shall not result in that player being called out for each consecutive time at bat that follows that benching. Player shall simply be withdrawn from the batting roster. Notification of the opposing team must be made immediately.

f Any player arriving late for a game may be added at the end of the batting roster, without penalty. Notification of the opposing team must be made immediately.

g. Any player having to leave a game early due to a prior commitment may be withdrawn from the batting roster without penalty. Notification of the opposing team must be made immediately.

h. The umpire is to be notified of all substitutions during the course of the game. 14u, 16u, and 18u teams should provide the umpire with a lineup card prior to the start of the game.

5. Runs ahead rule.

a. For all divisions except 10u, 8 runs scored or three outs whichever comes first will complete a one half (1/2) inning on offense.

b. For all division the 8 run rule will be in effect after 5 full innings (Explanation: If after 5 full innings one team is ahead by 8 or more runs that team is declared the winner and the game is over

c. To clarify what constitutes a compete inning see the A.S.A. rulebook. It defines an inning as that portion of a game within which the teams alternate on offense and defense and which there are 3 outs for each team. Games called in the fifth inning due to the 8 run rule shall
be considered complete games

6. 10u age group - special situations.

a. Base stealing: Base stealing is not allowed in the 10u
age division. Runners on base may not advance unless the batter has hit the ball, walks, or a pitched ball hits the batter. All other A.S.A. rules
apply such as over throws.

b. Dropped third strike: The batter is automatically out if the catcher drops the third (3^rd) strike. The catcher need not tag the runner or throw to first base for the out.