NORTHWEST FLORIDA GIRLS SOFTBALL ALLIANCE BY-LAWS

REVISED Jan.04, 2009
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A. PURPOSE: The Alliance is an assembly of Recreational girls softball associations ( Member Parks) whose purpose is to collectively develop and enhance the Recreational level of girl’s softball through the spirit of harmony and cooperation, The following By-Laws are based on an agreement that began in 1982 and is up-dated through the combined effort of those members who have assembled for the year 2009 and beyond Softball playing season.

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. This agreement may be changed or replaced by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting prior to the beginning of the playing season at the general meetings of January and February. The agreement will remain in place and not be altered for the balance of the playing season or upon completion of the last All-Star game.

Exceptions to Rule A: In the event of a situation that would jeopardize the integrity of the NWFGSA, these By-Laws may be changed or replaced at any time by a two-thirds majority vote of current members. A one-week notification is required for any special meeting either by phone or mail.

Rule A-1: The Alliance Officers (Chairman, Co-Chairman, Secretary/ Treasurer) Definition: The governing Officers of the Alliance, upon being elected yearly, are charged with overseeing the daily operations and management of all affairs concerning Fair Play and Sportsmanship in preparation for and at all sanctioned events held and sponsored in the said name (Alliance). They are empowered and have a fiduciary responsibility to maintain order at all sanctioned events. This set of By-Laws mandate that the Alliance Officers afford the right to civility of Sportsmanship and Fair Play to all Alliance Members and participants in all situations.

Rule A-2: In any event a problem arises and the above statement is violated, The Officers have no recourse but to maintain order to preserve the well being of all Alliance members. Once a ruling is handed down from the Officers, it is final and can not be revisited for a period of not less than two years.6/02/08

B. A quorum of one-third of the participating members must be present to conduct the normal business of the NWFGSA.

C. Meetings are to be conducted in an informal nature. Roberts Rules of Order, latest revision, used as a guide for parliamentary procedure.

D. NWFGSA meetings are open to the public.

E. The Park President/Commissioner or his/her designated representative at the time of roll call will be the voting representative eligible to cast the vote. ONLY ONE (1) VOTE PER PARK OR ASSOCIATION.

F. Failure to attend meetings and/or vote does not alter the decisions made by those present at any given meeting.

G. Because park leadership may change yearly, every effort should be made by outgoing leaders to pass on a copy of this agreement to his/her successor and to encourage its continuance.

H. Each park will pay membership fees of $50 yearly. This is due by the first organized meeting in January. Parks in arrears will be unable to vote on issues until the fee is paid. (Rev 1/11/04 )

II. ELECTIONS:

A. Elections for officers will take place at the initial organizational meeting held in January. Newly elected officers will assume their duties upon being elected to office.

III. DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

The following elected positions will make up the Alliance Board:

CHAIRMAN: Will call and chair meetings of the Alliance. Chairman can vote on tied issues only. The Chairman shall not serve more than three (3) consecutive years.

CO-CHAIRMAN: Will assist the Chairman in carrying out the duties of chairmanship. In the event of the Chairman’s absence, he/she will chair the meetings.

SECRETARY/TREASURER:
1. Will keep membership records, meeting attendance, record "ALL" minutes of each meeting, send out notices and/or verbally notify members of meetings, and perform such other duties as required of the position.
2. All monies received by the Treasurer shall be deposited in checking account in a "timely" manner so as to maintain an accurate bank account.
3. He/She will give a Full Financial report at every meeting.
4. The outgoing Secretary-Treasurer will assist in the transfer of bank account records.

IV. ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP:

A. EXISTING MEMBERS: Membership is renewable with each new season.

B.NEW MEMBERS: Parks who have never been a part of the Alliance or parks who have dropped out and would like to return.

C.Girls recreational softball programs are desiring to become a member of the NWFGSA must comply with the following:

1.Be sponsored by a member park and seconded by another member park (both in good standing). With approval of attending members, at this time the park will become a probationary member for one (1) season.

2.After the probation period and upon the favorable vote by Alliance members, the new member park becomes an active member with full voting rights.

3.Parks who have a desire to play in the NWFGSA sponsored tournaments must meet the following criteria:

Park By-Laws that includes an active draft system which allows a maximum of four (4) player-protects (i.e. freezes, options, recruits, coaches’ daughters, picks, etc), to an established team at the time of the draft. (Sister options count as one (1) freeze each total of two freezes; Transportation options count as one (1) freeze each total of two freezes.)

Established teams are defined as players returning from the previous season within an age group. Players moving up in an age group are not considered returning players. Expansion teams are defined as teams formed due to an increase in registered players within a park.

V. ALLIANCE SPONSORED TOURNAMENTS: (Revised 01/16/05) General Information: The Alliance will sponsor, on a seasonal basis, a Mid-Season and an All-Star Tournament. All other tournaments that carry the Alliance name must be voted on by the membership to be sanctioned and sponsored by the Alliance. If you are not a member in good standing with the Alliance, you will not be able to play or host any Alliance tournament.

Gate fee: Per person per day is $2.00 (6 and under free). Passes for up to three (3) coaches will be given for coaches on rosters.

B. INSURANCE:
1. The Host Park(s) will add the Alliance members and Officials to their existing insurance policy as an additional rider and must carry the required Liability Insurance needed to cover the Alliance Officers, Host parks and Officials calling the games for the Alliance.

2. If a host park is unable to add the Alliance as a rider,( this must be made know prior to the Draw for "each" tournament) then the Alliance will purchase the Required Tournament policy.(Added 4/02/08)

VI. AWARDS (Revised 1/04/09):

A. TEAM TROPHIES:
1st Place: 8"x10" Plaque 2nd Place: 8"x10" Plaque 3rd Place: 8"x10" Plaque

1. First, Second and Third place team and individual awards will be presented.

B. SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS:
Host Park will award team sportsmanship awards, one per age group, for Mid-Season Tournament, to be decided on by umpires. Trophies will be paid by Alliance with Alliance funds. Presentation will be at All-Star credential meeting.

VII. TOURNAMENT UMPIRES:

revised 1/04/09

Tournaments will consist of a minimum of two (2) umpires provided for each game in 10U, 12U, and 16U divisions. The 8U division will only have one (1) umpire. The UIC will be voted on and appointed by the Alliance Directors yearly and will be used in the Mid-Season and All-Star tournaments. He/She will take recommendations from the park softball presidents and or will use their own umpires.

VIII MID-SEASON TOURNAMENT: (Revised 01/28/07)

A. Format for the Mid-Season tournament will be double-elimination.

B. Entry fee is $85.00 per team, plus three (3) new balls. (Revised 01/04/09)

SPECIAL PLAYING RULES SECTION:

C. The Alliance approved ball will be a Core .47 “LEATHER” covered optic softball.
a. 12U and 16U will use the 12” ball
b. 10U and 8U will use the 11” ball
c. All balls used during the Tournament, Must be the "SAME TYPE" and or "SAME MANUFACTURE". revised 1/28/07

D. Entry fees, tournament rosters, certificate of insurance, and game balls for the Mid-Season tournament will be collected at the NWFGSA meeting held on a pre-set date prior to the tournament. Non-participating teams will forfeit entry fees and game balls. Coaches should be available at the first meeting for tournament draws. (Rev 1/11/04)

E. Rosters: The official roster is that which is turned in to the host park at the NWFGSA meeting held prior to the tournament. A team cannot be composed of more than 20 players during the Mid-Season tournament. All team rosters are due at the credentials meeting. Teams not turning in rosters, fees and insurance at credential meeting will not be allowed to participate in the draw. Players without birth certificates at credential meeting will be dropped from rosters.

F.(PARTICIPATION RULE) All girls on the official roster who are in attendance and dressed out must either play Six consecutive Defensive outs and One at Bat each game or must be entered into the game at least "15" minutes prior to the end of a Regulation time. Prior to the start of a game, the umpire and the opposing coach must be notified of the reason any player is held out from playing. Failure to adhere to this rule will result in forfeiture of the game. Discipline cannot be used as a reason for non-participation.

G. Split Divisions: The overall win-loss record of each team will be used at the Mid-Season Draw to determine which teams are in the A or B division (see Attachment A to By-Laws). All parks’ win/loss records will be a determining factor in placement in the A/B Divisions, with approval of the Alliance Board. (Added 1/11/04, revised 01/16/05)

H.PICK-UP RULE:

1. The Player Pick-Up Rule is implemented to help a team that falls to seven (7) players, eight (8) for 8-U age group, which would result in a forfeit.
2. A team must drop to seven (7) players, eight (8) players for 8-U age group. before the Pick-Up Rule can be instituted to help them start the contest.
3. A team is only allowed one pick-up player bringing the roster to eight (8) with the 9th batter being an automatic out or nine (9) with the 10th batter being an out for 8-U.
4. The said pick-up player must come from the Immediate age group below , and must be registered in the same park that has been eliminated or has not participated in the tournament.
5. The 8-U age group may pick-up from across the board if said players team has been eliminated or from a T-Ball team from the same park. Once any of the regular rostered players arrive at the contest the pick-up player must be removed from the contest.
6. Be sure to List all players rostered on your team who are not present on the official Line-up presented at the plate as substitutes.
7. ALL pick-up players must wear their regular team uniform during the contest.
8. All pick-up players must be Identified to the Home Plate Official prior to the start of the contest.
9. The player is then added to the team’s roster, The Head Coach must maintain a copy of the player’s birth certificate.
10. The pick-up player cannot play in the pitching position.revised 6/02/2008

I. Courtesy Runners:

MIDSEASON: Courtesy Runners: May "ONLY" be used for the Pitcher and/or Catcher and "ONLY" with two outs. The Courtesy Runner shall be the player in the batting order where the last out was recorded. In the event the last batted out was the pitcher or catcher, then the previous batted out must be used. ALLSTARS: Either the Courtesy Runner (as defined above) may be used or a pinch runner. A pinch runner is defined as a substitute player who has not been entered into the game. A pinch runner will lose her re-entry rights, if you re-enter the original starting player back to their respective position. revised 2/01/2008

J. Run-Rule: The Alliance Follows the below stated Rule text: The 6-9 run-rule is always in effect though the completion of the Fifth inning During the Midseason/ All-Star Tournament, After the Fifth it is un-limited. EFFECT/ INTENT: This rule was placed in our By-Laws thus serving two purposes, first to limit or reduce the risk of serious injury to the Defensive/ Offensive player while attempting to make extra bases after the sixth run has crossed the plate. The intent of this rule is to allow a Max number of runs that can be scored (9) in an inning though the Fifth. Example: To Score the max number of runs per inning i.e.: Bases loaded the sixth run is on third-base, sharp hit ball to the outfield, all runners must continue in a forward motion without stopping until they score and or until either are tag out prior to scoring. Once the sixth runner has crossed home plate, the remaining batter-runners must continue their forward motion, when the ball is returned to the infield and once said runners pause or cause any type of run-down effect and or possible collision, the Umpires will call time and change sides. reducing the possibility of serious injury to the Players. EFFECT: Bases loaded, the sixth runner is on third. The batter is walked, once the six run has crossed the plate the Umpire will call time and change sides. The Mercy Run-Rule is always in effect:
12 after 3 innings
10 after 4 innings
8 after 5 innings
Second, reduce the total number of runs that could be scored during any contest.

K. Curfew Rule “NO” contest will start after 9:00pm.

IX. ALL-STAR TOURNAMENT:

A. The format for the All-Star tournament will be double elimination.

B.Entry fee is $85.00 per team, plus two (2) new game balls. revised 1/28/07

C.The Alliance approved ball is an optic, raised stitch, Core .47, "leather ONLY" covered softball.

D. All balls used during the Tournament, Must be the SAME TYPE and or SAME MANUFACTURE. revised 1/28/07

D.Entry fees, tournament rosters, certificate of insurance and game balls for the All-Star tournament will be collected at the NWFGSA meeting held on a pre-set date before the start of the tournament. Non-participating teams will forfeit entry fees and game balls. Coaches should be available at the first meeting for the tournament draw. (Rev 1/11/04)

E.Eligibility: To be eligible for participation in the All-Star tournament, a girl must have played a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of the regular season games and be registered with the same park. Any exception must be submitted in writing to the Alliance for approval.

F.Rosters: The official team roster is that which is turned in to the host park at the NWFGSA meeting held prior to the tournament. A team cannot be composed of more than 14 players for the All-Star tournament.

G. The All-Star Tournament will be scheduled to begin on the first Friday in June annually. (Added 1/11/04)

H. Courtesy Runners:MIDSEASON: Courtesy Runners: ALLSTARS: Either the Courtesy Runner (as defined above under Midseason format) may be used or a pinch runner. A pinch runner is defined as a substitute player who has not been entered into the game. A pinch runner will lose her re-entry rights, if you re-enter the original starting player back to their respective position. added (02/01/2008)

 

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