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SYAC Girls Softball Rules

Guide for Coaches, Player & Umpires, augmenting the ASA Rule Book

Revised 25 April 2009 by the SYAC Girls Softball Board of Directors, Syosset, New York.

A Special Welcome to our 2009 Coaching Staff!

Congratulations on being selected as a SYAC Girls Softball coach for the 2009 season! We welcome your help in making this year a great success.

Over the past decade, we’ve seen SYAC Softball to grow from 125 girls in two divisions to this year’s enrollment of 400 girls—comprising 31 teams in four leagues, plus our growing Travel program. We’ve also grown in adult participation. For more than a decade, we’ve had more moms and dads volunteer to coach and to sponsor than the number of available positions on our teams.

Accordingly, we are selective in choosing the best possible coaches for our girls. The SYAC Board of Directors reserves the right to select coaches and sponsors who best support and exemplify the following objectives:

• To teach our children the game of softball
• To impart the meaning of being a “team player”
• To show our children how to both win and lose gracefully
• To provide a safe atmosphere in which kids can have fun

Each year we face a daunting but vital task: to select teams that are balanced in abilities. If we succeed in this process, teams should experience a fair share of wins and losses—and all children should have a meaningful and fun experience.

As a coach, you have special responsibilities, that are discussed in our Coaches Meeting, held the night of the Player Draft, and outlined in the Coaches Agreement each of you have signed, which is shown below. Also, be sure to return the ”In-Season Player Evaluations” when you receive them. There is one form per team, and all coaches must sign it. It ia an essential tool in future team selection that improves the success of SYAC Softball year after year. Finally, we ask that you write game reports for our Website and local media—so that SYAC Softball participants can savor the memory of all the fun they had playing as teammates.

Thanks for devoting your time and energies to being a SYAC Softball coach. Your league commissioners and all board members are available to field your questions and hear your concerns and suggestions. Working together, we will have a great season!

—The Board of Directors of SYAC Girls Softball

√ List

Review the Rules with Opposing Coach and Umpire...Avoid Disputes later!

Season SetUp

Click here to read about Registration, Evaluation, Coaching, Sponsorship & Team Selection

General Rules

Home Team

In the season schedules, the home team is the second team listed. The home team sets up bases, takes the field first and bats last.
Practices and Reserving Fields

1) Practice is vital to learning the game. Coaches must work out a full and flexible practice schedule with their team.

2) Fields must be reserved for practice to avoid overlap of teams on a practice field. Commissioners will assign fields and times. Teams must practice at fields where their games are played. SYAC teams must yield school fields to Syosset school team practices and games.

3) Coaches must never leave a practice or game without all girls accounted for. Remain at the field until all girls are picked up.
Conduct

1) As outlined in the Coaches Agreement, which all coaches were required to sign on Draft Night, coaches are expected to set an example of civility and good sportsmanship at all times. Should a spectator become overly enthusiastic or unsportsmanlike or irritating to the players, the coaches are expected to ask this person to stop. If coaches cannot control the situation, the umpire will be asked to step in and decide if a forfeit should be imposed.

2) Players, coaches and spectators should not make disparaging or insulting remarks to or about opposing players, officials or fellow spectators. Unsportsmanlike behavior can result in the umpire removing that person from the game.

3) No adults, especially the coach, may drink alcoholic beverages at a game. Smoking at games, especially cigars, is discouraged for spectators and forbidden for coaches.

4) Any such incident must be reported by a coach to the league commissioner immediately following the game, even if it was successfully resolved on the field.
Setting Up the Field

Pitching Distance

  • Instructional League: 20 feet (or shorter at coaches' discretion)
  • Pony League: 20 feet
  • Junior League: 30 feet
  • Senior League: 35 feet underhand; 40 feet windmill

Base Distance

  • Instructional League: coaches discretion
  • Pony League: 45 feet
  • Junior League: 50 feet
  • Senior League: 55 feet

Fielders Position in Basepaths
Infielders must be instructed not to stand in the base paths during play. Outfielders must stand at least five (5) feet behind the base paths.

Coaching Positions in the Game
1) All coaches must be approved by the SYAC Board.

2) Offensive coaching may take place in the area of the coaching box, as defined by the umpire.

3) When coaching at 1st or 3rd base, offensive coaches may not make deliberate physical contact with the base runner. If this happens, the runner is automatically out.

4) In the Pony League, two defensive coaches may be on the field, in the outfield only.

5) Defensive coaches may not stand in the offensive coach’s line of sight to the batter.

6) In the Pony League, the coach who is pitching may coach the batter only, not baserunners.
Game Time & Duration

Games are scheduled to start between 6:15 and 6:30pm (start times may differ for weekend games) and go for a maximum of six (6) innings in all leagues.
Before the Game
When the following items have been done, the game may begin:

(1) Seven players on each team are present and the home team gives the umpire a new Game Ball.

(2) Coaches exchange lineups, which must include all player names and numbers. Players arriving after this exchange are added at the bottom of their team's lineup. Each time this happens, the opposing coach must be informed.

(3) Both coaches run through the elements on the SYAC Pre-Game Checklist. That checklist appears above, and a laminated copy of the Checklist is in each team's ball bucket.

Keeping Score

Each team must keep track of the game in their scorebook. In the event of a disputed play, if one team cannot produce documentation of the play, the call must be made in favor of the team with documentation. If both teams have documentation and disagree, the umpire's decision is final.
Tie/Inning Rules
(1) During the regular season, games may end in a tie.

(2) During the regular season, no inning may begin later than 8:00pm. Because of this, if an official game is tied at the conclusion of an inning that either ends at 8:00pm or shortly after, it ends in a tie.

(3) In the Playoffs, games are played to their conclusion and ties are not possible.
An "Official" Game
Except for Playoff games, a game is considered official after four complete innings in Junior and Senior Leagues. In the Instructional and Pony Leagues, the game is official when both teams have batted the same number of times. The umpire may call any game at any time and for any reason (e.g., cold, darkness, rain, lightning), even after part of an inning has been played. In that event, the score reverts to what it was at the end of the last complete inning. Coaches must accept this decision without dispute.
Resuming an Unofficial Game
(1) If an unofficial game is interrupted and must be resumed at a later date, it continues from the last complete inning.

(2) If that continuation is scheduled prior to the start of a regularly scheduled game, it need only run to four full innings to be considered complete.

(3) If it is rescheduled for a date and time when no other game is scheduled for either team, then the teams must complete all six innings.
Forfeit Rules and Procedures

(1) If, by 6:40pm, a team cannot field seven players, that team officially forfeits the game—but an unofficial game is played.*

(2) If the game has been rescheduled to a weekend date and doesn't start at 6:15pm, the forfeit occurs 25 minutes after game time.

(3) The team that fails to show up with enough players is credited with a loss.

(4) If both teams fail to appear at a field for a game, or with less than seven players, and no prior communication has taken place (this is a very rare situation), the commissioner may, at his discretion, dispose of the game and credit both teams with a loss.

*Notes:
According to Ed McKeown, chief of umpires, the umpire should "extend a courtesy" and umpire the forfeited but actual game. Further, if the ump says that he or she cannot do so "because they are not covered for insurance purposes," tell them: "Ed says that you are covered."

Some umpires adopt this position because they are instructed not to ump "practice games" in adult leagues, due to insurance concerns, but this does not apply to SYAC, Ed adds. The umps are being paid for the SYAC game and should stay.
Score of Forfeited Game
The score of a forfeit, which can impact a tie-breaking situation, is 1-0.
End of Game Actions
(1) At the conclusion of the game, both teams line up and shake hands. Especially then, coaches should stress good sportsmanship.

(2) It is the home team's responsibility to report the score of the game to the League Commissioner in a timely fashion.

(3) It is the winning team's responsibility to see that the game is "written up." See Publicity below for more information.

Umpire Rulings

A coach, player or spectator should never dispute a judgment made by an umpire. Under NO CONDITION is any player to question an umpire's call, nor will any team member show disrespect to an umpire. If you feel that an umpire has misinterpreted a rule, see Protests & Problems (below).

If No Umpire is Present
1) If no umpire arrives, coaches are encouraged to select a substitute umpire from among spectators and play. If no agreement can be reached, the game is postponed.

2) If both coaches agree on a substitute umpire or umpires, no change may be made after the start of the game unless an official umpire arrives.

3) The home team coach must report game results to the commissioner. Report umpires who fail to show.

Player Apparel and Equipment

1) Team shirts or colors should be worn as the outermost garment. All players should wear long pants. No jewelry is allowed. Team hats should always be worn.

2) In all leagues, all batters, base runners and catchers must wear helmets at all times. Catchers must wear helmets while warming up. Teams must share helmets if the need arises.

Player and Spectator Position

1) When your team is at bat, only the batter and base runners may be on the field. On-deck hitters and other players must remain behind the backstop or field fences.

2) All spectators must remain off the playing field at all times, behind the backstop and/or field fences. No spectator may give instructions to a player on the field.

Playing Time

1) In Instructional and Pony Leagues, all teammates play at all times. In Junior and Senior Leagues, every child must play a minimum of three innings per game in the field, and all girls bat in rotation. All three of these innings must be played before the end of the fifth inning.

2) Players arriving after the game begins must be used in half of the remaining innings. A player who arrives after the game has begun is placed at the end of the batting order.

Game Playing Rules

Number and Placement of Players in the Field

Instructional League
All team members play the field every inning. Coaches may stand in the field to instruct players. Batters hit off a tee; as the season progresses, a coach pitches.

Pony League
All team members play the field every inning, with a maximum of six infielders. One coach pitches and is not considered an infielder. Instructional and Pony Leagues allow one “pitcher’s helper” who may play on either side of the pitcher’s mound (see illustration). The pitcher’s helper (and all other fielders) must remain behind the pitcher until she releases the ball.

Junior League
Eleven girls play the field, with seven infielders. The seventh infielder plays at second base, as if it were first base.

Senior League
Ten girls play the field, with six infielders and four outfielders.

All Leagues
Outfielders must be positioned at least five feet behind the base paths, until the ball is pitched. Infielders must keep out of basepaths and not impede runners.

Regardless of the number of girls playing the field, all girls who are present bat when their turn comes in the batting order.

Pitching

1) Legal Delivery: The pitcher takes a position with both feet firmly on the ground and with both feet in contact with the pitcher's rubber. Prior to pitching, the pitcher must come to a complete stop, facing the batter, with shoulders in line with first and third bases, and with the ball held in one or both hands in front of the body. This position must be maintained at least one second before starting the delivery.

2) Palm Up Rule: Regardless of the style of pitching, the ball must be delivered to the batter with the palm up.

3) Foot on the Rubber: The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher's plate from the beginning of delivery until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

4) Style of pitching: In Pony League, parents and coaches must throw an underhand delivery, also known as a flat pitch. This is NOT a so-called "arc" pitch, which is NOT allowed in any of our leagues. In the Junior League, this same flat pitch is thrown by players. In the Senior League, both flat and windmill pitching are allowed.

5) Hit by pitch: In Junior and Senior Leagues, a pitcher who hits two batters in one inning or a total of three batters in one game is removed from the mound for the remainder of the game. She may play in the field. Hitters must make an attempt to get out of the way of a pitch in order to be awarded first base.

6) Intentional walks are not allowed in any league.

7) Instructional League: In the Instructional League, the season begins with batters hitting off a tee. As the season progresses, coaches pitch to batters at their discretion.

8) Pony League: Pitching is done by a coach or parent of the hitting team. If the pitcher gets in the way of a defensive play, the play is dead, and the batter continues her turn at bat. An adult pitcher may instruct only the hitter and not baserunners.

9) New for 2009 Senior League: Windmill pitching is allowed in up to three innings per game per team at a distance of 40 feet (5 feet longer than for underhand pitching). If that limit is reached, all pitching then must be underhand style. Windmill innings may be in any order, but no split innings are allowed; one windmill pitch designates that inning a windmill inning for that team.

Balls & Strikes

1) Instructional League: There are no balls and strikes, no outs, and no score is kept. Every batter bats until she hits the ball. The inning is over when the team bats around.

2) Pony League: There are no balls and strikes. The batter gets three swings. If the third swing is a clean miss, the batter is out. If the third swing produces a foul ball, the batter continues batting until she either gets a hit or misses the ball completely.

3) Junior and Senior Leagues: Balls and strikes are called. Players walk on four balls; players strike out on three strikes. There are unlimited foul balls after the second strike—except when bunting (Senior League only).

Batting Around

1) Instructional League: Every batter bats until she hits the ball, and the inning is over when the team bats around.

2) Pony League: An inning ends when 3 putouts are made or when a team has sent 10 batters to the plate,whichever comes first, regardless of how many players are present at that game (e.g., a team with 14 players may bat a maximum of 10 players in the inning, then resume the following inning with the next scheduled batter and, conversely, a team with 8 players may have 2 batters bat twice if 3 outs are not reached ).

This rule is intended to move games along and to avoid demoralizing "endless innings." As ever, coaches with huge leads are asked to maintain sportsmanlike conduct and to avoid undue running up of the score.

3) Junior and Senior Leagues: There is no “bat around” rule. An inning ends when the third out is made.

Bunting
Bunting is permitted in the Senior League only.

Courtesy Runners

1) If a girl is unable to run due to injury or illness, a courtesy runner may be used from home plate or from first base.

2) The courtesy runner must be the girl who made the last batted out, except when there are no outs. Then, the last girl in the batting order is the courtesy runner until an out is made.

3) To expedite game play, a coach may replace a catcher on base with two outs with a courtesy runner. This way, the catcher may get "in gear" before the end of the inning.

4) No more than two girls from a team may be removed for a courtesy runner. Courtesy runners must be established prior to the game unless an injury occurs during the game.

Dead Play

1) In all leagues, the umpire will declare a play dead once the ball is fielded and thrown to any defensive player within four feet of the pitcher’s mound. Play resumes with the first pitch to the next batter.

2) Any runner (in the view of the umpire) who is halfway or more to the next base advances when a play is dead. Otherwise, the player returns to the previous base. No base runner in motion may go any further than the next base when the play is dead.

NOTE: This is an A.S.A. Softball rule. It is not intended to stop play arbitrarily by throwing the ball to the pitcher. It is invoked to eliminate the occasional "comedy of errors" that can demoralize a team and provide an orderly way of stopping play. If a ball is hit directly to the pitcher, or fielded within four feet of the mound, the play is not dead until so called by the umpire. A play should be made, but if the fielder elects not to throw, the runner is awarded any base she has passed during the play and may, at the umpire's discretion, be awarded the next base to which she is running.

Infield Fly Rule
The infield fly rule applies in the Senior League only. In circumstances where there is a runner at either first or second base or both bases with less than two outs, the umpire may call the batter out if the ball is popped up to the infield—whether it subsequently is caught or not. The runner must return to the base and may tag up and advance at her own risk. This rule is called at the umpire’s discretion.

Baserunning

1) Leading Off: In the Junior and Senior Leagues, a player may lead off once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. If a runner leaves the base too early, she is given a warning by the umpire. The second time, she is out.

2) Pick Offs: If a runner takes a lead after a pitch, she can be picked off. If the ball reaches the base before the runner, the runner is out (no tag is necessary). In a pickoff play, the runner must attempt to get back to the base. She may only advance if the pickoff throw is errant and then only to the next base.

3) No Stealing: There is no stealing in any league.

4) Tagging Up: Tagging up is permitted in the Senior League only.

5) Pony League only: If a fielder overthrows first, second or third base, the play becomes dead whether the ball ends up in fair or foul territory. The runner or runners are awarded only one base beyond the base they were attempting to reach. No further play can be made; play resumes with the first pitch to the next batter. If home plate is overthrown and the ball remains within fair territory, the play remains live. If the ball enters foul territory, the play is dead, and runners advance one base.

The Play at the Plate
On any play at home plate, the runner must make an attempt to avoid contact with the catcher by sliding or stepping aside. If a runner does not try to avoid contact with the catcher, she is out.

Substitution

Unlimited substitution is allowed in all leagues unless the substitution is done to delay the game. In that case, the umpire can deny the substitution. Coaches should move quickly to position players in the field between innings.

The Appeal Play
An appeal play can be made only when a runner fails to touch a base or when a runner leaves a base too soon on a tag-up play. An appeal must be made audibly to the umpire. It must be made before the next pitch is delivered.

Other Details

Game Postponements and Cancellations

Rainouts
Weather-related game postponement decisions are made by the Board of SYAC and are posted on our Website between 3:30pm and 5:00pm (usually). That information is also available on the SYAC Girls Softball Weather Line, 516.733.4066.

Cancellations
Toward the end of the season, a league commissioner may decide that certain games that have not been played—for whatever reason—may simply be cancelled and not made up. This is entirely at the commissioner's discretion and is generally done to facilitate the start of Playoffs.

How Games are Rescheduled
Weeknights and weekends are available for make-up games. Your commissioner will give you two possible dates. If you and the other coach cannot agree to either of these dates within a week of the cancellation, your league commissioner will assign a date. If you and the other coach cannot play on that date, both teams will forfeit the game.

Report Game Results
After each game, the home team's coach must call or email their league commissioner with the score of the game.

League Standings

League standings are kept up to date on the SYAC Website (wwww.syacgs.org). Final league standings determine the type of trophy awarded to qualifying teams. To compute league standings, each team is awarded 1 point for a win, 1/2 point for a tie and none for a loss. Total points are divided by the number of games played to arrive at a percentage, and teams are then ranked by percentage.

In the event of a tie on percentage, the teams are then compared by how they played against each other, and, if necessary, against the rest of their division during the season.

Generally, all teams will play one or two games against each other during a season. If they played once, the team that won is awarded the higher position. If they tied in their one meeting, then the team with fewer runs scored against it during the season is awarded the higher position. If two teams played twice and split, the team with the higher total score of the two games wins. If they played twice and tied, the team with the fewer runs scored against it during the season is awarded the higher position. If, at this point, the teams are still tied, they would have a one-game playoff to determine the standing.

In the event that more than two teams are tied on percentage, each team so tied is compared to each of the others as described above.

If a team misses more than two of its scheduled games, it is disqualified from trophy position. That team may, however, compete in the playoffs.

No standings are kept for the Instructional League as games are not scored in that league.

Playoffs

Playoffs, which begin in early June, are single-elimination. Each team that loses is eliminated. Each winner goes on to the next round. The playoff schedule is determined by the Board, and seeding is based on league standing percentage. Playoff trophies will be awarded for 1st and 2nd place.

In the Playoffs, a game is not a forfeit until 7:30pm and games may continue until 9:00pm, or when six full innings have been played, whichever comes first.

If an umpire is not on the field by 6:15pm, a call should be placed to Ed McKeown immediately to advise him of the situation. His number is 631.669.5999. If he doesn't answer, his recording will give you an alternate number to reach him. He will have a substitute umpire on the field within 30 minutes.

Publicity

Write up your games—and be positive, always! Let the kids enjoy seeing their names in the local newspapers and on our Website (www.syacgs.org). The winning coach should write a game report immediately after each game. Be thorough: Include scores and names of players who pitched, had key hits or made outstanding plays from both teams. Try to mention each player at least once during the season. For those who are not inclined to write, ask a parent or child from your team to help. If you have a digital camera, your submission may also include digital photos taken at the game.

Email Roger Mummert or fax game write-ups to him at 364.8021, or email them (with JPEG photo files attached) to gamestories@syacgs.org.

Read all about it...

Standings and game reports will be posted on our Website and also published in the weekly Syosset Advance and Syosset/Jericho Tribune. These papers are sold at local stores and are on file at the Syosset and Jericho Public Libraries. The papers also maintain online editions.

Protests & Problems

The intent of these rules is to avoid disputes, Further, you may NOT protest an umpire on a judgment call. However, should a coach feel strongly enough about a situation and wish to make a protest, he or she must follow this procedure:

1) Notify the umpire and opposing coach immediately—at the conclusion of the play in dispute and before the next pitch is thrown—that you are protesting the game. State "I am continuing this game under protest." State the reason for the protest. The game is then considered "under protest" until its conclusion.

2) The protesting coach must notify the league commissioner and the league president by email only (click mail links on Board page) as to the cause of the protest within 24 hours. No letters or phone calls will be entertained on protests. You must write it down.

3) Your may withdraw your protest at any time after the game, which you must also do by email.

4) The league commissioner will make every effort to investigate and resolve the protest. If necessary, he or she will convene a panel of SYAC Board members to settle the matter within one week. There will be no meeting unless the commissioner deems it necessary. Protests made in the last week of the season or during playoffs will be settled in a timely manner so as not to disrupt the schedule.

All other problems...

Non-protest problems, exclusive of umpire scheduling, should first be brought to the appropriate league commissioner. If he or she cannot solve the problem, the commissioner will request a special session of the SYAC Board to settle the matter. Under no circumstances should a coach go to any Board member without first going to their league commissioner.

Please Note: These SYAC rules are intended to augment the complete rules of the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), which umpires follow. Complete rules of ASA Softball can be found at www.asasoftball.com.

Always respect an umpire’s decision!