Frederick County National Little League Local League Rules 2018 - All Divisions Board of Directors October 15, 2017 Mike Gorlinsky FCNLL President
Rule 1 There is no set ruling for selecting an All Star team; the Board of Directors (BOD) for Frederick County National Little League (FCNLL) recommends the following process. All Star selection: All players are eligible for selection to an All Star team in their respective age brackets as long as they meet the playing requirements for Little League regulations providing that they play in sixty (60%) percent of the scheduled games. Concession may be granted to those players that are on a high school roster. The managers in each division will recommend the players that are eligible to play during the All Star season. The managers will review the list of recommended players and begin selecting the players that will represent our league. The All Star coaching staff will then submit the All Star Roster to the Board of Directors for approval. Rule 1.01 Selection of the All Star Coaching Staff for the Minor through Senior League Divisions: 1. All Star Managers The Board of Directors will recommend managers for the President to appoint. Appointed Managers will submit a list of Coaches for the Board of Directors to approve. Rule 1.02 Coaches: Coaches may assist the manager of their respective team in recommending eligible All Star players from their team roster. Coaches are not permitted to voice their opinions when the selection does not involve a player from their team roster. However, the coaches are permitted to discuss the selection with the manager of their team. Rule 2 Baseball Draft Selection: The Board of Directors will follow Little League regulations for selecting players to their teams with the exception to Tee Ball. Players whose league ages are 4, 5 or 6 can be selected to a Tee Ball team. Players whose league ages are 6, 7 or 8 can be selected to a Coach Pitch team. Players whose league age is 8 or 9 can be selected to a Minor Division team. Players whose league age is 10 can be selected to a Minor or Major Division team. Players whose league ages are 11 or 12 can be selected to a Major Division team. Players that are 11, 12 or 13 years of age may be selected to the 50-70 program. Players whose league age is 12, 13 or 14 can be selected to a Junior Division team. Players whose league ages are 13, 14, 15 or 16 can be selected to a Senior Division team. In order to play in the 50-70 division and another division you must register and pay for both divisions separately. Softball Draft Selection: Players whose league ages are 4, 5 or 6 can be selected to a Tee Ball team. Players whose league ages are 6, 7 or 8 can be selected to a Coach Pitch team. Players whose league age is 8 or 9 can be selected to a Minor Division team. Players whose league age is 10 can be selected to a Minor or Major Division team. Players whose league ages are 11 or 12 can be selected to a Major Division team. Players whose league ages are 12, 13 or 14 can be selected to a Junior Division team. Players whose league ages are 13, 14, 15 or 16 can be selected to a Senior Division team. Exceptions: Players that are six-years-old and have played in the Tee Ball division for one season can be eligible to play in the Coach Pitch division. Due to the overlap of divisions a player that is selected to the older division must play for the team that has selected them. If the player does not want to play for that team, they will require approval from the Board of Directors to play in the younger division. 2 FCNLL Local League Rules 2018
Rule 3 No player will be called up from the Minor Division to the Major Division in the last two weeks of the regular season (See regulation IIId2). The make-up schedule does not have any bearing on this regulation. Rule 4 Any player who is out of the line-up for more than two weeks (or four consecutive games) is subject to being removed from his/her team by action of the Board of Directors. However, the Board of Directors reserves the right to allow such player to remain on the roster. Managers are responsible to contact the Player Agent if a player misses more than two consecutive games for any reason (See regulation Ibid). Failure to do so will be cause for corrective action against the manager. Rule 5 All managers and coaches must attend the clinics for the Fundamentals of the Game sponsored by FCNLL Training Committee prior to the start of the practice season. The Training Committee is responsible for dispensing information on the clinics to the managers and coaches. The Umpire-In-Chief is responsible for dispensing information to the umpires. All coaches are required to attend a class, which includes safety, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, child abuse, players with disabilities, and the parent meeting. Also a Virginia State Mandated Concussion training certificate must be presented to FCNLL annually. Rule 6 All FCNLL volunteers must complete a Volunteer Application Form and provide a copy of their Driver s License. For Manager/Coach volunteers you must fill out the manager/coach application. All volunteers must provide their social security number for an annual background check. Every volunteer will be required to wear an ID Badge for identification. Only FCNLL badged volunteers whose badge states concussion certified will be allowed to help coach, manage, or have interaction with players on a team or in the dugout. You may not pull parents from the stands to help, if you have no resources the board of directors can provide someone to help out. Board members of FCNLL will periodically be checking badges, if there is a non-approved person helping out the manager of that team will be suspended for the rest of the season. Anyone on the field is required to have a background check and display the badge that has been issued to them by FCNLL. No exceptions. This is for any Frederick County National Little League activity including practices, away games, games at Passage Road fields, etc. Badge policy will be monitored and administered by the league. Penalty for not having badge: o First offense is a warning. o Second offense is a one week suspension from all FCNLL activities. o Third offense will result in suspension from all league activity for the remainder of the current season. All FCNLL Board of Directors will wear and make visible FCNLL BOD ID Badges while representing FCNLL. Rule 7 The managers are responsible for removing all trash in the dugout and on the field after every game and practice on all FCNLL Fields. Fields located on Passage road are to be groomed after each game and practice. All trash is removed from the dugout, playing field and the spectator area at the Passage Road, Locust Street and Middletown Fields. Rule 8 Game Times Game Times: Times are subject to the completion of the first scheduled game on that field that day. 3 FCNLL Local League Rules 2018
Minor and Major Divisions: No inning will start after one hour and forty five minutes after the start of the game if at least four full innings have been played. 50/70, Junior, and Senior Divisions: No time limit. Special Note: If there is no game immediately following a scheduled game there will be no time limit. This should be discussed at the plate meeting before the game to make sure both Managers are in agreement. Rule 9 Practice Schedules Suggested requirements prior to the start of the season: Tee Ball 2 one-hour practice per week Coach Pitch 2 one and a half hour practices per week Minor division 2 one and a half hour practices per week Major division 2 one and a half hour practices per week Junior division 2 one and a half hour practices per week Senior division 2 one and a half hour practices per week After the start of the season managers are required to have one practice per week, unless field availability limits this. Rule 10 The coaching staffs of the Tee Ball, Coach Pitch, and Minor Baseball and Minor Softball Divisions need to understand that these are instructional levels. It is the coach s responsibility to assure that all players have an equal amount of playing time. It is the coach s responsibility to teach the defensive skills of all field positions and to allow each player the opportunity to learn every position. Rule 11 Frederick County Parks and Recreation Department will cancel games at Sherando Park for inclement weather. Cancellation will be made and posted after 3:30 PM. Please call 540.665.5678 and select option 3 for the updated information. Due to locality, cancellations at Passage Road are at the discretion of the board of directors and an email, text blast and/or Facebook update will be sent out informing everyone of the status. If a game has started out at Passage Road the umpire or game coordinator is in charge as to when and if a game needs to be canceled for any reason. In the case of lightning the Weatherbug application on a smart phone will be used to determine how far away lightning is and games will be called accordingly. When lightning is detected within 8 miles of the playing field the game must be stopped and the lightning procedures enacted. Rule 12 The ten run rule will be in effect for all divisions with the exception of Coach Pitch and Tee Ball. Rule 13 Softball Face Masks At all age levels, all softball pitchers are required to wear a facemask while pitching. You may not pitch unless you are wearing a facemask. Facemasks are highly recommended for all infielders as well. Rule 14 Tee Ball Guidelines All games are to be completed according to the scheduled times. Continuous batting order is to be used during play. All batters may advance one base. If the ball is hit into the outfield grass the batter/runner may advance to second base. The last batter will continue to run the bases until the batter scores. Players are assigned to defensive positions according to field positions. 4 FCNLL Local League Rules 2018
Outfield players are to be placed on the outfield grass and not in the infield area. This is an instructional level of play. Please place your players in every defensive position during the season. Please keep the safety of the players at your utmost priority when preparing your lineup. There will be no more than three coaches per team on the playing field, including the dug-out, at any time. All coaches are required to have undergone a background check, concussion training and display the badge that is issued to them by FCNLL at all times while in contact with players. A game coordinator may be assigned by the home team to help facilitate the flow of the game. A full line-up is not needed to play a scheduled game. Rule 15 Coach Pitch Guidelines Managers must adhere to the start times listed on the Coach Pitch Season Schedule. No game is permitted to extend into the next scheduled game. All managers are to make an effort to have their team out of the dugout five minutes prior to the next game start time. A half inning ends when there are three outs, a team has completed their continuous batting order, or five runs have scored. Each batter receives five good pitches. If the batter does not put the ball in play they shall return to the dugout. If the fifth pitch is a foul ball, the batter continues until there is a strike, base hit, or a put out. The Coach will be the judge as to what is a hittable pitch. The coach will keep a count on the pitches and the outs. The coach is part of the field and any contact by batted ball is to be considered a fair ball unless it goes into foul territory before the first or third base bag. A batter/runner is allowed to advance beyond first base when a batted ball is hit into the outfield grass until the ball gets back into the infield by the defensive team. Runners are allowed one base on an overthrow. Bunting and the Infield Fly Rule do not apply for this level of play. Players are assigned to defensive positions according to field positions. Outfield players are to be placed on the outfield grass and not in the infield area. A full line-up is not needed to play a scheduled game. There will be no buckets or extra balls allowed on the ground during play. This has become a danger and hazard to the players and will not be allowed. Rule 16 Accident Forms All FCNLL Managers, Coaches, Team Parents and BOD will make sure an Accident Form is filled out for every injury small and large. A form must be filled out and submitted to the League Safety Officer (email to fcnll.safetyofficer@fcnll.com) or any FCNLL Board Member within 24 hours. No exceptions. Accident forms are available on the website on the AboutForms and Information page. If a claim is turned into an insurance company please ensure the player keeps a copy of the accident form. If a player is taken to a doctor and a claim is filed, FCNLL will require a medical release from the doctor stating the player is able to come back and resume activities again. These Frederick County National Little League Local Rules were approved by the Board of Directors on October 15, 2017 for the 2018 Season. League ID Number 03460314. Mike Gorlinksy 10-15-2017 President s Name President s Signature Date 5 FCNLL Local League Rules 2018
Rules Addendum Rule A After entering the batter s box, the batter must remain in the box with at least one foot throughout the at bat. Exceptions: 1. On a swing, slap, or check swing. 2. When forced out of the box by a pitch. 3. When the batter attempts a drag bunt in Baseball [or attempts a slap or slap bunt in Softball] 4. When the catcher does not catch the pitched ball. 5. When a play has been attempted. 6. When time has been called. 7. BASEBALL: When the pitcher leaves the dirt area of the pitching mound or takes a position more than five feet from the pitcher s plate after receiving the ball or the catcher leaves the catcher s box. SOFTBALL: When the pitcher leaves the eight foot circle or the catcher leaves the catcher s box. 8. On a three ball count pitch that is a strike that the batter thinks is a ball. Penalty: If the batter leaves the batter s box or delays play and none of the exceptions apply, the umpire shall warn the batter. After one warning on a batter, the umpire shall call a strike. Any number of strikes can be called on each batter. Minor/Major Division Baseball and All Softball Divisions: No pitch has to be thrown, the ball is dead, and no runners may advance. Intermediate (50-70) Division/Junior/Senior Baseball Divisions: No pitch has to be thrown and ball is live. NOTE: The batter may return their position in the batter s box and assume the new count at any time during the at-bat, unless such enforced penalty is the third strike. Rule B: Intentional Walk (Baseball Only) - For Minor and Major Divisions of Baseball, defensive teams will now be able to elect to intentionally walk a batter by announcing the decision to the plate umpire. After appropriate notification is made by the defensive manager, the ball is ruled dead and no other runners may advance unless forced by the batter s award of first base. Once the award is granted, four pitches will be added to the defensive pitcher s official pitch count. Rule C: 6 FCNLL Local League Rules 2018
Special Pinch Runner Rules - During tournament play starting in 2017, a team may utilize a player who is not in the batting order as a special pinch-runner for any offensive player twice a game, but not more than one time per inning. A player may only be removed for a special pinch-runner one time during a game. The player for whom the pinch-runner runs is not subject to removal from the lineup. If the pinch-runner remains in the game as a substitute defensive or offensive player, the player may not be used again as a pinch-runner while in the batting order. However, if removed for another substitute that player or any player not in the line-up, is again eligible to be used as a pinch-runner. Rule D: Stealing and Relaying of Pitch Selection and Location - Starting in 2017, local league umpires will have the option to adopt the rule that the stealing and relaying of signs to alert the batter of pitch selection and/or location is unsportsmanlike behavior. If, in the judgment of the umpire, this behavior is occurring, both the player and the manager may be ejected from the game. The same rule will be mandated during tournament play. Rule E: Language Regarding On-Field Altercations - In an effort to assist umpires, language has been created in the 2017 rulebooks to provide umpires with guidance regarding fights and physical altercations. A manager, coach, or player shall not leave their position in the field or bench area during a fight or physical confrontation; a manager or coach who attempts to prevent a fight or restore order, in the umpire s judgment, is not in violation of this rule. The umpire shall eject the offender(s) from the game immediately. Failure to comply with the ejection may result in the umpire suspending the game and referring it to the Board of Directors for further action. 7 FCNLL Local League Rules 2018