CHANGES and CORRECTIONS/2011 ATHLETIC MANUAL Please Note: The athletic manual is available online at www.grpa.org. It is located under the athletics tab and you must be logged in to gain access. PROPOSED RULE CHANGES: PASSED RULES 1. Track and Field not allow middle school and junior high school athletes to participate in GRPA track competition. 2.Track and Field an agency may not submit more than three (3) entries per event in each age division, but only one 4 x 100 relay and one 4 x 400 relay team, and the following to be deleted from the rule: APPROVED RULING: A district, by majority vote and consent of at least one of its State Athletic Committee Members, may decrease or increase the number of entries in district level competition. 3. All Youth Sports if a child that has not turned 7 years of age by the age control date not be allowed to play in GRPA Championship play (Sub district, district and state) for tennis, track, soccer and golf. 4. Tournaments there must be a minimum of five teams entries to have a state tournament. Less than five teams would be combined with another classification. NOTE: Does not apply to individual sports 5. Adult Softball State Tournaments Adult Special /Slow State tournaments on the 3 rd weekend of June in 2011 and 2012 and the Adult Slow State tournaments on the 4 th weekend of June in 2011 and 2012. 6. Tennis fee page tennis fees to be $7.00 per participant. 7. Adult Softball allow adult softball teams to use the ASA pick-up player rule and add up to 3 players to their GRPA roster when advancing to the state tournament. These players must come from teams within the agency their team is representing and the pick-up player s team cannot be advancing to the GRPA State tournament. 8. All Youth and Adult Team Sports requiring all players be present at team/roster check in prior to the first game of the tournament. If a rostered player is not present at team check in that player must check in with the tournament director prior to playing in the tournament. 9. Tournament Organization Youth - it is not required for the host team to play the first game of the state tournament. Delete #9 from manual. 10. Tournament Organization Adult A motion was made that in not be required for the host team to play the first fame of the state tournament. Delete # 8 from manual. 11. Youth Basketball Rule IV; Section B; Number 3 A motion was made to have the same free throw lane line up for all age division except Flea. Page 4
12. Youth Basketball-Rule IV; Section A; Number 3- A motion was made to allow teams to wear matching color or white only t-shirt under game jersey. 13. Track and Field Rule V; Article IIB; Number 2b add the following: The finals for the standing long jump and shot put shall be held at 6:00pm on Friday. The youngest age group shall go first so as to be available first for the running preliminaries. 1600 meter finals shall also begin at 6:00pm Friday. It shall be determined that if any of the participants in the shot put or standing long jump are participants in the 1600, thus allowing them to compete in the field events after they run. 14. Track and Field Rule V; Article III A; Number 1 - add: Shoes identified as illegal at the finish line will cause disqualification of the participant from that event. 15. Track and Field Rule V; Article III B; Number 3 add: Hair beads and/or pony tail ties with decorative balls shall be considered jewelry. 16. Track and Field Rule V; Article VII; Default paragraph: A motion was made to delete the current paragraph under the default and add: Advancement: The top eight over all times from the preliminary heats will advance to the finals. 17. Tennis Rule VI A motion was made to allow tennis players to participate in all three categories of competition. Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles 18. Youth Baseball with machine and Youth Softball with machine when play has ceased the umpire will call time and all play will be stopped in machine pitch baseball and softball. 19. Baseball Rule II; Section A; Number 2a A motion was made to allow the courtesy runner to be used for the pitcher and catcher. The courtesy runner will be the last recorded out. If an out has not been recorded then the last player to score may be used. 20. Baseball -Pitching Machine Rules; add g allow bunting in mite boys with pitching machine. 21. Baseball with machine and Softball with machine the speed of the ball to be measured from the home plate area as the ball leaves the machine and travels toward home plate. The speed of the ball should be measured after the ball leaves the machine no greater than midway from home plate to the mound from the catcher s position or batter s box. The speed should not be measured from behind the machine. 22. Baseball with machine and Softball with machine when there is controversy regarding the radar gun settings, allow the machine to be adjusted no more than +/- 4 mph so that the ball may be put in play. 23. Baseball with machine - not to allow Pearl Baseballs for pitching machine at district or state tournaments. Page 5
24. Baseball Rule VII; Article III the official baseball can have the following stamps: Little League, Pony League, Official Baseball, Dixie Youth, etc. Does not have to be NFHS stamped. 25. Baseball Rule VII; Article II the time limit to be 1 hour and 40 minutes except for the championship and if needed game for mite live and midget. 26. Baseball Rule II; Section C; Number 1 a team can start/continue a game with eight players, whenever a player leaves a game for any reason other than ejection. 27. Baseball with Machine and Softball with Machine Rule VII; Article II not to allow fake bunts in baseball and softball with pitching machine in both the flea and mite divisions. If a batter shows bunt and then swings an out will be called. 28. All Youth Sports in all youth sports a team can start or continue a game with one less player when a player leaves a game for a reason other than ejection. 29. Baseball Rule 11a (i); Section C; Number 11; to allow the runner to play off the base and be allowed to steal at any point during live play in midget boys baseball. 30. Baseball Rule VII; Section C; Number 1 a i and ii to change the base distance to 65 feet and the pitching distance to 50 feet in midget boys baseball. 31. Baseball and Softball Baseball Rule5 Section A Number 2; Softball Rule 2 Section C Number 1: drop the exception (time limit) in the mandatory playing time rule. 32. Baseball Rule VII; Article VIB; Number H to allow a player to steal when the ball passes home plate in mite with machine. 33. Baseball number 11 that on a dropped 3 rd Strike the ball is live and stealing in allowed in midget boys major baseball. 34. Softball Rule 11; a to allow a player to steal when the ball passes home plate in mite with machine. 35. Adult Softball Rule VIII; Article IIB a time limit of 1 hour and 15 minutes or 7 innings for all bracket play with the exception of the Championship and if needed game in adult softball. 36. Adult Softball Rule VIII; Section B6; Number 6 Equalizer/One Homerun ahead to be as follows: A team cannot at anytime be ahead in home runs by more than one. The first team to hit a ball fair over the outfield fence cannot hit another one until the other team hits one to tie or one more to go ahead by one home run. Any ball hit in excess is an out. The home team can only hit available home runs to tie not go ahead. 37. Softball Section A; Number 1 to allow steel cleats in junior and senior divisions of girls fast pitch. Page 6
38. Softball-- add Wednesday as the start date for the mite girls live, midget, and junior girls. 39. Youth Golf allow double par for all participants. 40. Youth Golf Rule II; Section C; Number 3 A motion was made to allow all girls (11 & up) to tee off from the red tees. All 7 & 8 year olds tee off from 100 yards on par 3 s, 150 yards on par 4 s, and 200 yards on par 5 s. 41. Baseball Composite Bats For Mites, Midget, and Midget Major Divisions, all 2 ¼ inch composite bats are legal. However, if a national governing body comes out with a list of unapproved bats, GRPA will follow this list. For Junior and Senior Divisions, all bats must meet the standards set by the Georgia High School Association and the National Federation of High School Sports. 42. Baseball Pitch Count.. Mite/Live and Midget Divisions: The maximum number of pitches that can be thrown in a game is 85 pitches. EXCEPTION: If the pitch limit is reached during an at bat, the pitcher may continue to pitch until the batter has reached base or has been declared out, at which time the pitcher must be replaced. A pitcher who throws 20 or less pitches in a day requires no rest period. A pitcher who throws between 21-50 pitches in a day requires one (1) calendar days of rest A pitcher who throws between 51-85 pitches in a day requires two (2) calendar days of rest If a pitcher pitches less than 21 pitches in game one, they are eligible to pitch in game two but the pitch count will be a cumulative total for the day. If a pitcher throws 21 or more pitches in a game and is removed from the mound, they are not eligible to return to the mound in the same game or until their required rest period is observed. Junior and Senior Divisions: The maximum number of pitches that can be thrown in a game is 105 pitches. EXCEPTION: If the pitch limit is reached during an at bat, the pitcher may continue to pitch until the batter has reached base or has been declared out, at which time the pitcher must be replaced. A pitcher who throws 30 or less pitches in a day requires NO rest period. A pitcher who throws between 31-60 pitches in a day requires one (1) calendar day of rest A pitcher who throws between 61-105 pitches in a day requires two (2) calendar days of rest If a pitcher pitches less than 31 pitches in game one, they are eligible to pitch in game two but the pitch count will be a cumulative total for the day. If a pitcher throws 31 or more pitches in a game and is removed from the mound, they are not eligible to return to the mound in the same game or until their required rest period is observed. 43. Tournament Organization to allow a minimum of 5 teams and a maximum of 16 teams for state tournaments. The host district would have additional spot and play as the district host. 44. Youth Baseball/Softball with Machine for the pitching machine to be a minimum of 12 inches off the ground with a maximum of 24 inches from the bottom of the wheel. Page 7
45. Swimming to add a one dollar additional charge for each athlete to cover expenses of the Swim meets. 46. Youth Basketball A sub-committee was put together to research options for playing more than a single elimination tournament for the State Basketball tournaments. 47. Time Limit for Midget Baseball change the time limit to 2 hours for midget baseball. 48. Time Limit Baseball and Softball with Machine change the time limit to 1 hour and 40 minutes for baseball and softball with machine. Page 8