NYSWCAA Softball Policies and Procedures

I. Membership

All varsity coaches of softball are automatic members as soon as the institution declares softball as a varsity sport. Assistant coaches and/or junior varsity coaches may attend Sport Committee meetings as non-voting members.

II. Meeting and Voting

A. The Softball Committee shall meet as often as the Sports Chairperson determines necessary. However, the Softball Committee shall meet at least once each school calendar year.

B. Voting

1. A quorum shall be defined as 20% of the membership.

2. A simple majority of the eligible members present shall carry any motion made on committee business requiring a vote.

3. Vote by proxy shall be permitted. Written proxy votes must be submitted to the Sports Chairperson prior to the meeting to be eligible.

4. When matters arise that need immediate action of the entire Softball Committee and a meeting is not scheduled a mail ballot may be used.

A mail ballot must include an explanation and/or motion of business to be voted upon, a space for a yes, no or abstaining vote, and a place for coaches signature and identification of institution. This ballot will be sent to all members of the Softball Committee with a deadline date for responses. These ballots will be returned to the Sport Chairperson who will compute the ballots and send a written notification to the entire committee within one week of balloting deadline. Twenty percent of the committee must act upon the mail ballot to make it permissible under committee voting procedures.

III. Purposes and Responsibilities

A. Purpose

The Softball Committee shall be the legislative body and make all decisions concerning major policies and procedures. The committee shall promote good competition in softball.

B. Committee Responsibilities

The committee is responsible to:

1. formulate the specific policies and procedures for the conduct of competition in softball. Such policies and procedures shall be submitted to the Executive Council for approval.

2. to design and conduct any event, contest, series of contests, workshops, or any activity deemed to be in the interest of furthering the development of the sport. All proposals shall be submitted to the Sport Coordinator II for approval by the Executive Council.

3. shall operate with funds approved by the Executive Council.

4. have a Grievance Committee to handle problems and complaints related to the specific sport during seasonal and championship competition. After a complete investigation by the Sport Grievance Committee, unresolved problems may be referred to the E & E Committee. Grievance Committee decisions must be reported in writing to the E & E Committee.

C. Coaches Responsibility

It is the responsibility of each Varsity Softball Coach within the NYSWCAA to:

1. attend all committee meetings.

2. keep informed of the Softball Committee decisions and recommendations concerning softball, and to remain active within the committee to aid in overall operation of competitive softball within the NYSWCAA.

3. conduct their teams during all contests in accordance with the NYSWCAA and Softball Committee's Policies and Procedures.

IV. Officers

A. A nominating committee of three shall be appointed by the Sports Chairperson two months prior to the election to prepare and present a list of eligible and interested candidates for each expired office.

The Softball Sport Committee shall elect two officers: a Sports Chairperson and a Secretary/Treasurer.

B. Election and Terms of Office

1. Each officer shall serve for two years or until a successor has been elected. The terms of her office shall be staggered so that each officer is elected in alternating years. This election shall occur prior to the Annual Spring Meeting.

2. Elected sport committee officers may succeed themselves one time.

3. In the event an officer cannot complete a term of office, the Executive Council shall appoint a member from the same Sport Committee to complete the unexpired term of office.

4. An individual elected to an office may be removed from office upon recommendation of the Executive Council and a majority vote of the Sport Committee members.

C. Duties of Officers

1. The duties of the Sport Chairperson shall be:

a. To provide leadership and direction for the particular sport.

b. To submit notification of meeting dates and agendas to members of the Sport Committee.

c. To preside at all meetings of the Sport Committee.

d. To submit to the Sport Coordinator II two weeks prior to the Spring Executive Council Meeting an updated copy of the Sport Committee Operating Code with any and all changes as it should be published in the Handbook.

e. To inform the Executive Council, through the Sport Coordinator of all workshops, clinics, and other events sponsored by the Sport Committee.

f. To solicit bids for championships and recommends to the Sport Committee the site to be used for the championship.

g. To arrange conference calls.

h. To submit at the completion of each college year, and in cooperation with the Secretary, a report of the Sport Committee activities during the year.

2. The duties of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be:

a. To record and distribute minutes of the Sport committee meeting to the Sport Committee members, Voting Representatives of that particular sport, Executive Council and Archivist within 3 weeks of the meeting.

b. To conduct correspondence of the Sport Committee.

c. To keep an accurate record of Sport Committee financial transactions and to submit an annual treasurer's report to the Treasurer of the Executive Council.

D. Appointed Officers

1. A Sports Information Director shall be appointed in odd years by the Sport Chairperson to a two-year term of office.

a. Responsible for coordinating and compiling All-State team.

2. Five regional representatives will be appointed for a 2-year term:

Even Odd

Capital Western

Central Southern Tier

Metro

V. Steering Committee

A. The Steering committee shall have the power to conduct the business of the Softball Committee between scheduled meetings.

B. The Steering Committee shall be composed of:

1. Softball Sport Chairperson-who shall serve as chairperson of the committee.

2. Softball Secretary/Treasurer.

3. Five regional representatives.

4. Sports Information Director.

C. The terms of office shall be as follows:

1. Softball Sports Chairperson-two years.

2. Softball Secretary/Treasurer-two years .

3. Sports Information Director-two years.

4. Elections will occur in the following years.

Even Odd

Chairperson Secretary/Treasurer

All members of the Steering Committee shall begin their terms on June 1st of the year elected.

In the event a member of the committee cannot complete her term or fulfill her commitment, the Softball Sport Chairperson shall appoint a member of the Softball Committee upon approval of the Steering Committee to complete the unexpired term.

D. Duties

1. The Steering Committee shall direct and approve all actions of the Championship Committee.

2. The Steering Committee shall set up workshops and clinics requested and sponsored by the Softball Committee,

3. The Steering Committee shall make recommendations to the Softball Committee concerning policies and procedures.

4. The Steering Committee shall assume any other responsibilities which the Softball Chairperson or the Softball Committee feels necessary and which does not infringe upon the prerogatives of the total Softball Committee.

E. Meetings and Voting:

1. The Steering Committee shall meet at the Representative Assembly Meeting. The Chairperson or any Steering Committee member may call additional meetings if deemed necessary.

2. A quorum of the Committee must be present to carry out its business. A quorum shall be defined as 20% of the Committee.

3. A proxy vote will be recognized.

4. A mail ballot may be used by the Steering Committee when a decision of the entire Sport Committee is needed.

Procedures will be followed as outlined in the NYSWCAA Bylaws, Article III Meeting and voting.

VI. Grievance Committee

A. The protest committee for seasonal play will consist of the Sports Chairperson, the regional representatives.

B. A written protest must be sent to the Sport Chairperson postmarked within 48 hours of the game. The team protesting must also call in their intent to protest within 24 hours of the next working day (to any committee member).

C. The burden of evidence rests with the person filing the protest. Get as many witnesses or substantial evidence as possible.

D. The protest committee will reach a decision as soon a possible but before the date of selection and seeding.

E. Decisions of officials are not protestable.

VII. Seasonal Competition

A. Sport contract commitment-forfeits

1. The home team will determine if the field is playable.

2. If a contract is broken prior to the start of the season, the game will be considered no contest.

3. If a contract is broken after the season starts, the cancellation will result in a forfeit and the wins and losses will be credited appropriately for state rankings.

4. A team that is not ready to play by game time will receive a forfeit. If there are any extenuating circumstances, any delay must be acceptable to the home team. If the visiting team feels they merit more consideration than is given, they may appeal to the seasonal protest committee.

B. Facilities, Equipment, and Rules

1. Fields shall be level, free of glass and debris and marked according to the official rules of the game.

2. Sufficient benches or chairs shall be provided for the seating of at least 20 team members.

3. Two NCAA official championship balls shall be provided by the home teams. They shall be free of all markings except those placed by the manufacturer.

4. All play shall be governed by NCAA Rules.

5. A line-up card shall be prepared by each coach for the Plate Umpire and for the coach of the opposing team. The names of all team members present at each contest should be placed on the line-up card with uniform numbers.

6. First and third base coaches shall wear a uniform of the similar color as the uniform of their team that is appropriate to softball.

C. All-State Player Selection

1. Each member institution may nominate up to 5 players from their team. Pitchers must have pitched a minimum of 40 innings. Players must have a minimum of 10 games started.

2. Nomination forms will be sent to coaches by April 15.

3. Nomination forms must be received by Sport Chairperson and SID by April 30.

4. The All-State Team will be determined by a committee appointed by the sport chairperson. All regions and conferences will be represented on that committee.

5. The All-State Team will consist of 2 teams of:

2 pitchers, 1 catcher, 4 infielders by position, 4 outfielders, 1 UT/DP (defined by NFCA guidelines), 3 at-large (top remaining vote-getters).

6. Certificates will be awarded to the All-NYSWCAA first team.

7. Plaques will be awarded to the Coach of the Year at the Association's Annual Meeting.

D. Player-of-the-Year Selection

1. A player of the year will be selected by the All-State Team Committee. The player of the year will be a member of the first team All-State.

E. Rookie-of-the-Year Selection

1. A rookie of the year will be selected by the All-State Team Committee. "Rookie" is defined as "first year of intercollegiate softball." Junior College transfers are not eligible. The rookie of the year should be a member of either the first or second team All-State.

F. Coach-of-the-Year Selection

1. A Coach-of-the-Year ballot will be included in the All-State nomination forms ballot sent on April 15 and will be due April 30.

VIII. State Championship

A. Championship Committee

1. The Championship Committee shall be composed of the Sport Chairperson, the present Divisional Championship Directors, the immediate past directors (if appropriate) and any additional people deemed necessary by the present Championship Directors, upon approval of the Sport Chairperson.

2. The Championship Committee shall set up and administrate the State Championship under the direction of the Championship Director(s).

3. The Championship Director(s) shall be appointed by the host institution with the approval of the Steering Committee.

B. Championship Structures:

1. There will be one Division III Championship tournament.

2. When there are 16 or more teams eligible to participate in a Championship, eight teams will be selected to participate in a single- game satellite round, with a final four, double elimination championship. The satellite round will be held at the institution of the higher seed, and provisions may be made in seeding to accommodate lengthy travel. The final four will be held at a host institution, who will be given an automatic bid to the satellite round of the Championship.

3. When there are less than 16 teams eligible to participate in a Divisional Championship, four teams will be selected to participate in a double elimination tournament.

4. If no bids have been received by the November Executive Council meeting, it will turn into four-team, single-elimination, consolation, one-day tournament. If there are weather delays, the consolation game will be canceled.

C. Criteria for Selection

1. Minimum of 25% of scheduled games against NYSWCAA members.

2. Games with club teams will not count in the seasonal record for Seeding and Selection.

3. Selection and seeding will be done by regional representatives and will be based on the following criteria with no preferential order:

a. Win/Loss record against ranked state teams.

b. Win/Loss record against national ranked team.

c. Strength of schedule

d. Head-to-head/common opponents

e. Results of last 10 games

f. Overall win/loss record

g. Subjective discussion

4. Top eight seeds will advance to the championship based on above criteria. If one of these teams declines the bid, the next seed will be chosen.

5. Comparisons will be made seed by seed after establishing the #1 seed. Each seed thereafter will be made in comparison to the team ranked directly above.

6. Each of the five appointed representatives will represent one of the following areas:

1 2 3 4 5

Capital Western Central Metro Southern Tier

Hamilton Alfred Hartwick Hunter Cazenovia

Plattsburgh Brockport Oneonta Lehman Cortland

Rensselaer Fredonia Oswego Manhattanville Elmira

Russell Sage Geneseo Potsdam Mt. St. Mary Ithaca

Skidmore R.I.T St. Lawrence New Paltz Keuka

Union St. John Fisher Utica New Rochelle Wells

Rochester Utica/Rome Staten Island

Mt. St. Vincent

7. Each coach must send each area representative and the sport chair a preseason NCAA score reporting form by March 15. Each coach must fax their weekly scores to each area representative and chairperson by noon on Monday of each week, beginning with the last Monday in March and ending with the Monday prior to the Championship.

8. The penalty for not reporting scores:

a. 1st Offense-courtesy call from Regional Representative and no state ranking.

b. 2nd Offense-faxed and mailed warning by the representative with a copy to the Athletic Director and coach, and no state ranking.

c. 3rd Offense-Not eligible for state rankings, NYSWCAA Championship; not eligible for NYSWCAA All-State Team.

D. Entry Fee.

1. The maximum entry fee for an 8-team tournament will be recommended by the Sports Committee and approved by the Executive Council. Refer to the Championship Dates section in the NYSWCAA Handbook.

2. If a 4-team format is played the entry fee will be $150 per team.

3. All entry fees must be paid to the Championship Director by the time of the Coaches' meeting.

4 . Fees should be in check form made out to the Championship Director. Receipt of payment will be enclosed in registration packets.

E. Championship

1. The Championship satellite round shall be scheduled for the Wednesday prior to the Championship, with the Championship scheduled for the first full weekend prior to the NCAA's (Saturday, Sunday), with Monday as a rain date.

2. Following receipt of preliminary interest-response forms, schools shall be sent further Championship information (roster sheets, number of schools responding, motel listings).

3. Championship materials: Roster appropriately signed by Athletic Director, picture and application must be sent to the Championship Director postmarked two (2) weeks prior to the championship. Failure to do so may result in the school being ineligible.

4. Game scores, additional data, shall be sent to the Regional Representatives every Monday during the season.

5. Each Coach/Athletic Director applying for the Championship is responsible for notifying the Seeding and Selection Committee prior to the scheduled seeding meeting if they intend to withdraw their team from the Championship.

Failure to withdraw will result in loss of Championship eligibility for the following year and forfeiture of the entry fee.

6. Team selection should be done the Monday prior to the start of the Championship. The Steering Committee shall be notified of intent to withdraw by 12:00 noon on that Monday. On Monday each applicant shall be informed of its status (acceptance or rejection) by telephone from the Championship Director. A written notification, appropriately phrased, shall follow immediately. With this should be included information concerning teams selected.

7. In cases where games prior to the Steering Committee meeting occurs too late for mailing, scores should be handed in to the Championship Director.

8. Championship games shall begin as early as deemed desirable and reasonable on Friday a.m., the first day of the Championship.

9. Times and locations of special meetings, including registration, coaches' and officials' meetings, opening ceremonies, to be determined by the Hostess Institution and Championship Director, with prior notification to all Championship personnel (coaches, officials, etc.).

10. If the tournament is canceled due to inclement weather, no champion will be named for record-keeping purposes; the top three seeded teams in tournament will be recorded in the archives.

F. Regulations

1. Rosters shall be limited to 18 eligible players plus managers, trainers and coaches.

2. Any roster changes must be submitted to the Championship Director by Thursday evening at the officials' and coaches' meeting. Any changes in rosters must be signed by the school's Director of Athletics.

G. Rules

1. All games shall be played according to the NCAA Rules. All NCAA modifications of playing rules shall be in effect.

2. The first and third base coaches shall wear a team uniform or an outfit similar in color to the uniform and appropriate for softball.

3. The top four seeded teams will be the home team for the first round. The home team for all other rounds of the championship shall be determined by the flip of a coin, called in the air by higher seed as initially determined entering the tournament.

4. In the event that rainy/inclement weather cancels play on Saturday and also on Sunday at the softball championship, so that the consolation finals, the playoff for third place, and the championship final game would be played on Monday-only the championship game would be played on Monday and all other playoff games would be cancelled.

5. NCAA approved balls shall be used for all games.

H. Awards

1. The first place team shall receive the NYSWCAA first place team trophy. Each championship team member, manager, trainer, and coach, up to a maximum of 24, shall receive a NYSWCAA State Championship T-shirt.

2. The second place team shall receive a second place trophy.

3. The third place team shall receive a third place trophy.

4. Selection of All-Championship Team.

a. The All-Championship team will be determined by the coaches that advance to the final four championship. From their respective teams, the champion will name up to four players and MVP, the runner up will name up to 3 players, and third and fourth place will name up to 2 players, for a maximum total of 12 players being selected to the All-Championship team.

I. Officials

1. All officials shall be national rated ASA officials.

2. One official shall be selected by the Championship Committee to act as the Official-in-charge. This official must be a National Official. It shall be this official's responsibility to schedule and oversee all officials, and to select those officials for championship game in consultation with the two coaches of the teams involved. The Official-in-charge shall not actively officiate.

3. Each team will supply one scorekeeper for each game. The team designated as HOME team shall be the official scorer.

J. Protests

1. All protests concerning rules interpretations during play shall be handled by the Championship Protest Committee.

a. The Committee shall be appointed by the Championship Director with the Championship Committee's approval.

b. The Committee shall be composed of three persons: The Official-in-Charge and two NYSWCAA Softball Coaches whose teams are not involved in Championship play. (EMERGENCY situations will be handled by the Championship Committee).

c. Protests

1. The intent to protest must be made immediately to the official in charge of the game.

2. If the protest cannot be resolved by the official in charge of the game, the Protest Committee will determine the course of action.

3. All actions involving NAGWS rules interpretations will be resolved at this time.

4. Any other infraction will follow a course of action determined by the Protest Committee, and if a game is continued under protest, that protest must be turned into the Protest Committee by the coaches protesting within one hour of game competition. These protests must be in written form containing the nature of the protest, supporting facts and the basis for the protests. The committee shall take immediate action. A copy of the written report and its disposition should be given to the Secretary/Treasurer and the Sport Chairperson within one week of the championship.

K. Results

Results must be submitted to the following:

1. Sport Committee members.

2. Executive Council.

3. NYSWCAA Executive Director.

Three Team Championship Format

Game 1 - Team #2 vs Team #3 (#1 has bye)

Game 2 - Game 1 Loser vs Team #1

Game 3 - Winner from Game 1 vs Loser of Game 2

Game 4 -Winner of Game 2 vs Winner of Game 3

Game 5 - (If Game)

15 minute breaks between games

NYSWCAA Softball Committee Policies and Procedures

NYSWCAA

Softball Committee
Policies and Procedures