General League Policies
Universal Application
1. The Board of Directors of Westchester Girls' Softball, Inc. reserves the right of final approval for all persons who are either invited to or are otherwise may apply for the position of manager, coach, umpire or any other volunteer service which the League may employ. Likewise, no person shall obtain a right of continued participation in the league in any capacity by virtue of prior service or experience. Parents are expected to abide by rules, regulations and directives of the league and its board of directors with respect to any situation which may arise regarding their daughter, both on and off the field. Anyone who is disruptive, demonstrates unsportsmanlike conduct and/or exhibiting any behavior which is openly defiant or blatantly disrepectful toward the league or its officials or members shall be subject to discipline up to and including being barred from participation in the softball program.
2. No person who registers for play with WGS, Inc. may do so on the condition that they only play on a designated team or for a particular manager, coach or sponsor, except as provided in the paragraph below. Similarly, registrants may not request to be excluded from a particular team or consideration for draft by a designated manager.
3. Each team may designate or "protect" a maximum of three players who shall automatically be assigned to that team and unavailable for draft. Such players shall be the daughters or immediate family members of the manager and/or primary coach of that team. Protected players shall be given a draft postion by the Board according to their rated abilities and any final Board evaluation or adjustment and the team will not pick any additional player for the round in which the designated player is slotted. Penalties (e.g. having no pick for a selected round) for having multiple first or first and second round protected players may be applied in order to provide parity with other competing teams. Similarly, if any manager is protecting two or more players who are slotted in the same round, one or more of those players must move up one round. (This policy shall not apply to the Junior Division)
4. If the manager and/or primary coach have protected players, then that manager or coach must be present at each game and participate on the field in their respective positions. If a manager or coach with a protected player does not maintain a consistent presence and participation, the team shall risk being barred from any championship or post-season play.
5. Sisters in the same divisional level will automatically be drafted on the same team (in different rounds). However, if sisters do not wish to play together and their parents give approval, they may be released for an open draft.
6. Once the draft has been completed, no Major or Minor division player may be added to any team, nor may any players be traded or otherwise changed between teams. The only exception will be for the registration of new residents to Westchester between the draft and the first game of the season (of the division in which the registrant will play) and upon payment of appropriate late fees as determined by the Board. Any potential registrants claiming this exception must show proof of residency through dated verification of school enrollment or some other documentation that satisfactorily demonstrates actual residency within the municipality.
7. Once the draft has been completed, registration fees shall not be refunded. Resignation or withdrawal from the league after this point by any player shall cause a forfeit of such fee.
8. Any registrant who quits or otherwise abandons her team (i.e. fails to show up for scheduled games or tournaments) prior to the end of the season, or quits the league following the draft without good and sufficient cause, shall not be invited to register for nor allowed to play with the league in the succeeding year. Depending on the circumstances, WGS, Inc. reserves the right to bar any such offender from further play with the league altogether.
a) WGS, Inc. frowns upon those who register for play but who have no intention of making or who fail to make a full commitment to their team because of conflicts with other sports, activities or extended vacations (longer than two weeks), camps, etc. This league is not a part time summer avocation and it is not fair to the managers and other team members to have players who either will not or cannot make scheduled games because of these conflicts. The Board of Directors respectfully suggests that if a potential registrant cannot make a full commitment to playing on the team to which she may be drafted, that she not register at all. At the very least, the player should make her intentions known at registration so that a manager can make an informed decision whether to select that player nor not. Failure to disclose at the time of registration or prior to the draft the fact that a player will or could be absent for a significant number of games shall be grounds for possible suspension or expulsion from the league.
9. No practices or any instructional sessions may be held on any fields prior to the date of the player draft and thereafter until notification that WGS insurance is in effect.
10. Any player of any team who is also a member of her high-school's softball team and subject to IHSA rules, shall not be allowed to practice or otherwise play with her team until her school has finished all active competition. Such players may attend meetings but shall not participate in any batting, fielding, running or throwing exercises.
11. During games, managers are not to allow anyone other than the team players, coaches and designated score keeper (if any) in the dugout. Friends, relatives and spectators should be kept out of the dugout area at all times.
12. No one shall be allowed to congregate or otherwise stand behind the back stop during active play. League officials (umpires, managers, coaches and board members) are authorized to direct any and all persons away from this area during any game.
13. Parents and/or legal guardians are required to provide or otherwise arrange for the transportation of their girls to and from all scheduled games and practices unless the player is capable of providing her own.
14. For their participation in the league, all Major and Minor division managers and their principal coach shall receive a complimentary ticket to the annual softball awards banquet at the end of the season.
15. WGS, Inc. makes every effort to accommodate planned general events (i.e. graduations, planned school trips, etc.) that conflict with the season's game schedule. However, the league cannot adjust game dates or times for every circumstance that might arise. Once the season schedule has been established, no changes will be made for any date or scheduled game due to concerts, camps, trips, special events, etc., that might or will result in players being absent from those games.
16. For safety reasons, Fifth graders are not permitted to pitch in the Minor Division. Ninth graders ARE allowed to pitch in the Majors.
17. Managers MUST be a minimum of 23 years of age (by May 15th of the applicable season) in order to qualify for a team at any divisional level.
18. As a general policy and regular practice of the league, make up games for any games called or suspended (for any reason) shall be played on the Sunday afternoon immediately following the called or suspended game. The board of directors reserves the right to select other days and times as circumstances may require.
19. Managers who earn the right to captain an all star team at the conclusion of the season by reason of their division record shall utilize the remaining managers within the same division as coaches or assistants for the game.
20. Players who fail to show up for games or practices without good cause and without prior notice OR who refuse to play any field position as may be chosen by the team's manager shall be subject to being benched.
21. Any registered player with WGS who incurs an injury serious enough to require medical services, regardless of whether that injury occurs on the field or off, during or prior to the current season, shall furnish the league with written verification that it is medically acceptable to play competitive softball before such player will be allowed to participate in game or team practice activities.
