Green
Country Girls Softball
Association,
Inc.
This
program is designed to promote the physical and mental well being of girls by
teaching the importance of teamwork, developing respect for others, and the
application of the Golden Rule in human relationships. While the attainment of
athletic skills and sportsmanship is encouraged, the real goal is to instill values
that will contribute to the future development of young players in the
program.
Purpose
The
Green Country Girls Softball Association (GCGSA) provides girls
ages five through eighteen with an opportunity to play softball with
quality supervision in a managed league. The GCGSA is open to teams throughout
the
The
GCGSA is governed by an elected Board of Directors. Policy decisions on rules,
schedules, and other administrative matters are handled through the Board of
Directors.
No
alcoholic beverages of any kind are allowed on GCGSA premises. No smoking will
be allowed on GCGSA premises.
Article I
Section
I
The
name of this Association shall be Green Country Girls Softball Association (GCGSA).
Article II
Section
I
The
principle place of business shall be the Love-Hatbox Sports Complex or other
locations as designated by the President from time to time.
Section
I
The
purpose of the Association shall be:
To promote softball in the
To make and enforce rules.
To provide umpires, make schedules, and provide administration for the program.
To be fiscally responsible to the program.
Section
II
General
laws of the Association are as follows:
·
GCGSA will not sponsor a team.
·
The league
does not get involved in individual team funding or funding issues.
·
Without Board Approval:
The
League Director may spend up to $100.00 for necessary equipment, material or
costs associated with the operations of GCGSA. The President may spend up to
$350.00 for necessary equipment, materials or costs associated with the
operations of GCGSA.
·
The fiscal year for the Association
will be from July 1, 1998 thru December 31, 1998 and on a calendar year
thereafter.
It
is the purpose of the Green Country Girls Softball Association Inc. to conduct
the best possible League/Tournaments from all aspects. To achieve this
objective the GCGSA must have the cooperation of each player, manager, coach
and sponsor.
It
is required that, at a minimum, all teams in the league comply with the
following conduct rules:
•
Team manager / coach must have full control of their players at all times. This
means on and off the field and while in the sports complex.
•
In case of disputed play or decision, team managers or coaches may consult with
game officials. Players are to be kept out of the discussion.
•
Managers are to report any unsportsmanlike or derogatory acts by players or
spectators to league/tournament director.
•
Managers, coaches, players, sponsors and teams are liable for suspension by not
adhering to the league/tournament rules in effect.
•
Be careful of your conduct. Be sure that no action occurs that could reflect
adversely on your sponsor, team or this league.
•
Any team submitting bad checks to the GCGSA will be subject to disbarment.
Article IV
Membership
Section
I
Those
eligible for membership in GCGSA are:
Coaches, managers, or sponsors of participating teams in
the league.
Parents/legal
guardians of participating girls in GCGSA
Umpires
affiliated with the Muskogee Umpires Association.
Section
II
All
members shall have equal rights for membership and shall have the opportunity
to voice opinions during Board meetings.
All speaking requests are required to be placed on the agenda and
pre-approved by the Board President.
Section
III
Any
member who is irresponsible in clearing debts with the Association will not be
allowed to retain membership or participate in the Association’s activities.
Article V
Board of Directors
Section
I
The
Board of Directors shall consist of eight elected
members and the League Director. Candidates for the Board of Directors shall be
nominated by a member of the Association and approved by the Board of
Directors. Nominations for new board
members will be accepted at a regularly scheduled board meeting in
October. The meeting will be posted on
the web site and be announced at the spring meeting. If no nominations exist,
new board members may be voted in by a nomination and vote of the board members
present.
Board
members will be elected to serve a two-year term with four members up for election
at even years and the remaining four elected during odd years. The League Director is appointed yearly.
The
Board shall be the governing body of the Association and shall further
designate such subordinate committee for such duties and responsibilities, as
it deems necessary to fulfill the goals of the Association. The Board of
Directors is charged with the responsibility of operating the softball program
in keeping with the purpose for which the Association was established. It is
charged with the efficient operation of the program under the Green Country
Girls Softball Association.
Section
II
There
shall be no more than two members of any one team represented on the
Board. This also applies if members
coach more than one team.
Section
III
A
vacancy occurring on the Board shall be filled by a vote of its Board of
Directors at any meeting of the Board.
If a vacancy occurs mid-term, the GCGSA Board of Director’s may place an
interim board member in that position.
The new member will be appointed for the remaining term of the vacancy.
Section
IV
All
committee appointments will be subject to the approval of the Board of
Directors. Two thirds of the duly elected members of the Board have the
authority to terminate tenure of any person on any committee.
Section
V
The
Board may remove any officer of the Association. Said removal must be by a two-thirds
vote of the Board.
Section
VI
The
Board of Directors shall take steps to see that the proper receipts are given
for all funds received by the Association.
Section
VII
The
League Director hired or appointed by the Board, will become a voting member of the Board and serve for a one-year term.
Section
VIII
Any
Board member who misses two (2) consecutive meetings without prior approval of
the President may be removed from the Board by the President.
Section
IX
It
shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to approve the admission of teams
and coaches into the league.
Section
X
The Board shall have the authority to
suspend any person who defrauds the Association in any manner and take
appropriate action necessary to recover necessary damages.
Section
XI
Any
action taken by any committee shall be reported to the Board of Directors for
approval.
Article VI
Officers
Section
I
Officers
of the Association are the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section
II
The
officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors following the regularly
scheduled board meeting in October. The officers shall be elected for a term of
one year. Candidates for officers shall be selected from the Board of
Directors.
Article VII
Section
I
The
President shall be the chief executive of the Association and shall preside at
all meetings of members and Directors, and shall see that all orders and
resolutions of the Board are carried into effect, and shall be the active head
of the Association.
The
Vice-President shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform
the duties and exercise the power of the president and shall perform all
duties, as the Board of Directors shall prescribe. Should the office of
President become vacant, the Vice-President will be required to take the office
or must resign the position of Vice-President, in which case the Board of
Directors shall fill both vacancies.
Section
III
It
is the responsibility of the Secretary to keep true and accurate minutes. This officer shall maintain records of all
votes, acts, and proceedings of the Association and its Board of Directors and
shall see they are entered in proper books of record.
Section
IV
The
Treasurer shall have the custody of Association funds and securities, and shall
keep full and correct records of receipts and disbursements, in books belonging
to the institution as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The
treasurer shall be responsible for presenting the true financial condition of
the Association at all time.
An
independent accountant may be hired annually to reconcile fiscal transactions
and conduct necessary business regarding the IRS.
Article VIII
Meetings
Section
I
The
annual meeting of the Association is to communicate all relevant information to
the general membership about the upcoming season. The annual meeting shall be
held in February. The date, place and hour of the meeting will be determined by
the Board of Directors. Notice of the meeting will be posted on the
Association’s web site.
Section
II
Special
meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the President. Notice
of such meetings shall be given in the same manner as provided in section I of
this article.
Section
III
The
Board shall meet, at a minimum, on the first Tuesday of every month during the
off-season and the first and third Tuesdays during the season.
Five
members of the Board of Directors at any special meeting shall constitute a
quorum. Regular meetings shall require only those members present to represent
a quorum.
Section
V
Special
meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time and place at the
request of the President or a majority of the Board of Directors. Notice of
such meeting shall be given to each Board member by mail, e-mail or telephone
at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting.
Article IX
Committees
Section
I
The
following committees are hereby created:
A.
Rules/Protest Committee. Establishes rules and has authority to amend or
abolish existing rules for the current year, subject to the approval of the
board. Rules on any official protest made by a team manager or listed coach.
B.
Parks and Grounds - Makes recommendations regarding improvements which may need
to be made.
C.
Scheduling Committee - Responsible for preparation of schedules.
D.
Trophy Committee - Responsible for deciding what trophies will be awarded and
the procurement of these trophies.
Article X
Amendments
Section
I
The
power to amend these by-laws is hereby delegated to the Board of Directors. The
Board of Directors may adopt new by-laws at any regular meeting or at any
special meeting called for that purpose by a vote of two-thirds of the
Directors of the Association.
Article XI
Softball Rules and Regulations
Section
I
The
Board could not hope to publish written rules covering all situations that will
arise during the playing season. Should situations arise that are not covered
under written rules, the League Director, under the Board of Directors’
auspices, shall rule on the situation(s), as is necessary. League games will be
governed by the Official Guide of the Amateur Softball Association of America
(ASA) and the GCGSA.
Article XII
Managers and Coaches
Section
I
All
managers and coaches must be 18 years of age.
Section
II
Managers,
coaches and score-keepers must not harass, abuse, or embarrass any players.
Section
III
The use of foul language is prohibited.
Section
IV
Managers
must have records of each game kept in a permanent-bound type official
scorebook. This requirement is necessary because he/she may be called upon to
prove the eligibility of substituted players.
Section
V
The
manager/coach of the winning team must sign the umpire game card at the end of
the game to certify score and umpire.
Section
VI
It
is mandatory for the manager, coach or other representative of each team to
attend a meeting presented by the Board of Directors to discuss the rules and
policies of the Association for league play.
CONDUCT
Section
I
Manager
or other team officials will absolutely refrain from comments or actions that
disparage the decisions of any umpires before, during, or after the game.
Section
II
Managers
are responsible for preventing parents and other adults of his/her group from
umpire baiting or harassing the members of the opposing team. Managers who do
not attempt to secure order will be reported to the League Director for
necessary action. Managers who do not attempt to carry out the rules, policies,
and intentions are subject to consequences. These may include: forfeiture of
game(s), suspension, and / or removal from the league.
Players are not to
cast slurring or personal remarks or harass players of any teams or heckle any
member of the opposing team in any manner.
Umpires
Umpires
of GCGSA must be at least 16 years of age.
No
manager or coach of a player, or any relative or kin of a player will umpire a
league game of that player. Failure to comply will result in the forfeiture of
any pay for umpiring that particular game. No manager/coach shall umpire league
games in the division in which he/she is a coach or a manager. An umpire who
coaches or manages shall not wear his/her umpire while coaching.
Section
II
It
is the umpire's responsibility to see that only authorized personnel are on the
field during the league games. Defensive managers and coaches must remain on
the player's bench or in the dugout.
Section
III
Umpires
must enforce all rules set forth by GCGSA or be suspended. This applies to all
umpires on all fields.
Section
IV
Before
each game the umpires shall meet at home plate with both managers. Ground rules
for playing will be explained by the Umpire-In-Chief to both managers. Umpires
will be responsible to certify scorebooks following the game.
Section
V
Umpires
shall completely fill out game cards by the end of each game and obtain the
winning coach's signature. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of pay
for umpiring that particular game.
Article XV
Scheduling and Playing Season
Section
I
If
any game or games should be disrupted or rained out, the League Director will
reschedule the games, if time allows.
Not all games may be made up.
Decisions as to dates and times of make-up games are at the discretion
of the league director(s) and the Board.
Section
II
Teams wanting to practice on any
playing field must schedule practice through the League Director ahead of time.
Article XV
Player Eligibility
Section
I
A
girl is eligible to play in the Green Country Girls Softball Association in the
following age groups:
TEE
BALL: Must be 3 years old by January 1st of the playing year to be
eligible for Tee Ball. Those girls who
are 5 on January 1st will play 6 & Under.
6-and-under:
Must be under the age of 7 on January 1st of the playing year.
8-and-under:
Must be under the age of 9 on January 1st of the playing year.
10-and-under:
Must be under the age of 11 on January 1st of the playing year.
12-and-under:
Must be under the age of 13 on January 1st of the playing year.
14-and-under:
Must be under the age of 15 on January 1st of the playing year.
16-and-under:
Must be under the age of 17 on January 1st of the playing year.
18-and-under:
Must be under the age of 19 on January 1st of the playing year.
Article XVII
Player Eligibility and Certified Team Rosters
It
is the responsibility of the team manager or coach to submit the official team
roster (furnished by GCGSA) and birth certificates for each team member to the
League Director by the designated date. If no birth certificate is available, GCGSA
will accept a written statement, on school stationery and signed by a school
official, verifying the age of the girl. Birth certificates, photos, and school
statements will be returned to the coach; and one copy of the roster will be
retained by GCGSA. Team managers are
required to keep copies of birth certificates and players are required to have
ID cards at all league games and show it upon request of the opposing manager,
umpire and / or league official. Failure
to comply with this rule will result in immediate forfeiture of the game. If the opposing team protests eligibility of
a player; the UIC will immediately verify eligibility by requesting to view the
birth certificates. The Umpire-In-Chief
will certify in writing that the team manager did not, or could not, comply
with this rule.
If
the team has signed up through Virtual Tournament Director, those ID cards will
prove age and eligibility. Those teams DO NOT need to have additional birth
certificates.
Players
are committed to the team they have signed up to play with. However, if a player wants to be removed from
a roster, the coach must release that player.
If the coach refuses to release the player; they must wait two weeks
before playing with another team in the league.
Section
II
A maximum of twenty (20) players may be
on each certified team roster at any one time.
Section
III
No
girl is eligible to play until her player fee is paid. A team will forfeit all
games in which an ineligible girl has played. All coaches will be responsible
for the fees of each girl on his/her roster.
Section
IV
No
team is eligible to play unless all fees have been paid in full.
Article XVIII
Protests
Section
I
Umpires
should make every attempt to settle all differences that arise during a game to
avoid a protest. If a manager is not satisfied with the final decision of an
umpire, the manager must notify the Umpire-In-Chief the remainder of the game
is being played under protest. Unless so notified, once the game is complete
and both teams have left the field, no protest can be filed. After the game is
complete where a protest is announced, the umpire will file a written statement
of the situation, which caused the protest.
Section
II
A
fee of $100.00 will be charged to protest a game.
Section
III
Protests
will be filed with the League Director or President for action to be ruled on
by the Protest Committee. A protest will contain the following information:
A.
Name of both teams and both managers.
B.
Name of both umpires.
C.
Date and time of game.
D.
Name of field where game was played.
E.
Final Score.
F.
Reason(s) for protest
G.
Signature of protesting manager.
The
fee will be returned to the protesting manager if the protest is allowed. If
the protest is disallowed, the fee will be forfeited to the GCGSA and deposited
with the Treasurer.
Section
III
Protests
on umpire judgment are not allowed.
Section
IV
The
Protest Committee must take action on any protest filed within 5 days from the
time received. The Protest Committee will report its decision to the League
Director.
Article XIX
Special Playing Rules
Section
I
If
an 8 & under, 6 & under, or Tee Ball team cannot field nine (9) players
at a scheduled starting time, the umpire shall declare a forfeit of that game
to the opposition. A team using only nine players will take an automatic out
for the missing player on that team and will be shown on the team line-up. A
team must have at least nine (9) players on the field when the game ends. Any
player not present when the game begins may be added to the line up if she
arrives during the game.
In
divisions 10 and above, teams must begin and end with, at least, 8
players. In such cases, teams will be
required to take an automatic out for the ninth position.
In all divisions of play the offensive team may only score
5 runs per half inning.
Section
III
In
division 10-and-under and older, a game will consist of seven (7) full
innings with a designated run ahead rule. In the Tee Ball, 6’s and 8’s divisions, games will be
determined by the ability to mathematically win.
Section
IV
No
shoes with metal cleats of any kind will be permitted; soccer shoes are
recommended. Shoes must be worn in order to play.
Section
V
A
legal game ball in good condition will be provided for each game by each team. (umpires will have the discretion as to the legality of the
ball, if the umpire cannot identify the proper markings, they may ask for
another ball).
Section
VI
Game
time is forfeit time; however, coaches are required to have their teams ready
to play 30 minutes before scheduled playing time. If games are running ahead of
schedule, both teams will be required to play. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of
the game. Pre-game warm-up activities
will not take place on the playing field.
The
League Director shall have complete control in all game situations. The League
Director and/or Board may rule forfeiture of a ball game for flagrant
violations of league rules or for misconduct of any coach, player, or fan. If
misconduct occurs after a ball game, the League Director and/or Board may rule
forfeiture of the next game on the schedule for the offending team.
Section
VIII
It
will be the responsibility of each coach to have all team bats certified by an
umpire before game time. Every bat used in league play should have
"official softball" stamped on it. If the words "official
softball" cannot be read due to wear, that bat should be declared legal,
if it is legal in all other aspects. Exception: Players in the 6-and-under
division may use a small "T-Ball" bat if a regulation bat is too
large for a player. Each bat must be approved by the League Director before it
can be used during league play.
Section
IX
A
new inning begins on the 3rd out of the previous inning.
Any
coach or player, who is ejected from a game for misconduct, shall be suspended
from the dugout and the playing field of the team's next League game to be
played. Additional penalties will be
determined by the rules committee. The
ejected coach / manager MUST meet with the Board to determine the length of the
suspension BEFORE the coach is allowed back on the field.
Section
XI
In
the Tee Ball, 6-and-under 8 & under Divisions, A coach will pitch to
his/her own team members. The coach pitcher shall make very attempt not to
interfere with a defensive play after the ball is hit. The coach pitcher must
make an attempt to exit the field of play once the ball is live.
The
defensive team must position all players behind the 35’ ARC. Players may not cross the ARC line until
after the ball is hit.
In the Tee Ball and 6-and-under
division, each batter shall have the opportunity to hit the ball into fair
territory by receiving up to 5 pitches. There will be no walks and no
strikeouts. Team will bat all players (more than 10) and any 10 of them will
play defensive.
Section
XIII
8
& Under coach pitch – the batter will get 5
pitches. Batters may strike out if they
completely miss a 3rd strike.
There will be NO walks.
Section
XIV
10
and under rules will be discussed at the coaches meeting yearly.
In
the Tee Ball, 6 and 8 & under divisions, every player must participate in
all official games. Each player must bat, run, or field during each game.
Failure to do so will cause forfeiture of the ball game. It is the
responsibility of the opposing team to bring this to the attention of the
umpire BEFORE the game ends.
Tee
Ball Bases 55 feet Pitcher’s Mound 25 feet
6
- and - under Bases 55 feet Pitching Distance 25 feet
8
-and - under Bases 55 feet Pitching
Distance 35 feet
Section
XV
Blood Rule
A
player, coach or umpire who is bleeding or who has blood on their uniform shall
be prohibited from participating further in the game until appropriate
treatment can be administered. If medical care or treatment is administered in
a reasonable length of time, the individual will not have to leave the game.
The length of time that is considered reasonable is left to the umpire's
judgment.
Employees or Contract Labor
Section
I
The
Board shall hire or contract with individual(s) for the following positions. Rates are negotiated annually and agreed upon
by the Board.
League
Director
Gatekeepers
Scorekeepers