Hillsborough County Parks Rec Rules
hcprd league rules
GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION
The rules, policies, or procedures published in this guide are the official rules of Hillsborough County Recreation Softball. The rules in this guide take precedence over any association other rules that may apply. This guide rules will be a modification of the official USSSA rules published in there official guide.
All rules not address in this managers guide will fall under the official games are rules of softball as published by the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA).
The operation and authority of the adult softball program rest solely on the Athletic Section of the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. Any questions regarding the program should be directed to a member of the athletic staff.
All teams and individual players, upon entering a league or joining a team, agree to abide by the rules, policies, and procedures as stated in this guide. Failure to abide by the rules polices, or procedures of the program could result in forfeiture of games or suspensions of a team or player from league play.
As a condition of participation in the adult sports program, all players must sign a seasonal consent wavier of release. This wavier can be signed at either the William Owen Pass or Ed Radice complexes depending on where the player is playing. The wavier expires December 31st of the year it is signed. This is good for any adult sport sponsored by H.C.P.R. & C.D. But each team is required to turn them in every season. For Roster purposes.
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General Program Infomation
Hillsborough County will enforce the 2012 USSSA Bat Standards. Only those bats that have met USSSAs testing standard and are on the approved for the league play (go to www.usssa.com)
Hillsborough County does not carry any type of insurance on players or their personal property. All players and spectators enter County property at their own risk. Cars could be damaged by hit or thrown balls. The County is not responsible for any loss of personal property or for injury which occurs as a result or participation in the adult sports program.
Teams wishing to purchase accident insurance (medical) or liability insurance may do so with United States Specialty Sports Association Insurance Program Contact USSSA for assistance 1-800-741-3014 www.usssainsurance.com
It is recommended that teams have matching shirts. But matching uniforms are not required.
It is recommended that each manager/coach be responsible for having a first aid kit.
In the HCPRCD adult sports program all participants must be at least 18 years old by the first scheduled game in the season of participation. No exceptions, no waivers.
Mens league rosters shall include only male players and Womens league rosters shall include only female players. Men and women may play together in Co-ed leagues only.
For updates, standings, scores, schedules & rainouts, please be sure to visit (www.hcsportsonline.com & Tampasoftball_facebook.com).
All manager meetings are mandatory. Teams must have a representative present at the managers meeting
Even if your team has prepaid for the upcoming season a team rep must still be present and sign in at the meeting)
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League & Season Info
HCPRD offers three adult seasons per calendar year. Teams play one night a week from 9 to 12 games scheduled depending on number of teams in your division per season. Leagues are offered on weeknights and Sundays.
Managers Meeting: 7:00 PM Jan 24th _ All Peoples Life Center
7:00 PM Jan 26th _ All Peoples Life Center
Season Starts Feb 12th
Spring Season Start Date is TBD: Apr/May
Prepay starts 4 weeks prior to end of the Summer season
Summer Season Start Date is TBD: Aug/Sept
Teams sign up to play either the:
East (Dover / Brandon Area )
West (Citrus Park Area)
East Facilities: West Facility:
Williams Owens Pass (4 Fields) Ed Radice Complex (5 Fields)
Providence (1 Field)
League Fees:
Money orders Or Business Check with Verifcation Form
$350.00 made out to B.O.C.C. (Board of County Commissioners)
$ 25.00 made out to USSSA. (USSSA)
(USSSA FEE IS ANNUAL)
**Prepaying for your next upcoming season is permitted four weeks prior to the next schedule managers meeting. (Prepaying only guaranty your night of week of play not the level or field you will be on.) That is up to the discretion of the athletic staff.
A bad check fee of $30.00 will be assessed for each dishonored check (Ordinance 77-2S)
No team or individual will be allowed to participate until all checks have been made good and all fees have been paid (by money order or cashiers check).
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League Rules
A pre-game conference is a meeting involving the umpires, coaches and or team captains at home plate. The meeting should begin approximately five minutes prior to the start of the game. The purpose of the pre-game conference is to exchange and check each teams lineup cards and as well as a coin flip to determine who is the home and away team and to discuss ground rules. (Example) Pickup players etc. (see pickup player rules mangers guide).
All batters come to the plate with one ball, one strike. No Courtesy Fouls
Time limit on all games is one hour and five minutes No inning will begin after the time
Limit has expired unless the game is tied. After seven innings if the teams are tied there will be a
Texas - tie breaker put into play. There are no tie games. No Time limit in a playoff games.
The following run rules are in effect for all games, 20 runs after 4 innings or 10 after 5 innings.
A Coin flip will determine which team is home and way for every game regular season games.
The playoffs the higher seed will be home team.
All levels of men's and women & co-ed play teams may use the extra hitter (EH).
In a league play a team may bat up to14 hitters.
In all league games, a team may drop below the number of players with which they
Began the game and still continue to play provided that the number of players does not drop below 8 players. However, if a team drops a player the team must take an out every time the player is due up to bat unless the team has an additional player on their bench to sub for that player.
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League Rules Continued
If a team loses a player to injury an does not have a available player to sub on the
Bench and wants to use a pick up player you must check with they opposing
Teams manager to allow you to pick up that player and sub for the injured player
(See pickup Rule)
If a team drops due to a players ejection from the game, the team cannot use a sub for the ejected player and the team must take an out every time the ejected player is due up to bat.* At the time of ejection there is an extra hitter already in your lineup, that player may assume the fielding vacancy, However the spot of the ejected play will still be a automatic out every time the spot in the line up comes up to bat. If the team does have extra hitter in the line prior to the ejection a team may not fill that
void in the field. They must play short fielders. And may not another player to the lineup.
If a team loses a player for any reason, Leaves for work, and or gets mad and quits, etc. You may sub for That player provided you have additional player on your bench to sub for that player.You may not use a pickup player to sub for this scenario. If you have no available Players on your bench you may continue to play with an out being recorded each time The player is scheduled to bat. If the player who leaves is on base, the base is vacated And an out is recorded.
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Casual Profanity
It is the desire of the Athletic Office to create an atmosphere at all softball games in which any member of the family (regardless of their age) can be comfortable.
Is defined as audible profanity not expressly directed to any Individual. The penalty for casual profanity is an out. If a team is on offense, the next batter is out. If a defensive player is guilty, the first batter for his/her team the next half inning is out. If there are multiple infractions, there may be multiple outs. A maximum of three (3) outs per team will be penalized in a game. The fourth infraction will result in a game ending infraction and will result in a forfeit.
Verbal Threats & Fighting
Verbal threats or Physical threats of violence made against umpires or a another player are taken seriously and are prohibited. Threatening an umpire or another player with violence or Verbally attacking will cause the player or spectators to be ejected from the game and or the Field. The player may also be suspended from league play for the remainder of the season or for a period of time determined by the league up to an including two year from the date of the incident. If the player or spectator do not leave the complex including the parking lot they will be trespassed by Hillsborough County Sherriff department.
Umpires may remove any players or spectators from participation for any act they deem unsportsmanlike and may require the ejected participant to leave the premises before the game continues. A player or spectator may be ejection before during of after a game.
Ejections
If a player is ejected from a game they are suspend for the rest of that night. And cant not play on any other field for that night. If a umpire write up a incident report there will be a minimum 1 week or more suspension for that player for all team that player may play for. This is determine by The Athletic Office A player can even be ejected after a game has ended. They made be ejected from the complex. Please be advise that a player is ejected from a game the teams manager may also be ejected from a game if the umpire feel
The manager was not addressing the situation in hand. Any player , manager or spectator who refuses to leave the field after the ejection Is subject to being trespassed off the county fields and will in result in there game being forfeited.
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Suspensions
The Athletic Office has the sole authority to suspend players and spectators determine the length there of for players/ spectators who commit unsportsmanlike acts. The manager will receive either written or verbal notification (both when possible) of a players suspension. Once suspended, a player may not participate on any team in HCPRC play. If a participant plays while suspended, both the players and the manager will be subject to disciplinary action. If the player plays under an assumed name (one other than their own), both player and the persons responsible for putting the name on the line-up card shall be suspended from all HCPRCD play for a minimum of one year. Any player who fights or incites a fight will be suspended for a minimum of one year. Participants ejected from unsportsmanlike conduct acts will be automatically placed on suspension for 1 week.
Protest
YOU MUST INFORM THE UMPIRES THAT YOU ARE PLAYING THAT GAME UNDER PROTEST Before the Game has ended. (Before The last out has been made no exceptions.) You must make sure that the Umpire writes that your team is protesting this game on the score card or the protest will not be accepted. All protest of rule interpretations or player eligibility must be filed in writing or email to info_hcsportsonline.com with the athletic office within 24 hours of the contest (by the close of the next business day). A $25.00 protest fee (refundable if the protest is won) must accompany each written protest. Umpire calls made in the field by an umpire are typically not reversible by the board. If a protest happens with in a playoff game the head umpire should contact the athletic staff immediately
Alcoholic Beverages
It is against the law to drink alcoholic beverages on County property (Ordinance 97-14). Players caught drinking on County property will be immediately suspended from all teams on which they play. The length of the suspension will be a minimum of two weeks (and could be longer). Violators are also subject to arrest by the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office.
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Pitching Standards
In any game, the pitcher will have the option of pitching from the standard 50 foot plate, or from any point up to 6 feet behind the pitching plate that is within the width of the existing pitching plate.
The pitched ball must arc at least 3 feet from release of the pitcher's hand with a maximum of 10feet from the ground. A pitch that has excessive speed will be deemed a ball.
The Strike Zone the Ball Must Cross Home Plate in the Air below the Batters Chin and above the batters front Knee the must land behind the plate between the batter box lines if the ball hits home plate it is a dead ball if the Ball hits beyond the batters box lines it will deemed a ball.
Only in Class A Mens and class A Womens may a pitcher fake or delay a delivery per USSSA rules. On all other lower levels a pitcher must deliver the ball from the standard locations per USSSA Rules but cannot fake or delay or deak of any kind no pitching behind the back or between the legs on the delivery. On Class B,C,D it will be deemed a illegal pitch
Each Team will supply their own balls when up to bat. That ball must meet the required specs per this manager guide which are based off of USSSA slow pitch rules. All balls must be stamped with the blue or Red USSSA logo on it
Game Balls
Each Team will supply their own balls when up to bat. That ball must meet the required specs per this manager guide which are based off of USSSA slow pitch rules. All balls must be stamped with the blue or Red USSSA logo on it
The Official Ball Men's (12) Classic Plus The Ball must be Optic Yellow The Classic Plus shall have Red Stitching with a Blue Logo.
The Official Ball Women's (11) Classic W The Ball must be Optic Yellow. The Classic W shall have blue stitching ,lettering and blue USSSA logo.
***In Coed and Women play Women may choose to hit either Ball Womens or Mens***
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BASE RUNNING
SAFETY BASE
First base will have a orange safety base. If no attempt is made to advance, then the batter/runner need only to Touch the base to the right of first base.
STEALING
Due to the recreational nature of our leagues, it is our plan to allow stealing only in our Men and Womens Class A as well Men's Class B Runners may advance when the ball reaches home plate, or if the pitcher has the ball and is not in the vicinity Of the pitching plate. The ball remains alive until the pitcher has possession of the ball in the infield and all Immediate play has apparently completed. Runners not advancing return to the last base legally touched.
COURTESY RUNNERS
Courtesy runners shall be allowed for a batter that reaches base safely. To have some type of fairness for the Fielding team, the courtesy runner must be the player from the batting team who made the last batted out. If there are no outs recorded the last batter due up that inning may be used. At no point can a Courtesy runner be used more that once in an inning per sex. If a runner is needed early in the game and no outs have yet been recorded, The last batter in the lineup or the last batter available shall be used. Only men can run for men and women for women.
AWARDS
It is the responsibility of each winning manager to pick up awards. Awards will be available at the end of Each season at the William Owen Pass Office for the East side, and at the Ed Radice Complex for the West side. The athletic staff will not be responsible for any awards left for over 30 days. Hillsborough county softball official
standings may be found on the www.hcsportsonline.com web site or by calling the Athletic office. Each League winning team will receive one team trophy.
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Managers Cards
All mangers must fill out team registration card. Please print clearly and take the time to read this.Try to put on the card a second contact. Coach preferably.
Update any phone number changes by either phone call or stopping by the office.
Check any bad dates you may have. We can not guarantee a bad date for any team we will try to accommodate it but there is no guarantee like no game on Super Bowl Sunday, Easter etc
Rosters and Waivers
Before each season a NEW Roster must be turned in for every team.
Any Roster that does not have all the requested information fill out properly will not be accepted.
All signed Rosters and waivers must be turned in to the umpire the night of the first game NO EXCEPTION!!
There will be no changes allowed to a rosters after week 3 NO EXCEPTION!!
All request for a roster change must be filled out online _ hcsportsonline.com
Also the player will need to come to the office to official sign the roster.
Roster restriction for level of play (See New roster Restrictions Rule) Player will never be able drop more than one level Upper or Lower .
Manager are responsible for there players make sure that the players sign their names on the roster and the waivers Forms clearly if the name is not printed clearly the player will not be eligible for play. There will be a Roster Limited of 20 per Roster players
If players have not signed a wavier they will not be allowed to play if for any reason.
For what ever reason if the roster is not turn in by a team any challenge of a roster player will automatic result in a forfeit.
A player can be on only 1 Roster per Division (Players may be in as many leagues as they want, but can be on only 1 roster in each division). NO EXCEPTIONS
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If a player ends up on two rosters in the same division and there becomes an argument on which roster that player belongs to, the athletics dept will contact that player to find out what roster that player signed. Forged names and forged wavier will not be tolerated in any way. This put the county in a bad position if a player is injured. Forged Roster may lead to a team suspension and or the Manager and coach from the league. So please make sure you have your players fill out the roster sheets with there correct information on it.
· You may request to pick up a player from a division rival to play another game if the team is short players, in the regular season. But pick player rules then apply. Players can not be picked up for playoff games (See pickup player rules in your managers guide)
· Make sure you communicate all schedule changes to your team. Please Check the website Daily for changes an always go by the wed site schedule 1st, any changes you are unsure about feel free to contact the athletic staff to confirm the game time.
Thru the season, the managers should check with Athletic Staff for early registration dates, changes in schedules for any rain outs. Usually the rainouts will be replayed in the order which they were rained out after the regular season game the same time slots, Also you may visit the web site for a lot of this information. The athletic staff reserves the right to reschedule or change times or nights to make up any cancelled or rainout games
Please keep in mind that we have approximately 50 teams a night on the fields. So if possible please use the website for postponements of the games. If the game has not been postponed via the website One hour before game time. Then the decision to play becomes the umpires reasonability to call off the games.
Any players participating in Hillsborough County softball must have proper ID and available upon request.
Any concerns with the league umpires field quality any general questions please email to info_hcsportsonline.com
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Pickup players can only be used in the regular season There will be no pick up players allowed for the Playoffs
If a team blocks your team from using a pickup players or blocks you from using a specific non roster player this may open the door for teams or individual players to be harassed and verbally attacked or threaten this will not be accepted, The Players or coach Harrasing the other team will be remove from the game, If it is multiable player the game will be forefitted.
CO-ED RULES
In coed play, teams will bat using two ball concepts. Male players will hit the 12 inch ball, and females will hit the 11 inch ball. NOTE: If the pitcher throws the wrong ball and the batter hits the pitch, he or she will have the option of taking the result of the play or batting again using the correct ball. * Women can also choose a Mens Ball to Hit if they would like too.
In coed play, the batting order must be alternated either M/F or F/M. You may field your team in any order you want.There are no restriction were you play your players:
The only rules are you must have at least 4 women playing in the field at all times.You can always bat more females than males but the only time you may bat more males than females if you are playing with nine. If you are playing with nine. You must lead off with a male and end with a male. There is no out taken if you play with nine. At any point you may add that 5th Female to the line up to make 10. But after going to the line up once you may never be able any player over they amount of 10 players once thru the line up.
** In the scenario of a team having more men that women and want to field up to 12 or 14 players and the team short a female can take a out in place of the missing girl in the line up to a max of 2 outs.
Walks or Intentional walks If a walk is issued to a male batter with less than two outs the female must hit, if there are two outs the female batter has the option to take the base automatically
The rules that must be followed in order for players to pick- up are below.
You must inform the Home Plate umpire you intent to try to pick up a player.
Before the game in order to field a full team, otherwise a forfeit may be issued.
The umpire must check with the opposing teams manager, if they will allow you to
Pick up the players and it is their discretion to allow these players to play. If approved this manager must Initial the score card by the player or players he or she is allowing to play.
Forfeit. If they do they will be awarded a 7-0 victory (That Game will not be played)
or they will allow you pick up players. (They Waive there right to protest the game for a roster violation)
Players must be an eligible player. A player is not eligible unless signed on a current roster at William Owen Pass or Ed Radice complex.
A team can only pick up a max of 3 players to play the game. Or 4 for Coed max 2 Men and 2 Women.
If a team is picking up a player they may not play with more than 10 players for Men's and Women's Team (In Co-ed a team with 11 players 6 men and 5 women may request to pick up a 6th girl to make 12 players
Pick up players only. (Exceptions if a player was injured)
Any pickup player added to the teams line-up must be placed at the bottom of that Teams line-up {they may play any position on the field}
(Co-ed male and female roster rules must still be maintained if picking up players)
If a team feels an opponent has a non-eligible player in their line up, that teams manager
Must inform the umpire that they would like to play this game under protest game due to their line-up.
Make sure the umpire writes protest on the official score card. Before the game has ended.
**If you agreed to allow that team pick up those players you lose your right to protest the lineup regardless Of the result of the game**. (See Protest Rule)