I. League Governing Board A. River Falls Park and Recreation CITY OF RIVER FALLS RIVER FALLS AREA SOFTBALL LEAGUE Summary of By-Laws 1. Legislates, executes, interprets, and enforces League By-Laws and Rules. 2. League Commissioner is elected after completion of each season. She/he may serve successive terms. 3. The Commissioner may appoint representative, as it deems necessary on an annual basis. 4. Division Representatives a. Comprised of one representative from each Division of the League. These representatives shall be called Division Representatives. b. Are to be selected or appointed by their respective division or by the League Commissioner. c. Each representative is allowed one vote per issue or motion. d. Assist the Commissioner in establishing By-Laws, Rules and Policy. e. May be dismissed and/or replaced by an act of the League Commissioner. B. League Team Representatives 1. Comprised of one member from each league team. These members shall be called "Team Representatives". Each team represented at meetings is allowed one vote per issue or motion. 2. By-Laws, Rules and Policy established by the League Governing Board are not subject to the Representatives approval or disapproval, but may be vetoed by the Representatives if negated by a fifty percent plus one vote of the total number of teams in the league. 3. League Commissioner may represent their respective teams. League Commissioner has the privilege to vote on any and all issues. II. Impeachment of the League Commissioner A. Possible at any time by League Representatives vote; fifty percent plus one vote of the total number of teams in the League is necessary for impeachment. B. Reasons shall be displayed openly to League Commissioner and Representatives. C. Division Representatives decide on replacement for impeached Commissioners(s). III. Punitive action Against a League Team or Player(s) A. A team or player (s) may be subject to disciplinary action when found guilty of minor, habitual, or flagrant violation of League By-Laws, Rules or Policy.
B. Corrective action may include such alternatives as verbal reprimands, monetary fines, forfeiture, suspension, expulsion, or any measure, which the Governing Board considers just, and fair. IV. League Meetings A. A league meeting may be called by: 1. The Park and Recreation Department or Commissioner. 2. Special request of League Committee member when having first notified the Governing Board. B. As the League Governing Board is the legislative, executive, and judicial body, a majority of team Representatives need not be in attendance to initiate new policy. C. Attendance of the League Commissioner is necessary to conduct an official meeting. V. Treasury A. There will be mandatory record keeping which is open to audit by any division representative any time. B. No league expenses are paid without obtaining a receipt (unless paid by Check). VI. League Income A. Annual league entry fee (non-refundable), which is determined yearly. B. Fines assessed. C. Money remaining at end of season is carried forward to the following season. No repartition of funds at end of season. VII. Umpires A. Contracted and paid by the League. B. Substitutes must be found by the contracted umpire. If unable to findsubstitute, a a League Commissioner or Division Representative must be contacted as soon as the umpire is aware of his predicament. C. Any umpire's call is final; only rule interpretation can be basis for protest. D. Substitutes should be picked from a list provided by the League. E. First consideration for umpire and substitute selection will be given to those individuals who are not contracted players of the league.
F. Upon a Commissioner's and/or mutual consent of teams involved, League players may umpire games when no other suitable substitute can be found. These individuals shall be paid as per umpire pay schedule. G. (OT) the opposing teams will umpire their own game. The team as bat will provide a minimum of two umpires - home plate and bases. H. Umpire Pay Schedule 1st Year Umpire - $25/game 2nd Year or more Umpires - $27/game VIII. Field Conditions A. The League Director/Representative/or Umpire is responsible for calling games due to rain, etc. with consent from the Parks and Recreation Department or P.R. s Place. B. The condition of the field is not grounds for protest. C. the League Governing Board reserves the privilege to invoke penalties when there is complaint of field abuse or violations at any of the playing fields. IX. Postponed Games A. Made up at the convenience of both teams by the last day of the regular league season schedule and by discretion of league director. B. The umpire will be contacted as to the postponed game as well as to the rescheduled game by either or both teams involved. C. Unwillingness to make-up games by only one team could result in a forfeit win for the other team. D. Any postponed game that involves at least one team with an earned or mathematically possible playoff berth must make-up that game or both teams will incur a loss. X. Men s League Divisions of Play A. Upper Division -Upper Division is open to players from Class E, D, C or B. No Class A or Restricted Players. B. Upper Middle Division -Upper Middle Division is open to players from Class E, D or C. No Class A, B or Restricted Players. C. Middle Division -Middle Division is open to Class E or D players. No class A, B, C or Restricted Players. D. Lower Division -Lower Division is open to Class E or D players. No class A, B, C or Restricted Players. E. Teams found using a player from an inappropriate Class will forfeit all games in which that player participated.
XI. Team Rosters A. Signed rosters must be turned in to the league office by June 1 st. B. No player will be allowed to appear on more than one team roster with-in the same night of play. C. An official roster will consist of up to 20 players. -Additions may be made in writing to the league office at any time if: -The additional player does not appear on a league roster on the same night of play. -Additions require a majority vote of Division Managers if: (League Administrator will break a tie vote) -The additional player appears on a roster on the same night of play. -Changing rosters with-in a Division is not allowed. XII. Substitutions: A. No person may sub for another team with-in the same night of play. B. C. If a team is found to have used an illegal sub the game will be forfeited. D. All players must be at least 16 years of age and under signed contract held with the League Office. A player who turns 16 during the season may be put on a roster but may not play until his/her 16th birthday. E. Team uniforms will minimally consist of matching shirts. F. Each league participant is responsible for his own loss of property and injury to himself. NOTE: Procedure to check age of legitimate player - ask for I.D. none If get his signature, address and phone number. Submit this to the Governing Board. XIII. Protests A. Umpires must be notified of a team's wish to protest as that team becomes aware of the situation in dispute. The umpire will at this time inform the other team. B. Any protests must be filed in writing before either team involved plays again. A written protest will be submitted to any league representative. C. the League governing board will vote on the protest based on the statement plus a statement from the umpire of the game. D. Any infraction of the by-laws need not be protested in order for the League Commissioners to act. E. Commissioner or Representatives may not vote on issues of personal interest. XIV. Score Reporting A. Umpires will turn scores into the Park and Recreation Department by Friday of each week. XV. General Rules
Game times will be 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:30p.m ASA Official Slow B. Pitch Rules will be observed unless otherwise stated or acknowledged. Exceptions to the Official ASA Rules will be stated in these By- Laws. AnC. officially stamped ASA, Optic Yellow, Red stitch ball with a.520 COR and a compression of 300.0 must be used for all league games. D. A team may not play with fewer than 8 players without penalty or forfeit. There are no exceptions. This is an umpire call. With less than 8 players, the team will forfeit. E. If a team has only 8 players presentthe game shall not be delayed for additional players. Exception: the 6:30 game may be delayed up to 10 minutes to allow for the arrival of additional players. Teams will not be required to record an out for the empty spot in their roster, and players may be added to the end of the batting order as they become available. G. Teams who know they are forfeiting a game or have a schedule or field change must inform: 1) the umpire, 2) the opposing team and, 3) the League Governing Board as soon as they are aware of the situation. Penalty may be payment of the umpire and/or forfeit. H. If a team disbands all games before and after disbandment is considered as non-scheduled. No refunds on entry fees. I. Games will be 7 innings in duration. Ball-strike count to the batter will not exceed 3 balls or 2 strikes. (U-UM-M-L) J. The run rule is 15 runs after 4 innings and 10 runs after 5 innings. K. Pinch runners permanently replace another player in the lineup. L. Courtesy runners shall be allowed to run for a physically hampered runner. A team may designate up to two players who will utilize a courtesy runners, this must be done before the start of the game. The players requiring a courtesy runner should not be next to each other in the batting order. The courtesy runner shall be the player who made the last out. If an additional courtesy runner is needed due to an injury during the game, the umpire may allow it at their discretion. L. Only spiked shoes of the rubber or plastic type may be worn. M. A team that forfeits anyconsecutive 2 weeks, or 3 consecutively scheduled games before July is out of the League. N. Rain-called games are legally complete if the losing team has finished batting in the 5th inning. O. Managers should exchange batting orders before the game begins.
P. (U, UM, M & L) the ball-strike zone shall consist of a black colored carpet "notched in" directly behind home plate. The exact dimensions are determined by the League Governing Board and available upon request. When calling balls and strikes, a pitch is not merely a pitch because it crosses the vertical (invisible) plane to the carpet; it must physically and discernibly contact the carpet. Q. All players who are on the team's roster and present at the game can be placed in the batting line up; however, only 10 players may be selected to play defense at any time. There shall be free substitution at any time for defensive positions. Refer to ASA Rules. R. In Pitching, there shall be a 6 to 10 -foot arc. As per ASA Rules. S. Only ASA approved bats allowed. U. Division placement for next year will be derived by past year standing. V. Home Run Limit Rule - Lower Division is allowed 3 home runs per game and home runs after that will be considered an out. Middle Division - 4 home runs and then out. Upper and Upper Middle Division - 5 home runs and then out. XV. Playoff Procedures A. The teams shall be seeded according to final league standings. B. In accordance with the purpose of seeding, the better-seeded team is the home team, and when possible, at its home field in the first round. Due to the necessity of advanced scheduling of fields, may or may not be a home field advantage for the remaining games. The home team in these games will be determined by a coin flip. C. Based on regular season won-lost records trophies for the first 2 places will be awarded. In case of ties those teams will receive equal trophies. D. Trophies will be awarded top 2 teams in the league, top 2 Teams in playoffs. E. When seeding teams for the playoffs the following procedure will be used to break a tie when teams have the same Win-Loss record: 1. Win-Loss record against each other. 2. Runs scored against each other. 3. Diff. between runs scored vs. runs allowed against division and then league teams. Revised 5/2013