Kildonan Co-ed Softball League
Western Canada's Largest Co-ed Slo-Pitch League
RULES
2010 KILDONAN CO-ED SOFTBALL LEAGUE INTRODUCTION
LEAGUE FEES: $775.00. This is the same entry fee as last season, but now teams must pay for umps at the League Tournament., thus, this is a slight increase from last year due to City Diamonds rentals increasing by 50% from last season as well as SPN affiliation and insurance fees increasing
Includes team insurance, GST and administration cost, and the mid-season league tournament and umpire fees for League tournament.
MAJOR RULE CHANGE FOR SUMMER LEAGUE- - Pitching is NOW 6-12 foot arc. A strike is any legal pitch not swung at that hits our infamous mat behind the plate that does not hit home plate. Teams now must supply mat- 24” x 48”. The mat must have a very visible line at the 42 inch mark as that will be the strike zone for all female batters (all little smaller than for male batters) You may use paint, but duct tape is highly recommended (and keep a roll in your equipment bag in case it peals off)
Teams are responsible for paying umpire fees (cash only) for all regular season and playoff games. $10.00 per team per game for scheduled 5 inning games in playoffs. $15.00 per team per game for scheduled 7 inning games. This is a slight increase from last season due to rates going up in most other Leagues.
Budget for a maximum of 18 games of $15.00 per game (4 League tournament games that count in standing are 5 innings) plus minimum of 8 playoff and League Tournament games at $10.00 (maximum of 16 games depending how far you advance in playoffs and League Tourney) Umpires must be paid at or before “Ground Rules” meeting (in cash and paper bills- no change please)
In the event of a forfeit. The non-forfeiting team will NOT pay umpire for that game. The League will pay the umpire and the forfeiting team will be responsible for reimbursing the League for FULL UMPIRE FEE ($30.00) with 7 days of forfeit or risk suspension)
Any teams that forfeit at Buhler Park with less than 24 hours notice will be fined $60.00 per game- $30 for umpire fees and $30.00 will go to their opponents to cover their wasted gate fees.
PAYMENT PLAN: Please make any cheques payable to “Kildonan Sports” any other Cheques will no longer be accepted by our bank
Minimum $300.00 deposit by March 22nd guarantees your spot on your preferred nights. We will be taking registrations until April 20th but space may be limited on preferred nights.
Minimum $600.00 in total due on or before April 20th , together with a post-dated cheque for or balance, if any for no later than June 1st
EQUIPMENT
Home team supply bases, including safe base for first base, home plate and pitching rubber and set up diamonds and supplies 2 playable game balls, Worth Grey Dot. Home team must supply the mat for the strike zone- 24” x 48” you may cut up an old carpet or make one from rubber. Diamonds will already be set up only at games at Buhler Recreational Park. The mat must have a very visible line at the 42 inch mark as that will be the strike zone for all female batters (all little smaller than for male batters) You may use paint, but duct tape is highly recommended (and keep a roll in your equipment bag in case it peals off)
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· Safe base is mandatory, foul flags are optional, but recommended.
· Catchers should wear a mask but it is optional.
· No titanium or hardball bats allowed, all bats must have grips, or be properly taped (no electrical tape) All bats must be legal as per the 2010 ASA guidelines
· Cleats - for insurance purposes, steel cleats are illegal. Players must remove them immediately or leave the game. Players will be called out if caught while at bat or on base.
· Uniforms - team uniforms are optional (but recommended)
· Umpires will supply scorecards. Please put player FIRST & LAST NAMES on Scorecards. East Division- Winning teams must bring scorecard to League Headquarters at Boston Pizza, Regent & Lagimodiere or at drop box at Buhler Recreation Park, immediately after game or risk forfeit. There will be a box set up by our scoreboard there in the lounge. West Division- Umpires will call in scores and turn in scorecards
ROSTERS
Insurance Roster: (up to 20 players) completed and handed in when schedule is picked up. NO ROSTER, NO SCHEDULE! Note – only players on the insurance roster will be covered by insurance.
League Roster: (up to 25 players) completed and handed in on or before League Tournament. Players must be on league roster to be eligible for any league games after League Tournament.
LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
The League Tournament will be played June 11th, 12th & 13th with beer gardens and headquarters Buhler Recreation Park. Umpires fees now paid by the teams. All prizes will be awarded at Beer Gardens at Buhler Recreation Park after all finals are completed. Team must pay umpires at League tournament
PLAYOFF WEEKEND
August 6th, 7th & 8th at Buhler Recreation Park. All teams participating. Umpire fees paid by teams
THE SEASON
Teams have choice of playing Mondays & Wednesdays or Tuesdays & Thursdays- space is limited and on first come basis
First Schedules (6 games) for May will be emailed out by no later than April 30th
Season starts the week of May 3rd.
Remaining schedules will be emailed on a date TBA.
Game Stars- will no longer be picked after games
Regular season-22 games and 4 playoff games guaranteed (all teams make the playoffs).
Playoffs- all teams will be playing on playoff weekend August 6th, 7th & 8th (so plan ahead, if players are on holidays that weekend make sure you have enough eligible players for that weekend to field a team) Umpire fees paid by teams
All teams will play 6 games, and then, based on caliber put into divisions for the next 6 games and the League Tournament. We will do final seedings for the remainder of the season and playoffs Teams will remain on their preferred night of play throughout the season
Prizes for playoff winners & finalist range from team trophies, SPN Molson Slo-Pitch Prizes, with all division champions winning jackets. All prizes will now be awarded at Beer Gardens at Buhler Recreation Park after all finals are completed
2010 KILDONAN CO-ED SOFTBALL LEAGUE RULES
Game Duration- All regular season games – 7 innings, 15 run mercy rule after 5th or 10 run mercy rule after 6th inning. Time limit - at 7:30 on weeknights, teams will complete the inning they have started & play 1 more inning (time limit won't come into effect if you are already into the 6th inning, or if mercy rule applies). Maximum of 10 runs per inning, except final inning which is OPEN. Scheduled Games times are 6:20 & 7:45
- Umpire Fees- Budget for a maximum of 18 games of $15.00 per game (4 League tournament games that count in standing are 5 innings) plus minimum of 8 playoff and League Tournament games at $10.00 (maximum of 16 games depending how far you advance in playoffs and League Tourney) Umpires must be paid at or before “Ground Rules” meeting (in cash and paper bills- no change please)
· Profanity rule- anyone using profanity loudly, or directed at an umpire or opposing team, will receive a team warning (each team allowed one warning per game). If anyone from the offending team uses profanity during the rest of the game the batter up (or the next batter if offending team is in the field) is automatically out and does not bat.
· Equipment- Home teams set up diamonds (except any games at Little Mountain Sportsplex or Buhler Recreation Park, as they set up diamonds) bases, including safe base for first base, home plate and pitching rubber and supplies 2 playable game balls, Worth Grey Dot. Home team must supply the mat for the strike zone- 24” x 48” you may cut up an old carpet or make one from rubber. Bases set up at 65 feet, pitching 50 feet. The Pitching lane rule will be allowed (Pitcher may move back up to 65 feet as long as they use a legal delivery and arc.
· Bats-No titanium or hardball bats allowed, all bats must have grips, or be properly taped (no electrical tape) All bats must be legal as per the 2010 ASA Guidelines
· No alcohol in view of umpire, if team is caught, automatic forfeit, except games at Buhler Park where teams may consume alcohol in designated areas during game- No alcohol in the dugout area
· No jewellery – if any batter comes up to the plate with any jewellery on that is in view of the umpire and they are caught, they are automatically out (no warning).
· Maximum 6 males in line up at once (you may play 5 and 5, 4 and 6, etc. if desired). Exception, see extra hitter rule.
· Late Teams – Teams not ready to play right at the scheduled game time (not enough players, lineup not made, diamond not set up, if you’re the home team, etc.) will lose their first at bat. If 10 minutes late- automatic forfeit.
Forfeits- will count as a game played with non-forfeiting team awards a 10-0 win (and 2 points in the standings) In the event of a forfeit. The non-forfeiting team will NOT pay umpire for that game. The League will pay the umpire and the forfeiting team will be responsible for reimbursing the League for FULL UMPIRE FEE ($30.00) with 7 days of forfeit or risk suspension)
Any teams that forfeit at Buhler Park with less than 24 hours notice will be fined $60.00 per game- $30 for umpire fees and $30.00 will go to their opponents to cover their wasted gate fees.
· Short players – you may play 1 or 2 players short taking automatic outs. If player comes late they can be put in lineup at any time, as long as the game is not delayed.
· Batting Order - you may put males and females in any order you like.
· Courtesy Line – male defensive players (except pitcher) must stay outside baselines between 1st and 2nd base and 2nd and 3rd base on female batters until ball leaves the pitchers hand. Failure to do so results in a dead ball, batter is awarded 1st base and all other base runners awarded 1 base.
· Bunt Rule- Females only may bunt. If batter “squares” to bunt, she cannot pull back and swing away. Batter is out and ejected from the game, whether contact was made or not if she swings away after squaring. If a player squares to bunt but pulls the bat back and makes no attempt to bunt in the umpires judgment it is NOT an automatic strike, only a strike if the pitch is a legally delivered strike. Courtesy line will still be in effect if batter squares to bunt.
· Substitutions – only time a female may be replaced by a male in the batting order or on the field is when you are playing with more than 4 females in the lineup. Exception, see extra hitter rule. Players may re-enter the game once, but only for the person that they were replaced by.
· Extra Hitter Rule (Optional) – Please always inform umpire when you hand in scorecard if you plan to bat more than 10 batters
Batting order Any order you like. 10 batters- maximum 6 males 11 batters- maximum 6 males 12 batters- maximum 7 males. 13 batters- maximum 7 males. 14 batters- maximum 8 males. Any combination of players in batting order can play defensively, (with maximum of 6 males on field)
- Whatever number of batters you start with you MUST FINISH WITH. Any open spots (if someone has to leave or can’t finish a game and there are no legal subs to put in) will be counted as automatic outs (not a forfeit)
· Courtesy Runner –Maximum 3 courtesy runners per game- male for male, female for female. You may now use anyone for the batting order to run, and a runner may be used more than once per game (as long at team does not exceed 3 in a game)
· Player eligibility
- All players must sign roster to be eligible for any league games. Rosters due on the Saturday of the League tournament. The roster will then be considered final, and any non-rostered players will be considered illegal. Anyone caught using illegal players by way of opposing team making a protest, or any league official (including umpires) being made aware of it, the offending team will forfeit all games the illegal player has played, and, if occurs during playoffs, the team will be disqualified for the remainder of playoffs. Players may only play on one Tues-Thurs team as well as well as only one Mon-Wed team. If a signed player wants to change teams once they have signed with a team, they must do so before the league tournament is completed, as well as notify the league to take their name off their original team's roster.
- To be eligible to play on Sunday of the League Tournament a player must have played at least one game for your team prior to the Sunday (regular season or Tournament games) This may help prevent teams from “stacking” their teams on the Sunday on the tournament.
- To be eligible for playoffs, players must play at least 8 regular season games for any team that a player wants to play for in playoffs (all players should be prepared to show umpire ID upon request in playoffs). This prevents teams from “stacking” their teams in the playoffs. All League Tournament games count as games played. You will be disqualified from playoffs if caught with ineligible players
· Playing on 2 different teams in League
– Player can play on 2 teams as long as the team they they play on different Conference Nights (same division okay) and have signed the league roster. You may only play on one Monday-Wednesday Conference Team and one Tuesday-Thursday Conference Team only. Any conflicting games the league will not hold up games for players (eg. League Tournament, make up games, playoff weekend). The player must pick a team to play on. This rule is to make it fair for all teams so teams are not picking up players at diamonds on game days.
· Lead Off - you may take steps off after a swing and a miss or when a ball crosses the plate.
· Commitment Line- no touching home plate at any time when scoring a run, if seen by umpire, runner is out.
Pitching- 6-12 foot arc. A strike is any legal pitch not swung at that hits our infamous mat behind the plate that does not hit home plate. Teams now must supply mat- 24” x 48” The mat must have a very visible line at the 42 inch mark as that will be the strike zone for all female batters (all little smaller than for male batters) You may use paint, but duct tape is highly recommended (and keep a roll in your equipment bag in case it peals off)
· Foul Ball – 3rd strike, you’re out!
· Walking Batters – if a male batter walks and is followed by a female, he gets 2 bases and the female batter bats. If followed by a male he only gets 1 base. If a male batter walks before an “auto out” he is awarded only first base.
· Tie Game – All tie games in regular season will remain a tie.
· Darkness or Rain – in this case 5 complete innings is considered an official game. If a game is called in the middle of an inning (past the 5th inning) the final score will be that of the last completed inning. Example – away team is leading 6 – 5 after 5 innings. In the top of the 6th they score 1 run. With 1 out in the bottom of the 6th, the home team scores 5 runs, but it starts pouring, the umpire has to call the game, the final score would be 6 – 5 for the away team.
· Steel cleats – not allowed. Player will be called out if at bat or on base and must remove them or leave the game. This is for safety and insurance purposes.
· All other rules of Slo-Pitch as per the SPN rulebook not mentioned above will be used.
· SPORTSMANSHIP:
- Remember if an umpire blows a call, it is not on purpose, and it is a part of the game. So don’t “FREAK OUT” on the umpires, it’s not the end of the world!!!
- All umpires decisions are final, if a player is ejected from a game:
- First offence – 1 game suspension
- Second offence – suspended indefinitely
- Any physical confrontation with umpires:
- First player from a team – person suspended indefinitely
- Second player from a team – team is suspended indefinitely
· PROTESTS – all protested games should be submitted in writing to League President, together with a $20.00 payment per protest. Money will be refunded if protest is won. If a game is protested, umpire is informed at time of incident and scorekeepers of both teams will mark at what point of the game the protest took place. These will be submitted to the League President with a written protest and deposit. Protestable situation – player eligibility, conflict of rules only (not balls and strikes, safe or out or any other judgment call). Protests will be addressed as soon as league office investigates situation and a decision is rendered.
· BAD WEATHER – in the event of bad weather all players are to call the league info line at 654-BALL. This includes bad forecasts and bad weather on previous days (some diamonds may be playable while others are under water). The league will not be calling teams to postpone games.
2010 LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
The League Tournament, Manitoba’s LARGEST Coed Softball Tournament will be held on June 11th, 12th & 13th with headquarters, draw and beer gardens held at Buhler Recreation Park. Buhler Recreation Park is an awesome facility with 8 diamonds all in park!
The Beer gardens will be at the clubhouse between the 2 wheels. There will also be a Beer Garden set up on the 2 wheels (set of 4 diamonds) so you may purchase beer, water and pop right at the diamond and legally have a beer and watch games in the designated areas. No alcohol on or around bench area!! Anyone caught with outside alcohol or drinking outside designated areas with be barred from the park for the remainder of the weekend and face possible suspension from League play.
The Tournament is included in league fees and the first 4 games will count in standings. Only League teams, with rostered players, will be allowed with all league rules being used. The tournament will be a round robin format and all teams will play 1 game Friday and 2 Saturday with teams going in A ,B , C & D for Sunday where first loss and your out, but come back to the beer gardens and party with the league. All games in tournament will be 5 innings with a 10 run mercy after 3 innings.Teams will now pay the umpires- $10 per team, per game.
Buhler Park and the League will set up diamonds for all tournament games. The home team must supply 2 playable game balls for each game and a MAT (all teams bring your mat to all games not at Buhler Park. Teams will flip a coin for home team. The League will pay umpires fees for the League Tournament Winning team must bring scorecard to the designated spot at the beer gardens next to draw sheet immediately after completion of the game or risk forfeiting.
To be eligible to play on Sunday of the League Tournament a player must have played at least one game for your team prior to the Sunday (regular season or Tournament games) and be signed to League roster. Anyone caught with illegal players will forfeit game/s. This may help prevent teams from “stacking” their teams on the Sunday on the tournament.
The tournament schedule for the first game of the 3 round robin games will be emailed to all teams on Wednesday, June 10th and posted online. You must come to Buhler Recreation Park anytime after 6 PM on Friday, June 12th to check draw sheet for remaining times. Teams must check email or send a representative down to check when you play, as the league will not be calling teams! There will be a FREE OUTDOOR SOCIAL on Friday, June 11th at Buhler Recreation Park. From 7 PM- 1 AM open to all players, friends and family of the Kildonan Coed Softball League (No ticket required) Beer Gardens inside and out Saturday and Sunday 11 AM- 9 PM.
All Champs & finalist will receive SPN Molson Slo-pitch prizing which will be presented at the beer gardens Sunday, June 13th after all finals are complete