League Rules and Bylaws

BYLAWS

I. NAME

The Softball League shall be known as the "Fayette  County Church Softball League."

II. OBJECTIVES

The objective of the Fayette County Church Softball League (FCCSL) shall be to support local churches in their ministry by organizing and maintaining an inter-church church softball league.

III. OFFICERS

The officers of the league shall as follows:

League Officials:

President

Vice President

Secretary

Treasurer

Board Members:

1. Members of the board shall be appointed by their respective church or team. A church or team can change their representatives at any time. Each time shall have two representatives; however, there shall only be one vote per team.

2. Nominations for League Officials shall be taken at the spring meeting (called by the previous year's president). Voting shall be taken at the same time. The current Board shall determine the method of nominations.

3. Newly elected League Officials shall assume their duties at the time of election and continue until relieved by their successors.

4. League Official vacancies shall be filled by the entire board at the next meeting.

5. A league official can be replaced by a majority of the board.

IV. DUTIES OF LEAGUE OFFICIALS

1. The president shall be the executive head of the association. He shall sign agreements made on behalf of the league, call meetings, schedule games, and perform other necessary duties pertinent to the office. The president is subject to the League Rules and to the Board.

2. The vice-president shall assist the president in his duties and to preside in place of the president in the president's absence.

3. The secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, shall keep a record of and attend to all correspondence for the league, and shall mail notices of meetings of special nature.

4. The treasurer shall disburse funds only on proper authority. He shall keep an account of receipts and disbursements and submit a report of activities at scheduled meetings of the Board.

a. The books shall be audited at least once a year.

b. The books shall be submitted to the Board immediately by a majority vote of the Board.

c. The Board shall approve an annual budget. Any monies spent beyond normal expenses shall be approved by the Board.

d. There should be a printed treasurer's report at all scheduled monthly meetings.

V. PROCEDURE

1. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held monthly at a time called by the president. The meetings will be held at the same time each month.

2. Meetings will be conducted according to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of order.

3. Special meetings may be called by the president, or by written request of at least five members of the board.

VI. QUORUM

1. The member present at a duly called meeting constitutes a quorum.

2. A duly called meeting shall be announced at least seven days in advance.

3. A meeting scheduled with less than seven days advance notice shall require a majority of the Board to constitute a quorum.

VII. MANAGEMENT

1. No officer or Board member shall receive any compensation for services rendered.

VIII. FISCAL YEAR AND DUES

1. The fiscal year of the league shall be from September 1 to August 31.

2. Half of the league fee is due by the beginning of the season. The remainder is due by May 31. Anyone not paying dues by May 31 will be considered a non-voting member and subject to suspension or expulsion from the league.

IX. COMMITTEES

1. The Board can create committees at its discretion. All committees are accountable to the Board.

2. The Board can remove a person from a committee by a majority vote and add people by a majority vote.

3. Standing Committees (all recommendations must be approved by the Board)

a. Rules Committee--Vice-President (chair), Secretary, and two at-large members.

b. Nominating Committee--Vice-President (chair), Secretary, and three at-large members.

c. Budget Committee--President (chair), Treasurer, and three at-large members.

X. MEMBERSHIP

1. All League Officials are elected by the Board.

2. Members of the Board are selected by their church/team.

3. Churches are classed either as full-member or as a probationary member (all non-church teams must be approved yearly).

a. Full-Member Churches--Been a member of the league for two of the last three years (not counting current year).

b. Probationary Member Churches--All other church teams.

4. New church teams are approved by a majority of full-member churches.

XI. SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION

1. Member Churches

a. Churches can be suspended or expelled by a majority vote of full-member churches.

b. Before a church can be suspended or expelled, a written explanation must be submitted to said church and to the entire Board.

c. A church cannot vote on its own suspension.

2. Player

a. A player can be suspended or expelled by a majority vote of full-member churches.

b. Before a player can be suspended or expelled, a written explanation must be submitted to said church and to the entire Board.

c. A church cannot vote on the suspension of its own player.

d. A player who has been ejected from a game by an umpire will receive an automatic three game suspension. A second ejection in the same season will result in an automatic suspension for the remainder of the season.

XII. AMENDMENTS

1. Any amendments to the by-laws will require a vote by two-thirds of the full-member churches.

 

2023 LEAGUE RULES  

 

1.1) All teams in the league must be sponsored by a church or a combination of churches.

1.2) Each team will have a roster listing all players by name, their church of attendance, and a phone number for a pastor from each church represented by that team. There is no limit to the number of players on a roster. This roster will be turned in via e-mail by midnight the day prior to beginning league play for that month.

1.3) Rosters certify that each player has attended a church for at least two (2) services in the month prior to the month of play. There is an exception allowed for players who have been away to perform military service for the entire previous month.

1.4) Any team not turning in a legal roster on time must forfeit their next two (2) games and continue forfeiting games until a legal roster is submitted.

 

2.1) Teams must wear matching jerseys by May 31st. Hats are not required. Exceptions must be approved by the league board.

2.2) No steel spikes are allowed.

2.3) Mid-length or longer shorts are allowed.

2.4) Smoking, chewing tobacco, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

2.5) A prayer shall be said by a member of the home team prior to every game, or game 1 of a doubleheader. 

 

3.1) Any player ejected from a game will be ineligible to play in the following three (3) games.

3.2) If a team wins a game by forfeit while a player is serving their suspension, that game will count towards the suspension.

3.3) If the suspended player's team forfeits a game, that game will NOT count towards the suspension.

3.4) If a player is ejected a second time in one season, that player cannot play for the remainder of the season.

 

4) Profanity will not be permitted on the field. The umpire may give one warning to a player who has uttered a profanity; any subsequent use of profanity will result in an ejection of said player.

 

5.1) This is a co-ed league with an age limit of 12 or over. A team must field 11 players if 11 players are available. A team may start with a minimum of 9 players, but can play with 8 once the game starts, should someone become injured or have to leave.

5.2) Teams have a 15-minute grace period to field 9 players. As soon as 9 players arrive at the field, the game must begin.

5.3) A team that starts a game with less than 11 players may add, up to 11, players who arrive after the game has begun. 

 

6.1) Each team must have at least one (1) player in the game that is either a female or a 12 to 14-year old male. This player must be in the lineup and playing in the field at all times. It does not have to be the same player throughout the game.

6.2) If a team does not have such a player in the game, they must play with 10 in the field, and must take an out at the bottom of the lineup every time through the batting order. They may still use extra hitters (in other words, they can play with 10 in the field but still bat 11 or 12) but even with extra hitters, they must take the out.

6.3) If a substitution is made involving this player, the new player must also fit the criteria and bat in the same spot in the batting order. If a team begins play with multiple females or 12-14 year-old males in the lineup, then at least one of those spots must remain female/12-14 year-old male for the entire game. This can be checked by the opposing manager after the contest, and failure to abide by the rule will result in a forfeit.

6.4) Whenever a female or a 12-14 year old male is at bat, all outfielders must remain at least 80 feet beyond the infield base paths for the entire at-bat. Outfielders must remain at least 80 feet from the infield until contact is made by the batter. Failure to do so will result in the batter being awarded first base. This rule does not apply to the rover; only the 4 outfielders are affected. If a team is playing 3 outfielders and 2 rovers, one of the rovers must play at least 80 feet from the infield during the at-bat of a female or a 12-14 year old male.

6.5) When a female or male youth comes to bat, an 11" ball will be inserted into the game. Each team will possess a league-approved 11" ball to be used during these at bats. The regular league ball will be re-instered for all other players.

6.6) When a girl/youth is the on-deck batter, any substitution of a player who does not fit the same criteria must be announced prior to the first pitch delivered to the preceding batter.

6.7) A player's age on Opening Day will be considered their legal age for the entire season.

 

7) A player must play in at least 1/3 of the scheduled regular season games to be eligible to play in the playoffs.

 

8.1) The use of 1 or 2 extra hitters is allowed. These players must be in the lineup at the start of the game.

8.2) If a team starts the game batting 11, they cannot add an extra hitter once the game begins.

8.3) If a team starts the game with 9 or 10 players, they can add any players who arrive late, but once they get to 11 players in the lineup, they cannot add anyone else.

 

9.1) A base runner may leave the base after the pitch leaves the pitcher's hand. The runner can be picked off. This is a force play.

9.2) In the event of a mis-throw, only the baserunner who has been played on may advance. That runner may advance as far as they are able to.

9.3) Any player not played on who tries to advance must return to their original base, but may be picked off.

 

10.1) The baserunner is not allowed to deviate from his direct path to initiate contact with the catcher (or any player covering the plate). Runners are considered to be in violation of this rule if they collide with the catcher in cases where a slide could have been used to avoid the collision. If the umpire determines that the runner violated this rule, the runner shall be ruled out and the ball is dead. The other runners must return to the last base they had touched at the time of the collision.

10.2) The catcher is not permitted to block the runner's path to the plate unless he is in possession of the ball, though blocking the path of the runner in a legitimate attempt to receive a throw is not considered a violation. The fielder must give a lane for the baserunner to slide/run to the plate. The runner can be ruled safe if the umpire determines the catcher violated this rule.

10.3) Catchers are not subject to this rule on force plays.

 

11.1) A courtesy runner is allowed only for players 40 years of age or older. No one else may take a courtesy runner at any point in the game for any reason.

11.2) Players 40 and over do not have to take a courtesy runner but can choose to do so at any time.

11.3) The courtesy runner must be the player who made the most recent out, excluding other males over 40 or under 15 and all females.

 

12.1) There is a 10-run rule in effect after the 5th inning. If the visiting team leads by at least 10 runs after either the 5th or 6th innings have been completed, or if the home team leads by at least 10 runs after either 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 innings have been completed, or if the home team takes a 10-run lead while batting in the 5th or 6th innings, the game is over.

12.2) If the road team leads by 15 runs after 4 innings, or the home team leads by 15 after 3 1/2 or takes a 15 run lead in the bottom of the 4th, the game is over.

12.3) If a road team leads by 20 runs after 3 innings, or the home team leads by 20 after 2 1/2 or takes a 20 run lead in the bottom of the 3rd, the game is over.

 

13.1) All games will start with a 1&1 count.

13.2) After the batter attains two (2) strikes, they are allowed to hit one (1) additional foul ball. A subsequent foul results in a strikeout.

 

14.1) The pitching arc is defined as above the pitcher's head to an unlimited height for males 15 and older. For females/12-14 year old males, the arc is 6-10 feet.

14.2) The pitcher must release the ball from an area no less than 50 feet and no more than 56 feet from the front of home plate, in a line directly between home plate and second base.

14.3) On a pitch, any part of the ball striking any part of the mat or home plate is considered a strike.

 

15) There will be a batter's box delineated by the umpires for every game. This area begins 6 inches from home plate/mat and extends 4 feet wide. The length of the area extends from the front of home plate to the back of the mat. It will either be lined or scratched out by the umpires, but it must be visible.

 

16) The league will employ a safety bag at first base. All rules concerning the safety bag, as listed in the ASA rule book (Rule 8, Section 2, Letter M), will apply.

 

17) Teams may use up to five (5) infielders at one time, not counting the battery.

 

18.1) Each team is permitted to hit only three (3) home runs per game. If both teams reach three (3) home runs for the game, then each team is allowed to hit additional home runs, but can only have one (1) more home run than their opponent.

18.2) Any player who hits a home run after their team has reached the limit will be called out.

18.3) Inside the park home runs and fly balls that touch an outfielder's glove before going over the fence do not count toward the limit.

 

19) Games may only be rescheduled because of bad weather or due to a church function that precludes fielding a team. If a game needs to be rescheduled, the league president must be notified so that a fair rescheduling can occur. Only the league president can reschedule games. A church function may be declared, in writing, by the pastor, at last 4 weeks in advance. Generally, a church function is considered any public worship.

 

20.1) The league will provide 3 bats (a 26, a 27, and a 28 oz. bat) for use by both teams at every game. All male players 15 yeas of age and older must use one of the league bats for all of their at-bats.

20.2) Female players and male players from 12-14 years of age may use any bat they choose from among those approved by ASA.

 

21) No rules may be changed once the season is underway; any proposed rule changes must wait until the following season.

 

22) All other rules are taken from the Dudley Softball Rules as applied by the USA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                        Ground Rules

 

ACC

 

In the left field foul territory, the bank is considered out of play. A fielder may jump to catch a batted ball, and if they catch the ball before either foot touches the bank, it will be considered an out. Once they touch the bank, the ball will be considered dead, so any base runners will advance one base. If the fielder's foot touches the bank before they catch the ball, or if the ball strikes the bank, the ball is considered a foul ball. Any batted fair ball that proceeds to roll onto the bank is considered a dead ball and ruled a ground rule double.