Bylaws
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BYLAWS UPDATED SPRING 2025
Chicora Softball League Bylaws
League
1.01 NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Chicora Area Modified Softball League, a non-profit organization affiliated with USA Softball (formerly ASA) of Pennsylvania. Our purpose is to promote softball and recreational activity in and around Butler & Armstrong Counties, Pennsylvania.
The League shall be a 10-man modified pitch organization that utilizes the rules and regulations set forth by USA Softball. All churches, organizations or just a group of players (8) are always welcome to enter new teams. All managers should be a salesperson for the League at all times.
1.02 ORGANIZATION
The League will have officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary) who shall be elected by the League managers. The voting can either be through roll call or written ballot.
The officers shall be responsible for the following duties:
*Presiding over, maintaining order and recording minutes of all regular and
special League meetings
*Represent League at outside functions
*Maintaining all League financial transactions and League budget
*Prepare League regular-season schedule
*Settle any scheduling disputes/conflicts between teams
*Maintain League won-lost records
*Act as liaison to COG and to local USA Softball umpire chapter
The League’s Executive Board consists of one (1) representative from each of the League teams. The vote of the majority shall prevail in all matters.
1.03 ORDER OF BUSINESS
The order of business at each meeting shall be: call to order, roll call, reading of minutes, treasurer’s report, committee reports, announcements, old business, new business and adjournment. This order may be suspended or changed by a majority vote. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be followed during meetings.
Unless otherwise waived, no more than two representatives (Manager and/or Assistant Manager) from each team should attend League meetings. The By-Laws of the League may be amended or changed by a majority vote of the officers and Executive Board as long as the total number of teams present represents a quorum. Voting on issues will be by roll call, but a written ballot will be used if two or more board members desire so.
Once a By-Law is approved, it shall remain in effect until changed.
League By-Laws can only be changed during the off-season.
Participation
2.01 LEAGUE STABILITY
All teams are held bound to the League. Every effort between managers, assistant managers and players to secure team stability must be made.
The League must have ASA insurance.
The League shall have no more than 8 teams.
2.02 TEAMS
A. Each team must pay $1000 to play in the league season. New teams must pay and additional $100 fee. A team must have 50% of their payment paid to the league by opening day. Teams must be paid in full by July 1st, or risk forfeiture of games.
B. For a team to change sponsors, and not be considered a new team, 75% of the roster much stay together into the next year.
C. Players who voluntarily choose to switch teams mid-season have until June 1st to do so. No switching shall be allowed after that date. The player who switches teams shall sit out for two (2) full games before being eligible to play again. These games can not be counted toward playoff eligibility, and all games played prior for the previous team may not be counted.
D. Any players on a team that disbands before the midway point of regular season (June 15) shall be placed into a special dispersal draft. The team with the lowest winning percentage in the league at that time shall have first pick in the dispersal draft. The team with the second-lowest win percentage shall pick second. This will proceed until the team with the best percentage makes its first pick. The dispersal draft continues until all players have been chosen or all remaining teams decline to make further selections.
2.03 GAMES
A. The home team is responsible for supplying bases (60 feet) and straight base lines. The pitching rubber must be secured to the ground at a distance of 46 feet. The umpires may suspend games if the home team does not supply proper field equipment.
B. Both teams will provide one new ball for each game. Balls shall be certified softballs, 375 lbs. compression and .44 COR, or equivalent. Each team will use a new ball in its half of the first inning. Each team should also provide a good backup ball. The umpire may request additional balls if the others become lost or unusable. The umpire should keep the newer balls in play as much as possible. The pitcher may not request an older ball without valid reason.
C. Team managers must have their starting lineup submitted to the opposing team at least five minutes before the start of the game. The lineup should include player last names. First initial/name should be used to distinguish players with the same last name.
D. Mercy Rules
i. On weekdays, teams shall observe at ‘20’ Run Rule after 5 innings.
ii. On weekends, teams shall observe at ‘10’ Run Rule after 5 innings.
iii. No Mercy rule in playoffs.
E. Any game that is shortened because of weather or darkness is an official game if the losing team has had at least five at-bats. If a team takes the lead in the top half of an inning and the game is then halted, the game shall be suspended at that point and resumed at a later date. Games that are stopped before the fifth inning shall be resumed from the point of interruption.
G. The games will begin at 6:15 PM. The deadline for a team to start the game with “8” players is 6:30 PM. Any game played after August 1st will begin at 6:00 PM, and the deadline to start with “8” players will be 6:15 PM.
H. A team must have “8” players to start. A team must have “8” players to finish.
2.04 UMPIRES
A. During regular season, teams will be responsible for umpiring league games. The team responsible for umpires, per the league schedule, must have 2 assigned umpires for each scheduled game.
B. There is a penalty of $50 per occurrence for teams missing both umpires for a scheduled game. Teams are exempt from the fine if at least one umpire attends, however teams/managers shall make every effort to ensure that there are 2 umpires per game.
C. As long as they are contacted 48 hours in advance, teams are responsible for umpiring make up games that they were originally scheduled to umpire.
D. All umpiring fines must be paid before the playoffs. If not paid, the team will forfeit playoff games until paid.
Rules
3.01 PLAYING RULES
A. All rules of the current season USA Softball “Official Rules of Softball” for 10-player modified pitch softball shall be in effect for all League regular season and playoff games, except where otherwise noted in the League By-Laws.
B. Any team unable to field at least eight (8) eligible players within 15 minutes after the scheduled game time shall forfeit. The forfeiting team is also responsible for paying both umpires.
C. The home team shall be responsible for contacting the umpires and visiting team manager at least 75 minutes before the start of the game if it must be postponed due to weather/field conditions. After this point, the umpires shall determine the playability of the field. Players should not assume a game is postponed until they have been notified by their manager.
D. Ground rules for each League field shall be determined by the League. If a situation arises that requires special ground rules for a game, they shall be set by both teams in conjunction with the umpires. (See Appendix A)
F. Use of the USA Softball Extra Hitter (EH) rule is optional by either team. Teams may use one (1) Extra Hitter in their lineup. The Extra Hitter is permitted to enter the field as a defensive player at any time during the game. The replaced player then becomes an “EH.” Each team must keep the same number of batters in the lineup for the entire game and batting positions may not change.
G. Use of the USA Softball Designated Player (DP) rule is optional by either team. A team may have one (1) player bat for another player who will play only defense (the “flex” player). The DP and the flex may not be in the batting order at the same time. The flex player can enter the batting order only in the spot of the player who was originally named as “DP” at the beginning of the game. If a team inadvertently writes “DH” on its lineup, the “DP” rules will still apply to that player.
H. USA Softball Substitution Rule: Starting players may be removed from the lineup and re-enter only once at any time. Starting players must re-enter into their original place in the batting order.
I. Teams may utilize the USA Softball Courtesy Runner for the catcher, pitcher, and first baseman. No other positions will be eligible. The Courtesy Runner must be an eligible substitute. If the DP is batting for the catcher or pitcher, a Courtesy Runner cannot be used for the DP.
J. Once a pitcher is set on the rubber, a batter who is squared around to bunt must either bunt or pull back. Any player who shows bunt and then swings away (“slashing”) is automatically out and ejected from the game, whether he makes contact or not with the ball. The play is automatically dead and all runners return to their base. The player is subject to all penalties assessed against ejected players. (If you square to bunt, you must bunt or take the pitch.)
K. If a team has eight (8) players, they can begin the game and do not have to take an automatic out in the 9th position. A player who shows up after the game begins automatically goes into the spot at the end of the batting order.
L. If a player must leave and no substitute is available, an out is recorded each time his place in the batting order is passed.
M. If a team has seven (7) players or less for any reason, they must forfeit.
N. Players shall not wear metal spikes or cleats, for safety reasons.
3.02 PROTESTED GAMES
All protests must be reported to the League within 24 hours of the completion of the protested games. Protests will only be accepted on the misinterpretation, omission or misapplication of a League or USA Softball rule, or the use of an ineligible player. The protesting manager must notify an umpire before the next pitch or play for a protest to be valid. (Exception: ineligible player). The umpire(s) must sign both scorebooks at that time.
3.03 DISCIPLINE
A. Runners are not permitted to “bull over” a defensive player. Runners who do not slide or attempt to avoid contact and then initiate contact with a defensive player are subject to ejection. Vulgar swearing and unsportsmanlike conduct toward any player or umpire will not be tolerated.
B. Ejected players must leave the field/complex in a timely fashion or his team will forfeit the game. An ejection will also result in a one-game suspension. A player may appeal his suspension to the League’s Executive Board and/or League President. A player who is ejected from a second game during the season will subject to a suspension of at least one game as determined by the League President and/or Vice President. Any player who is ejected three times in a season is suspended indefinitely.
C. If a player or manager is involved in a physical fight with an opposing player/manager, both are ejected and suspended for a minimum of three (3) games. Any player or manager who engages in excessive or egregious unsportsmanlike conduct (such as – but not limited to – abuse/throwing of equipment, violent behavior, etc.) will be suspended for three (3) games.
D. Any player/manager taking physical action towards and umpire; before, during, or after a game, will be ejected from the league for one year, and subject to indefinite suspension as decided by the league board.
E. Any player caught using an altered bat that is not in compliance with USA Softball regulations, the player and the manager of their team shall both be subject to a three (3) game suspension.
3.04 PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
A. Players must participate in/attend (and be listed as an eligible substitute) one-third of the regular season games to be eligible to participate in the playoffs. League rosters must be submitted to the President by opening day, with any updates made in a timely fashion throughout the season.
B. Games that are forfeited or called due to rain do not count toward the playoff minimum unless the umpire(s) sign both teams’ scorebooks to verify the lineup. A game that is forfeited or called before the scheduled start time cannot be counted toward the playoff minimum.
Schedule
4.01 SCHEDULE STRUCTURE
A. The League shall be divided into two divisions (American and National) each season that is has more than 6 teams. Divisions will be drawn from a hat. With 6 or fewer teams, the League shall use a one-division format.
B. If a game is postponed due to weather/field conditions, the managers have five days to establish a makeup date and report to President. If the managers cannot agree on a date, the President will select a date and time for the game.
i. Teams should make every effort to avoid canceling a game for reasons other than weather.
ii. If a team must do so, the manager of that team must call the manager of the other team at least 24 hours in advance. The managers must determine a makeup date as soon as possible.
iii. Any team with 3 or more forfeits (less than 8 or no show including make ups) could be subject to ejection from the league.
C. Games may be scheduled all days, except Saturdays. Teams may play makeup games on Saturdays, if desired. No team shall be required to play on Saturday in the regular season. In terms of League scheduling, Sunday shall be the “next day” after Friday.
D. Teams must play all scheduled games in regular season.
E. A league meeting will be held either near the end of the regular season, or shortly after the regular season, before the playoffs begin.
4.02 PLAYOFF STRUCTURE
A. Up to 8 teams make the playoffs. Teams will be seeded for playoffs based on teams’ regular season won/lost record, and then the tiebreaker system (G).
i. Playoffs shall start the week immediately following the conclusion of the regular season.
ii. First round, the next highest seeded team will play the next lowest seeded team. Best of 3.
iii. Second round. The highest remaining seed will play the lowest remaining seed. Best of 3.
iv. The finals will be best 3 out of 5.
B. The League will supply new balls for each playoff game. A new ball will be introduced in the top of the first inning and the other new ball will be put in play at the beginning of the bottom of the first inning. No new balls can be introduced after the first two new balls are gone unless both teams agree. All game balls are to be taken to the next game for use as backup balls.
C. The League will pay for all umpires in the playoffs.
D. Playoff games may be played on any day of the week, except for Saturday.
i. No team shall be forced to play three consecutive calendar days during the playoffs.
ii. If a playoff game is cancelled due to weather, the makeup date must be the next day, or as soon as weather/conditions permit.
E. The higher-seeded team in each playoff game will be home team. In a series, the higher seed will be the home team in the first, third and fifth games. The lower seed will be the home team in the second and fourth games.
F. The League reserves the right to utilize a double-elimination tournament format for the playoffs.
G. The following tiebreaker system will be used for ties in playoff seeding, player drafting or division setup:
i. Head-to-head competition
ii. Matching wins tie-breaker (record against first-place team in
League/division; record against second-place team, etc. until one team
has a better record than the other).
iii. Run Differential (+/-)
iv. Coin toss
H. Teams must have met all their financial obligations 100% to the League prior to the start of the playoffs or that team will not be eligible for the playoffs.
OLD EDITIONS
Updated March 21, 2006. -- Bylaws - Word Document
