Revised July 13, 2007
SOUTHWEST SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF, INC.
SOFTBALL RULES – REGULATIONS
ARTICLE ONE – SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS
1.1 OFFICIAL RULES
The official rules for the SWSAD tournament shall be followed the United States Specialty Softball Association (USSSA).
1.2 LIMIT OF TEAMS AND TOURNAMENT PLANS
1.2.1 There shall be no limit teams entering the tournament and the teams shall compete toward the winner's brackets for first, second, third, fourth and fifth places when applicable for plaques.
1.2.2 The round robin and/or double elimination plan(s) to be posted, shall be decided by the SWSAD Commissioner at the general business meeting with a majority approval.
1.2.3 In any event of double elimination, there shall be plaques for first to fourth with fifth and sixth places to be decided by the SWSAD Commissioner.
1.2.4 The tournament bracketing shall be based on brackets which will be illustrated in an official tournament bracket book.
1.3 SEEDING AND DRAWING
The drawings for all teams shall be held at the SWSAD general business meeting at the hotel, and/or other facilities.
1.4 CONDUCT OF TEAM
The managers and captains shall be strictly responsible for the conduct of their softball teams on and off the field.
1.5 EXPELLING AUTHORITY, FORFEITURE, PENALTY AND REMOVALS
1.5.1 The Umpires and/or the SWSAD Executive Committee have the authority to forfeit a game or expel a player from the game for unnecessary griping and abusive language.
1.5.2 The penalty for a player, including any fighting, shall be suspended from the tournament and any player, coach, manager or fan that perform any act of violence toward any official or any member of either team or any spectator shall be removed from the tournament site.
1.5.3 The Umpires and/or SWSAD Executive Committee shall have authority to expel a team from the tournament if the plays are "dirty" and "rough".
1.5.4 Any player involved in any personal clash or argument with any SWSAD Executive Committee shall be expelled from the game.
1.6 ILLEGAL PLAYERS
The use of a player not registered on the NSAD registration form shall automatically cause this team to forfeit the game or games participated in by that player.
1.7 RULES INTERPRETATION
The team captain or manager may inquire of the interpretation of rule by an umpire. In this case, they shall be allowed sufficient time for an interpreter for the deaf to be called in to interpret.
1.8 UNIFORMS
Each competing team softball player shall wear the uniform of their team or colored T-shirt and shall dress alike. All players shall have six (6") inches high number(s) on back and wear uniform caps.
1.9 GAME RULES
1.9.1 At SWSAD softball tournament games, the playing time shall be one (1) hour and/or one
(1) hour and fifteen (15) minutes except the championship game. In case of team
lateness, five (5) minutes wait shall constitute sufficient grounds for the forfeit of a game
and the deciding score shall be seven (7) to zero (0).
1.9.2 Only ten (10) players are required to start a game. The normal complement for the slow-
pitch game is ten (10) players. A foul on the third (3rd) strike constitutes an out. The minimum time shall be agreed upon by all concerned beforehand.
1.9.3 The championship game shall go the full seven (7) innings. In case of a tie when the time is reached, the home team completes the batting order and a run is scored.
1.9.4 Whatever a situation arises that is not covered by the rules; the USSSA rules shall apply.
1.9.5 Batting order form shall be turned in to the Information Director fifteen (15) minutes
before game time. Failure to turn in the official line-up cards to the Information Director, by game time will result in a forfeit of the scheduled game to opposing team when the umpire(s) present in the field.
1.9.6 The SWSAD has adopted a bat performance factor (bpf) of one point twenty (1.20) or less. The SWSAD Commissioner and/or umpires shall reserve the right to disqualify a player for using bat performance factor (bpf) at least one point twenty-one (1.21) for the SWSAD tournament.
1.10 LIMIT OF PLAYERS ON TEAM
No SWSAD teams entered in the tournament shall register more than seventeen (17) players per team including manager, coach, scorekeeper, bat person and water person.
1.11 PLAYER QUALIFICATIONS
1.11.1 The final arbitration on qualifications of a player on the NSAD registration form for the
SWSAD tournament shall be conducted at the SWSAD general business meeting before
the start of the tournament.
1.12.2 All future questionings of other players’ qualifications during or after the tournament shall not tolerate and accepted by the SWSAD Executive Committee.
1.13 WEATHER CONDITIONS
The tournament shall conduct on a rain or shine basis for the completion of the tournament. However, in the event of a severe storm such a tropical storm or hurricane, the SWSAD Executive Committee shall have authority to postpone the tournament for up to two (2) weeks.
ARTICLE TWO – HOST ELIGIBILITY
2.1 ELIGIBILITY OF HOST
2.1.1 The host of the annual softball tournament to hold that year shall be open to both club or independent teams of the deaf and a bona-fide member of the Southwest Softball Association of the Deaf and shall have paid all dues to the SWSAD.
2.1.2 A host that has a team in the SWSAD tournament, providing that a member who has been a member of SWSAD for more than two (2) years, may qualify for bidding and shall require paying two hundred dollars ($200.00) for a host fee non-refundable to the SWSAD Secretary-Treasurer.
2.1.3 A host that has no team in the SWSAD tournament, providing that a member who has been a member of SWSAD for more than two (2) years, may qualify for bidding and shall require paying four hundred dollars ($400.00) for a host fee non-refundable to the SWSAD Secretary-Treasurer.
ARTICLE THREE – BIDDING AND TOURNAMENT DATES
3.1 BIDDING
3.1.1 Only SWSAD club and independent managers are allowed to bid on behalf of club or independent or sponsorship to host the next tournament two (2) years hence.
3.1.2 To make valid bids, they must present following to the SWSAD general business meeting:
501 © (3).
organization, if needed be, of the availability of a bona-fide softball fields.
3.1.3 The bidding shall do alternately on an East – West basis.
3.1.4 The East comprises of the states located in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and environs of Memphis, Tennessee. The West comprises of the states located in Oklahoma and Texas.
3.1.5 The East group is eligible to bid softball tournament during even numbered year and the West group is eligible to bid softball tournament during odd numbered year.
3.1.6 The annual SWSAD tournament shall be scheduled for first (1st) or second (2nd) or third (3rd) weekend of July, on Friday and Saturday.
3.1.7 On all bidding for all softball tournament sites, the voting shall be one (1) vote per club, independent managers, delegate-at-large and the five (5) SWSAD Executive Officers and voting is restricted to those present.
ARTICLE FOUR – TOURNAMENT HOST
4.1 REGISTRATION
4.1.1 It shall be the responsibility of the host to register all non-player (fans/spectators and committees in tournament events) at fifteen dollars ($15.00) per person registration fee.
4.1.2 Those twelve (12) years old and under shall not register and may be admitted free to all games. All students attending school for the deaf, day classes or the like shall register for fifteen dollars ($15.00) registration fee.
4.1.3 The registration fees of non-players shall go to SWSAD.
4.2 TOURNAMENT PRICES
The host chairperson shall decide the nominal pricing of the tournament events; however, the price of a combo ticket to all events and including registration shall be approved in advance at the SWSAD Executive Committee meeting at the softball tournament host meeting held to 2 (two) years prior.
4.3 RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EMERGENCY AND ASSISTANCE
The host shall know where the medical facilities are in case of emergencies and share such information with each team.
4.4 SCOREBOARDS
The host shall rent or obtain scoreboards when they are not available on the fields.
4.5 UMPIRES
4.5.1 The host shall require contacting the head of umpires, representing the local umpires which are affiliated with the United States Specialty Softball Association (USSSA) to govern all softball games and ground rules in accordance with the official rules of the USSSA, as drawn by the Joint Rules Committees.
4.5.2 The host shall receive a letter of confirmation for umpires.
4.6 SOFTBALL BALLS
4.6.1 The host shall purchase and make available an adequate number of restricted flights (day and night) softballs for tournament games.
4.6.2 These balls shall all be one brand and the best balls available from the following list under the United States Specialty Softball Association (USSSA) Guide Book.
4.7 PROCEEDS
The host shall keep all the proceeds, after all the necessary expenses on actual admissions to the tournament.
4.8 HOST REPORT
The host within remaining one (1) year to the tournament, shall submit every three (3) months a progress report on the planning for the tournament to the SWSAD Executive Committee.
4.9 AWARDS
4.9.1 In addition to the men’s awards, the tournament host shall furnish the plaques:
Ten (10) First Team All-Tournament Player, Manager of the Tournament, Tourney High Batting Average (to meet qualify for at least ten (10) appearances at plate and more than three (3) games), Tournament Most Hits, Tournament Most RBI's and Tournament Most Homers awards. The plaques for Ten (10) Second Team All-Tournament Player are optional.
4.9.2 In addition to the women’s awards, the tournament host shall furnish the plaques: (Based on four (4) teams) Ten (10) First Team All-Tournament Player, Manager of the Tournament, Tourney High Batting Average (to meet qualify for at least ten (10) appearances at plate and more than three (3) games), Tournament Most Hits, Tournament Most RBI's and Tournament Most Homers awards. The plaques for Ten (10) Second Team All-Tournament Player are optional.
4.9.3 SWSAD shall furnish the two (2) of each award are: Most Valuable Player (MVP), Sam
Lane and Imogene Christofoletti Individual Sportsmanship, and Gene E. Carr Team
Sportsmanship. The SWSAD Information Director shall be responsible to purchase it.
4.10 RESPONSIBILITIES
4.10.1 In conducting the SWSAD Softball Tournament, the host shall be held responsible for the
rental or acquiring of softball fields with the minimum of three hundred (300) feet with
depending on the host city that does not have the minimum of three hundred (300) feet,
see that bases and other ground equipment are ready and set, making proper
arrangements for teams, games, certified umpires, official scorers and fans; purchase of
plaques, special awards and new and good slow-pitch softballs.
4.10.2 The host shall engage hotel headquarters for annual business meetings.
4.11 SCOREKEEPERS
4.11.1 The SWSAD Information Director shall arrangement for selecting competent scorekeepers for all games.
4.11.2 The scorekeepers shall be paid at eight dollars ($8.00) per game by SWSAD treasury.
4.11.3 The scorekeepers shall cooperate with the SWSAD Information Director and shall use the official SWSAD score sheets.
4.11.4 The SWSAD Information Director shall reserve the right to remove scorekeeper(s) for not doing a performance job.
4.12 GENERAL CHAIRPERSON
The host Chairperson shall have the right to voice only in the SWSAD general business meeting.
4.13 LARGE POSTERS
Each host shall provide at least one (1) large poster board showing tournament bracketing for the benefit of participant fans and players.
4.14 ILLUSTRATIONS
The illustrations of types of bracketing for the softball tournaments as prescribed in the softball rules are to be provided by the SWSAD Commissioner.
4.15 FACILITY AND TOURNAMENT INSPECTION
4.15.1 The SWSAD Deputy Commissioner shall investigate the site of the official softball field complex, the hotel and the facilities selected by the tournament host well in advance of the tournament and report it to the SWSAD Executive Committee for its decision and approval.
4.15.2 Shall be reimbursed for transportation and lodging by the host.
4.16 HOST TOURNAMENT PENALTY
4.16.1 In the event that the host withdraws prior to such the tournament, the host fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00) and/or four hundred dollars ($400.00) shall be forfeited. The SWSAD is to keep the host fee.
4.16.2 The host who won the bid to host softball tournament and withdraw the sponsorship shall be fined automatically for one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). The fine shall apply when the host withdraws one (1) year of tournament.
ARTICLE FIVE – REGISTRATION OF TEAMS AND PLAYERS
5.1 TEAM ENTRY FEE
5.1.1 Each team shall pay entry fee of two hundred twenty-five dollars ($225.00) to the
SWSAD, care of the Secretary-Treasurer, prior to thirty (30) days from tournament date
and all team fees shall be mailed or given to the SWSAD Secretary-Treasurer, not to any
other of the SWSAD Executive Committee.
5.1.2 Of the two hundred twenty-five dollars ($225.00) entry fee, one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be forwarded to the NSAD treasury.
5.2 MANAGER AND PLAYER REGISTRATION FEES
5.2.1 Each player and manager shall pay of fifteen dollars ($15.00) registration fee be duly
registered for the SWSAD tournament and team roster before participating in his/her first
game.
5.2.2 The SWSAD Secretary-Treasurer shall set aside at the breakdown of fifteen dollars
($15.00) as follows: SWSAD $4.00, Host Ballroom $5.00, Men Champion Team $4.00
and Women Champion Team $2.00 from registration fee collected on tickets sold at
SWSAD softball tournament for the SWSAD softball fund purposes.
5.2.3 All player fees, registration forms shall be mailed or given to the SWSAD Secretary-Treasurer by or before thirty (30) days prior to the tournament date. There shall be no refunds on softball players after their signature on the registration form.
5.2.4 The official NSAD player registration form and other entries deadline shall be on thirty 30) days prior to the tournament date. (No team entries postmarked after the thirty (30) days deadline will accept.)
ARTICLE SIX – AMENDMENTS TO SOFTBALL RULES–REGULATIONS
6.1 SWSAD SOFTBALL RULES–REGULATIONS CHANGES
The SWSAD Softball Rules-Regulations may amended by a two-third (2/3) vote of the representatives from the club and independent presented and voting at the annual SWSAD general business meeting held during the SWSAD softball tournament.
6.2 NSAD SOFTBALL RULES–REGULATIONS CHANGES
Should the NSAD change its Rules-Regulations in the interim, SWSAD shall govern and shall officially change its Rules-Regulations to conform to that of the NSAD at the next SWSAD general business meeting held during the SWSAD softball tournament.
6.3 SWSAD RULES–REGULATIONS PROPOSALS
All proposals, amendments, etc.; related to SWSAD management, structure, function shall be forwarded to the SWSAD Deputy Commissioner by May 1st for Law Committee to review and to act upon. In turn, the recommendation of the Law Committee shall be forwarded to the club and independent representatives at the SWSAD general business meeting held during the SWSAD softball tournament.