Abington Area Girls Softball League, Inc.
Constitution and Bylaws
Adopted 09-30-18
Article I – Name
A. This organization shall be known as the Abington Area Girls Softball League, Inc. (AAGSL). AAGSL is a nonprofit corporation that was incorporated on January 31, 2018 under the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988 (as amended).
Article II – Mission and Purpose,
Prohibition Against Private Inurement and Benefit,
And Dissolution
A. Mission and Purpose. The purpose of AAGSL, a non-profit corporation, is to provide a nonprofit, public, educational program for girls 17 and under to play softball in an organized, team-oriented program and to compete at levels consistent with their individual interests and abilities. AAGSL endeavors to develop softball skills, personal fitness, teamwork, and sporting behavior among all players for the betterment of their physical and social well bring. AAGSL strives to provide young people and interested adults the opportunity to develop coaching, managing, umpiring and other softball leadership skills. AAGSL will field teams at the recreation level and also the competitive level appropriate to the skill development of the AAGSL players. AAGSL shall promote positive public participation in and awareness of the sport of softball by educating and involving players, parents, coaches, referees, and other individuals in local, state, national and international softball opportunities.
AAGSL is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or the corresponding sections of any future United States Internal Revenue Law (the “Code”).
B. Prohibition Against Private Inurement and Benefit. No part of the net earnings of AAGSL shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that AAGSL shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of its exempt purposes set forth herein. No substantial part of the activities of AAGSL shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and AAGSL shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, AAGS shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Code or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Code.
C. Dissolution. Upon the dissolution of AAGSL, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
Article III – Overview of Divisions
A. The league will be composed of the following divisions:
1. 5U-Tee Ball Division – The purpose of this division will be teaching four (4) and five (5) year old girls the fundamentals of softball, focusing on the instruction of hitting, catching, throwing and base running.
2. 7U-Junior Comet Division – The purpose of this division will be transitioning the girls from hitting off a tee to coach pitch.
3. 10U-Developmental – The purpose of this division will be to transition the girls from coach pitch to player pitch.
4. 10-12-14-17U-Comet Divisions – The purpose of these divisions (with adequate registration) will be to provide opportunities for competitive play with other area towns both home and away games. In addition, to enhance the developmental skills of the players through clinics, practices and tournaments.
Article IV – Government
A. AAGSL shall be governed by a Board of directors (the “Board”), which will include the following officers: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. The officers shall comprise the “Executive Board” members. The Board will consist of an even number of members (for example, 6, 8 or 12). This to ensure an easier voting procedure for proposals. The president does not vote except in a case of a tie in which the president will cast the deciding vote. Five members of the Board present shall be considered a quorum for conducting the business of the league. All Board members, except the president shall vote on league business. Board members must be present to vote. No absentee vote shall be accepted. A simple majority of votes are required to pass any proposal. Members of the Board shall not be related to each other.
B. Prospective Board members may be presented to the Board at any time for approval by any sitting Board member in good standing as long as proper guidelines are followed to keep the status quo.
C. To perform various duties or tasks, the Board may establish various committees. The appointed committee chairpersons do not have to be Board members but a monthly report will have to be given to the president. Committees will include at a minimum the following: Registration, Equipment, Uniforms, Field Maintenance, Snack Stand, Sponsorship, Fund Raiser, Web Site Coordinator and Various Clinics. The committee duties are listed under Article IV, Section E below. A person may hold more than one committee position.
D. Board Attendance Policy- An attendance problem occurs if any of the following conditions exist in regard to a Board member’s attendance at Board meetings:
1. The member has two un-notified absences in a row (“un-notified” means the member did not call ahead to a reasonable contact in the organization before the upcoming meeting to indicate they would be unable to attend).
2. The member has three notified misses in a row.
3. The member has missed four or more meetings in a year.
4. Response to attendance problem:
i. Member will be contacted by the Board President and discuss the problem.
ii. Member’s response will be shared with the other members of the Board
iii. A vote of the Board will then decide what actions to take regarding the Board member’s future membership on the Board. If the Board decides to terminate the Board member’s membership, termination will be conducted per this policy.
E. Election of officers shall take place at the year-end meeting. The members of the Board shall elect a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. To be eligible to run and vote for any officer position, a Board member may not have missed three consecutive meetings as a Board member, or a total of fourmeetings in the previous year.
F. The duties of the Executive Board and chairpersons of committees follow:
1. President– The president be the chairperson of the Board for the operation of the league, and shall preside at all meetings. The president oversees all league activities, Board officers, members and commissioners, and may delegate some of this responsibility to the vice president as needed.
2. Vice President– The vice president shall assist the president in the performance of his/her duties and assume the duties of the President in his/her absence.
3. Treasurer– The treasurer will be responsible for payment of league bills; game collections; snack stand monies; administration and coordination of insurance benefits as provided for under Article XI; reporting on the financial status of the league at monthly meetings and coordination of annual tax filings as required. The Treasurer shall prepare and deliver monthly and other financial reports in electronic format to the Secretary for inclusion in the minutes. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual financial report within thirty (30) days directly following the close of the fiscal year. The annual report shall be audited by an independent committee appointed by the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall chair the Budget Committee.
4. Secretary– The secretary shall be responsible for the taking of the meeting minutes andto record and maintain all official documents and correspondence of the AAGSL. The Secretary shall be responsible for all league correspondence and be custodian of the AAGSL’s official documents including Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Rules, Meeting Minutes, and Financial Reports.
5. Age Division Commissioners (5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, & 17U divisions)– Commissioners shall be responsible for: attending all league and organizational meetings for their appropriate age groups; coordinating the scheduling of all games when applicable; coordinating practice schedules with web site coordinator; overseeing coaches in theirage division; overseeing the distribution of uniforms, equipment, and all pertinent paperwork (criminal background checks of coaches with league treasurer or registration forms with registration coordinator ); handle umpiring schedule when applicable within their age division. Commissioners shall conduct the player assignment or draft process for their division. Commissioners shall assist with all player reassignments, late registrations, or player shortages within their division. Commissioners shall handle all complaints, problems, and other administrative issues within their divisions to the extent of their abilities and powers and in accordance with the AAGSL’s rules and regulations.
6. Equipment Commissioner– It shall be the duty of the Equipment Commissioner to procure and maintain all softball equipment used by the AAGSL’s teams. The Equipment Commissioner shall provide the Treasurer with an equipment budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The Equipment Commissioner shall procure the equipment within the budgeted amount and in a competitive manner as to secure the best pricing and service. They shall inventory all equipment prior to the season and again at the close of the season and ensure the security of the equipment. An itemized inventory shall be presented to the Treasurer and the Board. The Equipment Commissioner shall maintain the equipment in serviceable condition and assure that said equipment is in compliance with ASA specifications and standards of safety. They shall distribute and collect the equipment from coaches while keeping strict accountability of the assignees and the equipment they have been assigned.
7. Uniform Commissioner– The Uniform Commissioner shall be responsible for all issues pertaining to buying and handing out of uniforms, as deemed necessary by the Board or president.
8. Registration Commissioner– The Registration Commissioner shall be responsible for working all aspects of registration and coordinating of registration fees with the treasurer as deemed necessary by the president or Board.
9. Field Maintenance Commissioner– The Field Maintenance Commissioner shall be responsible for reporting on the conditions of the fields, and what may be needed to maintain them; establish and oversee a maintenance committee to care for the fields as deemed necessary by the president and the Board; ordering of field supplies such as quick b dry, field lime (for lining of the fields ) and reporting any other field need to the president and the Board.
10. Sponsorship Commissioner– The Sponsorship Commissioner will be responsible for overseeing the act of gathering sponsors for the league and maintaining any correspondence with the sponsors as needed (field, team and field signs ); and handing out of team plaques as warranted by the president or Board.
11. Snack Stand Commissioner– The Snack Stand Commissioner shall be responsible for ordering of all foods, pricing and securing the proper equipment needed to run the snack stand. Works with age group commissioners, coaches and team parents with scheduling of snack stand so that there is somebody there at all times when a game is being played; keeping proper records of snack stand needs and reporting to the president or Board when necessary; and displaying and selling of our merchandise such as shirts, magnets and other fund raising merchandise.
12. Web Site Coordinator– The Web Site Coordinator shall be responsible for keeping web site up to date with meeting notes, etc.; setting up practice fields’ schedules; and keeping division schedules up to date and maintaining web site with all the correct handouts and any other pertinent information (contacts and directions for other area towns’ fields). Maintains access for scheduler to set up practice fields’ schedules; and keep division schedules up to date.
G. Board Member Misconduct:
Board member misconduct includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
1. Failure to discharge the duties of their elected or appointed office.
2. Chronic and/or unexcused absences from scheduled meetings.
3. Using their office to exert an undue or threatening influence on any coach, parent, or player.
4. Making or influencing decisions that may be perceived as unfairly advantageous to their own daughter or affiliated team therefore creating a conflict of interest.
5. Making untruthful, unfounded, or otherwise disparaging remarks regarding AAGSL and league officials, umpires, coaches, parents, or players that undermine the AAGSL’s authority or objectives.
6. Verbal or physical abuse of any player, member, spectator, or game official.
7. Use of foul or abusive language.
8. Any ejection from a game involving an AAGSL team.
9. Blatant, purposeful, or violationof the AAGSL or ASA rules or any other behavior that reflects poorly on AAGSL.
H. Disciplinary Action: Charges of Board misconduct shall be made in writing to the AAGSL president or, if it involves the president, to the vicepresident or other Executive Boardmember. The Executive Boardshall act upon charges of misconduct within seven (7) days. Disciplinary action may include an oral or written reprimand or other such action that the Executive Boarddeems appropriate. In addition, the Executive Boardmay forward a recommendation to the Boardof Directors for removal and/or revocation of AAGSLmembership.
I. Removal fromoffice:Any member of the Boardmay be removed from office for cause with a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board. Any member of the Boardto be removed shall have the right to a hearing before the body seeking to remove them. Notification of termination shall be delivered to the member by First Class Mail.
J. Resignation: Any member of the Board may resign by notifying in writing the AAGSL Secretary.
Article V – Meetings
A. The Board meetings shall be scheduled at a time, date and place selected by the president. Other Board meetings may be called by the president at the request of at least 4 members in good standing. Board meetings should be held once a month at the discretion of the president.
Article VI – Operating Personnel
A. All team coaches shall be approved by the Board upon the recommendation of the commissioner of each age division. All coaches are responsible for behaving in a professional manner. There is to be no use of foul language, no use of tobacco or alcohol within the playing field. All coaches are required to sign the Coaches Code of Conduct. Any coach breaking these rules can be brought up before the Board for disciplinary action(see Article XII – Disciplinary Action). All Board members, coaches and asst. coaches are required to have criminal background checks done once a year. No parent or guardian is permitted to help with practice or be on the field or in the dugout without a background check. Failure to comply with this rule will mean they will lose their coaching rights. If a coach or assistant fails the background check because of a past conviction of a barrier offense they will not be permitted to help with the team in any way.
Article VII – Membership/Registration
A. Girls meeting the age requirements who wish to play in the AAGSL and register properly shall be eligible to become an active member in the league.
B. The Board shall have the authority to suspend any member of the league whose conduct is considered detrimental to the best interest of the league. Any Board member, manager or coach may seek to suspend or dismiss a player or his/her parent(s) and/or guardian(s) for disruptive behavior or repeated unexcused absences from games or practices. Incidents mentioned in the prior sentence must be documented by date and event and submitted to the AAGSL president and vice president for review prior to any action being taken.
C. A member who is suspended shall have the right to appeal in writing to the president within seven (7) days from the date that they are notified of the suspension.
D. Any registration received after the final registration date will pay the full registration price and the additional late payment fee to be determined by the Board.
E. A full refund will be issued if a player voluntarily withdraws prior to the draft or is injured prior to the beginning of regular season play. If a player withdraws after the draft, the player will be required to still pay any cost incurred by the league; including but not limited to uniform cost and insurance.
F. In keeping with the AAGSL’s mission statement and purpose, the league desires that no child be prevented from participation in AAGSL based solely on the inability to pay player registration fees due to financial hardship. Upon request of a Board member, parent or legal guardian of an eligible youth, the Executive Board will review on a personal and confidential basis, a waiver of registration fees based on the hardship or provide a payment plan. On an annual basis, the Board of Directors can establish a limit as to the number of hardship cases.
Article VIII – Financial Policy
A. The AAGSL is a non-profit organization. Fees for registration and fund raising will be held to defray expenses and the cost of running the league and maintaining the facilities.
B. The Board shall decide all matters pertaining to league finances. It shall be permanent policy to place all income in a common treasury. The league shall direct all expenditures of the same in such a manner as will give no individual or team an advantage over the others as to equipment, uniforms etc.
C. The Board shall discourage the contribution of funds to individuals or teams and solicit the same for the common treasury of the league. The above regulation is to avoid favoritism among teams and to endeavor to equalize the benefits of the league.
D. At least two (2) written competitive bids must be solicited for any expenditure of $500.00 or more. Any expenditure of over $500.00 must be approved by a majority of the Board.
E. No member of the Board or auxiliary Board, which governs, controls, or maintains the operations of the league shall be paid for their services, and are strictly volunteers. Further, no member shall profit in any way from product or services sold to the league through business conducted with the league.
Article IX – Awards
A. All awards must be approved by a majority of the Board.
Article X – Amendments
A. This constitution and bylaws, or any section thereof, may be amended, replaced or rewritten in whole, or in part, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board members. Any proposed amendments must be provided to Board members at least seven (7) days prior to the business meeting at which the proposed changes shall be submitted for a vote.
Article XI - Insurance
A. The AAGSL shall carry liability insurance as well as medical insurance for coverage of property and injury to players participating in the softball league respectively. Claims, administration and coordination of benefits shall be the responsibility of the treasurer.
Article XII – Disciplinary Action
A. All parents, players, coaches, participants, attendees, and spectatorsare required to adhere to the AAGSL Code of Conduct. Anyconduct considered detrimental to the league while attending, coaching, officiating, umpiring or participating in an AAGSL youth sports event may be subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited to the following in any order or combination:
a. Verbal warning issued by AAGSL
b. Written warning issued by AAGSL
c. Probation for a period of time to be determined by AAGSL
d. Suspension from one or more AAGSL youth sports event
e. Season suspension or multiple season suspensions issued by AAGSL
B. The Board may impose one of the following penalties, in writing, which in their collective opinion, appears to match the severity of the offense:
1. Warning– The offending person is to be advised of the offense and that repetition of the offense will result in a more severe penalty.
2. Probation– The offending person is warned (as noted above) and also put on probation for the remainder of the season or specific time period. Probation may have a specific penalty for further violation or may be left for future discretion.
3. Suspension– The offending person is to be advised that they have been suspended from all league activity for a specific number of days or games.
4. Dismissal– The offending person is to be advised that they have been dismissed for the remainder of the current year.
5. Barred– The offending person is to be advised that they have been barred from present and future participation in the league permanently.
C. Any person imposed with a penalty listed above has the right to appeal the decision to the Board. Appeals must be made in writing within seven (7) days of the decision to impose a penalty to the attention of the president. If the appeal is accepted, a hearing will be scheduled before a majority of the Board within one (1) week.
D. The Board will hear evidence and take testimony.
E. Decisions of the Board will be by majority vote of Board members present at the hearing. The president will cast a vote only in the case of a tie.
Article XIII – Rules
A. The official playing rules as published by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) shall be binding on the AAGSL. These rules can be super-ceded by local league or tournament rules in which a team.
B. Rules of play for 10, 12, 14 and 17U divisions are determined by the guidelines in the current ASA Rule Book and local league or tournament rules.
C. Rules of play for 5U will be as follows:
1. Season shall comprise a period of 6 to 8 weeks with no less than one game per week
2. Games to be initially scheduled for Saturday mornings. Make up games possible mid week.
3. The start of the season will be in April and will be determined by opening day.
4. Game duration shall be a limited to a maximum of six (6) innings or one (1) hour. No score shall be kept. There will be no team standings. Each player will play in every inning, both at bat and in the field. Games will be played with a soft compression ball.
5. Offense– Each player will bat each inning; player will remain on base even if defense makes an out at that base; hitter and base runners move one base at a time for ball hit in the infield; may move two bases if ball is hit into the outfield; last batter will circle bases, all runners will score as well coach will announce last batter; last batter should change every inning to give each girl a chance to run the bases; all players to hit off the tee for the first half of the season, if a player shows proficiency in hitting live pitching, they then can have coach pitch for the second half of the season. They are allowed 3 missed swings or a maximum of 5 pitches then tee must be used. There will be no exceptions.
6. Defense– All players will take the field each inning; a player should play a different position every inning; a player is not to repeat playing a position during the game; the only exception can be first base and the pitching mound at the coaches’ discretion (safety issue). With respect to positions, there will be no catcher, there will be 1 player in the pitching circle, there will be a first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, and third baseman, and there will be a player on second base. The remaining players play the outfield (must play on at least the edge of the grass).
7. A maximum of two coaches are allowed to be on the field of play to teach, move the game along and in case of injury. When on offense, coaches are to be positioned behind home plate, first base coach’s box and third base coach’s box. When on defense, coaches are to be positioned in infield and also at home plate.
D. Rules of play for 7U/8U will be as follows:
1. Season shall be determined based on the schedule of the older girls’ schedule.
2. Games will be scheduled mostly on Saturday or Sunday, rescheduling games to midweek possible with rain outs, etc.
3. Field size shall include regulation field bases at 60 feet.
4. Game shall have 3 outs per inning. Game duration shall be a maximum of six (6) innings or to a one and a half (1 ½) hour time limit, whichever comes first. The last inning shall begin 20 minutes before time limit.
5. Offense– Coaches shall pitch and coach shall pitch to his/her own team that is batting; all players must bat in order; players can strike out and foul out; there will be no walks or hit by pitch balls; players are to leave base when put out at that base; there will be no stealing, no infield fly rule, or no tagging up; there will be a five (5) run maximum per inning except for last or sixth inning; no extra bases on overthrows except taking the base in which the player is running to; and coaches or parents shall be base coaches.
6. Defense– Each player must play the field at least half the game; players should be allowed to play all positions with safety in mind for the catcher, pitching circle and first base. Positions are as follows: catcher with full required equipment, player in the pitching circle, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, and four (4) outfielders who must play on the grass.
7. Coaches whose team is offense may be on the field as play is going on for safety and teaching purposes and may stand behind home plate, pitching circle, first base coach’s box and third base coach’s box. Coaches whose team is on defense may be in the field in the infield and outfield.
8. Scores and standings will be kept for seeding for year-end tournament.
9. Coach must pitch from the circle.
E. Rules of Play for 10U Developmental
1. Age restrictions are: A player may play if she is 7 years of age. If a child turns 11 after the cutoff date of January 1st they can still play at this level. Players must be girls only.
2. No infield fly rule. Bunting is allowed. Stealing is allowed from 2nd to 3rd base ONLY. No advancement on an overthrow by the catcher to 3rd base.
3. NO throwing the bat. Only one warning per team. If after first warning that team throws the bat, the player will be called out.
4. A runner must hold the base until the batter makes contact, or the ball crosses home plate. If a runner should leave prior to contact each team will receive a warning from the umpire. If another runner from the same team that has already received a warning leaves the base prior to contact, that runner will be called out.
5. A batter hit by a pitch may not advance to first base unless an attempt has been made by the batter to move out of the way of that pitch. If a batter or batters are hit two times by a pitcher in one inning, the pitcher will be relieved from pitching for the rest of that inning. A pitcher will not be penalized with a hit by the pitch if the batter makes no effort to move out of the way. This rule is at the discretion of the umpire. A hit by pitch is considered a walk. If a pitcher walks three batters in an inning she will be removed from pitching for the remainder of the inning, she may return to pitch the next inning. (If a pitcher is removed in the middle of an inning for any reason other than injury thenthe coach of the hitting team will then pitch, balls and strikes will continue to be called by the umpire).
6. No intentional walks are allowed.
7. Four runs per inning maximum for the first four innings. The fifth inning won’t have run restrictions. After 4 innings if a team is losing by 15 runs, game is called. If a game may not go 5 innings because of the time limit, coaches should meet prior to a full inning to determine the last inning of play. There should be no run restriction during the last inning.
8. Instant time out for any injured player with IMMEDIATE stoppage of play. Umpires will place base runners accordingly.
9. Coaches cannot assist base runners to advance to another base by pushing, picking up, attempting to help runner (physically) gain that base. The runner will be called out if a coach should assist runner while ball is ruled in play.
10. Any player is allowed to re-enter the game at any time. Courtesy runner is allowed for catcher, pitcher, or any injured player.
11. No appeals of an umpire call will be heard unless it’s a total disregard of league rules.
12. Every player on the roster is required to play two innings in the infield (including pitcher) defensively with 5 innings of play during the regular season and post season.
13. Teams must have at least 8 players available at the beginning of the game to play, with the exception of an injury during the game, then 7 players. SEE RULE #20 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
14. All catchers must wear protective gear to play. MASK, HELMET, CHEST PROTECTOR, SHIN GUARDS, AND THROAT PROTECTOR ARE REQUIRED.
15. Tagging up of runners on base is permissible on a fair or foul ball (according to ground rules of individual fields.) A dead ball may not record an out or advance a runner.
16. A regulation game consists of 4 innings, if a home team is winning 3 ½ innings. If conditions do not allow completion of 5 inning contest. In case of weather-shortened contest or for any other reason, the game must be resumed from where it was stopped. It will be the responsibility of the coaches to record the innings, number of outs, count on the batter, score and runners on base. HAVE OPPOSING TEAMS’ COACHES SIGN HIS/HER BOOK VERIFYING THIS INFORMATION IS CORRECT, AND RESCHEDULE THE GAME(S).
17. Each team will be required to exchange line-ups prior to the start of the game, keep score and compare score at the conclusion of each inning. Suggestion: let the umpire be aware of score(s) to avoid any discrepancies. Scorekeeper must be responsible person. First name, last name and the number of the player must be provided by each team prior to the onset of the game.
18. Starting time is decided by the scheduled home team. There will be a 15 minute grace period before a forfeit can be called. After 90 minutes of first pitch, teams may not begin another full inning of play (disregard if there isn’t a game or practice scheduled after your game). This is for REGULAR SEASON ONLY. *There is no time limit for playoffs.
19. If your game is moved to a different field for any reason, you will remain as the home team to comply with the schedule. Game time will be determined by the newly assigned field’s team in this situation. THE HOME TEAM IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UMPIRE AND GAME BALLS.
20. A team’s roster will play a minimum of 8 players (7 only due to injury) on the field defensively. The four outfielders must be in the outfield grass (at Hillside Fields) when the pitch is thrown, but may move into the infield to make a play. A BALL WILL BE CALLED WHEN A FIELDER VIOLATES THIS RULE.
21. During the 1/3 of the season, coaches will pitch (coaches must pitch entirely within the pitcher’s circle). During the 2/3 of the season, a coach will pitch the first two innings and a girl will pitch the rest of the game. During the 3/3 of the season, girls will pitch entire game. (See rule #5). Umpires will be scheduled at the beginning of the season. When coaches pitch there will be no walks, both swinging and called strikeouts will be assessed. If a team doesn’t have a girl to pitch, then the opposing team will havea girl pitch to both teams to make it fair. Umpires will be paid according to AAGSL game fees.
22. The batting order shall consist of the entire team present at the game and they will continue to bat in this order to game end (Playoffs Included). If a player is not present at the start of the game, she must become the last batter if her turn has passed. (If she is the 7th batter and she has not arrived for her turn at bat, she must become the last batter.)
23. An 11” ASA approved yellow optic softball with a .47 core and 375 compression is the official ball and no other ball is allowed. Thunderballs are not allowed.
24. The home team will be responsible to provide a new ball and suitable second ball for the umpires’ inspection to start of play.
25. All bats must be ASA approved and may not exceed a 2 ¼” barrel.
26. Advance to next base: If any defensive player has control of the ball within the 8 foot radius of the pitching rubber, runners past the hash mark halfway to the next base may proceed to the next base. Players that haven’t reached the hash mark must return to the previous base.
27. The distance between the pitching rubber and the back of home plate must be 35 feet. Pitcher must have both feet making contact with the rubber at the start of each pitch. Windmill, modified and slingshot pitching styles are allowed. The pitching circle should have a 16 foot diameter with the pitching rubber in the center. The pitching plate (rubber) must be 24 inches longs and 6 inches wide and must be attached to the playing field (as per ASA rules). ALL PITCHERS MUST WEAR A FACE MASK WHEN PITCHING.
28. Length of bases to first, second, and third is 60 feet. A mandatory mark will be placed to designate the mid-point of base paths. A slash mark of 30 feet from bases 1 to 2, bases 2 to 3 and bases 3 to home plate. A 16 foot circle will be marked around the pitcher’s circle.
29. When coaches are pitching they should stay out of the way while the ball is in play. Once the ball is possessed inside the pitcher’s circle by a member of the defensive team, the coach may then take the ball. The catcher may throw the ball directly to a coach if there is no play in the field. The player in the “pitcher” position should stand to the right or left of the circle as to not be obstructed by the coach pitching.
F. Forming Teams/Drafting Teams
1. 5U Teams– Players in this division will be placed on teams preferably by school. Special requests will be given appropriate consideration. Every year a player is in 5U they will go through this same process. There will be no guarantee of same team placement.
2. 7U/8U teams- Players in this division will be placed on teams with the intention of establishing balanced teams by age, experience. Special requests will be given appropriate consideration. Every year a player is in 7U/8U they will go through this same process. There will be no guarantee of same team placement.
3. 10U/12U teams- For teams in 10U/12U, the Board shall assign a coach to each team. The coach will then choose his/her first assistant coach. The daughters of the coach and assistant coach will be assigned to these coaches’ team. All other players will be drafted in an open draft each year.
4. 14U and Higher Teams- Preferably players in this division will be placed on teams to create competitive balance. Special requests will be given appropriate consideration. Team registration discounts can be authorized by the board.
Bylaws Amended September 2018