EVENT DETAILS

2024 SoCal State Slow Pitch Policies

2024 SoCal State Slow Pitch Policies

Effective January 1, 2024

Revised April 3, 2024.

Managers/Players,

The following State level policies may or may not be covered in the USSSA/GSL National Rulebook, but will be enforced for all Southern California State slow pitch programs Non-Qualifier, Qualifier, Specialty, State & Regional events. These policies will be emailed to all managers and players registered in our State once a year. The policies will also be added to every event page for review under EVENT INFO.

DEADLINE POLICIES

Drop Out Deadline: The deadline to drop out of an event is by 11:59 PM Sunday, weekend prior to the event. Team MUST email or text the LISTED EVENT DIRECTOR notifying them of your request to remove the team from the event. The penalty for dropping out after the deadline is the team owes 100% of the entry fee. Teams will be restricted from removing players from their roster and tagged as SUSPENDED until fee is paid. If a manager removes players after the drop out deadline to avoid player suspensions, we will add any player removed after the drop out deadline back to the suspended roster. Team will be given until the Monday after the scheduled event to pay 100% of the fee. We will offer players the option to pay $40 to have themselves removed from the suspended roster starting Monday after the scheduled event, but the team’s name will remain suspended until every player pays the $40 fee. The only exception is a team that pays 100% of the entry fee prior to the day of the event, we would remove the suspension flag and open the roster for player removal.

Online Roster: The deadline to submit your roster ONLINE is by 11:59 PM Tuesday week of the event. Teams must email help@usssagslwest.com for any assistance related to rosters and player eligibility status.

Roster Changes: The deadline for roster CHANGES/ADJUSTMENTS via our HELP email inbox is by NOON Friday week of the event. Rosters will be locked Saturday morning before the start of the event, so managers will be able to make changes to their roster after our HELP email inbox has been closed for the weekend. Any changes required after rosters are locked will not be accepted with the exception of an EMERGENCY roster change.

Emergencies do happen and we will try to help. After a roster has been locked, any EMERGENCY roster changes will only be to assist a team to roster 12 players max prior to your first game of the event. We will not consider adding a 13th or more players as an emergency and the additional roster adds will be denied. It’s a manager’s responsibility to make sure the roster is on point before our final roster change deadline.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY Players not listed as ELIGIBLE on the online roster (listed as PENDING) are INELIGIBLE to play. If an INELIGIBLE player is caught playing, the player will be removed from the remainder of the game and will not be allowed to play the upcoming games until they complete the eligibility process. The team can sub in any ELIGIBLE player from their roster for the ineligible player removed from the game. If the team has no ELIGIBLE subs available, the ejected player’s spot in the batting order will be recorded as an out every time the spot comes up in the line up. We will not stop the game to address INELIGIBLE player protests.

PENDING players having issues, please email help@usssagslwest.com prior to NOON FRIDAY.

Players not listed on a team’s online roster under ELIGIBLE or PENDING will be considered ILLEGAL. We will not stop the game while we investigate the ILLEGAL player protest(s). Teams caught with one or more ILLEGAL players during a game will be DQ'd from the event. The manager and player(s) will be suspended for ONE year. Please don't force us to take this course of action. Manager and players are responsible to make sure the roster is 100% ELIGIBLE & LEGAL by our deadline...no exceptions.

BAT TESTING

Any bat used during a game can be tested at the director’s discretion. Also, any ball that hits or deflects off a pitcher on a line drive will be tested if directors have a bat compression tester on-site. If the bat passes compression testing, the bat will be returned to the owner. If the bat fails compression testing, we will hold on to the bat until the owner’s team is eliminated. We will record make/model/weight/serial #. The owner will need to sign a document acknowledging the bat will no longer be used in any USSSA/GSL events or leagues. Directors have a right to request a bat be sent in to verify whether it was altered. Failure to comply will result in a multi-year suspension. This includes if the bat is sold to another person and found on the field.

NATIONAL SUSPENSION POLICY The following violations will earn violators a ONE-YEAR suspension based on the USSSA Acts of Disbarment, as listed in 0006-Suspensions of the USSSA Policies & Procedures Manual. We have added a THREE-YEAR suspension for specific acts. The acts warranting a 3-year suspension are identified with a 3-year suspension tag below

•  (3-year Suspension) Physically attacking anyone in connection with any USSSA activity.

• Anyone threatening a USSSA Officer, Director, Official, Employee, Independent Contractor or Participant in a USSSA sanctioned event, either in person or in a physical writing or email or through social media posts.

• (3-year Suspension) Anyone, in connection with a USSSA activity fighting; using unsportsmanlike conduct; using abusive tactics, derogatory or unbecoming acts that are detrimental or not in the best interests of USSSA, either in person or in a physical writing or email or through social media posts. Actions that disrupt a USSSA event shall be considered unsportsmanlike conduct.

• Anyone failing to cooperate with USSSA in identifying the user or owner of an altered bat or in any other matter that might result in a suspension.

• Anyone returning a bat to play that has been removed from play by a USSSA Director or Umpire.

• Destroying of property or the abuse of hotel property or failure to pay hotel or motel bills in connection with a USSSA activity.

• Knowingly competing with or against ineligible or suspended players.

• Participating in or permitting a fraud to be perpetrated.

• Refusing to submit funds to the Association that are due to the Association.

• Competing under an assumed name.

• Submitting a check for any reason that cannot be negotiated for payment.

• Failing to arrive after entering a National or World Tournament unless reasonable advance notice is given.
• Using or publishing false or derogatory information to the detriment of USSSA, its Officers, Directors, Officials or Participants in a USSSA sanctioned event, either in person or in a physical writing or email or through social media posts.

• Participating after being informed that you are suspended/disbarred/ineligible.

• Anyone violating any Articles of the By-Laws, any USSSA Rule Book, Directives, Procedures, and Association Policies, and specifically this Policies and Procedures Manual.

• Anyone failing to submit information due the Association in a timely manner.

• Any Manager, Sports Official, Tournament or League Director that allows anyone other than a Participant, Manager, Coach, Trainer or Sponsor to be in the dugout, bench or field of play during a USSSA Sanctioned Activity and anyone other than a Participant, Manager, Coach, Trainer, Sports Official or Sponsor who is in the dugout, bench or field of play during a USSSA Sanctioned Activity. Managers, Coaches, Trainers and Sponsors must be 18 years of age or older to be allowed in the dugout, bench or field of play during a USSSA Sanctioned Activity.

• Any Sports Official, Tournament Director or League Director, who upon identifying an unacceptable risk to safe play at the site of a USSSA Sanctioned Event allows play to continue prior to removal of that risk to safety.

• Anyone wearing USSSA marked Sports Official clothing (including but not limited to shirts, pants, shorts, shoes, caps) or protective gear or otherwise holding themselves out as a USSSA Registered Sports Official when officiating or otherwise acting in any capacity for any event other than a USSSA Sanctioned event.

• Failure to report any incident or charge, the failure to report of which would constitute a violation of the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 (Safe Sport Act).

• Any act that would be a violation of the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 (Safe Sport Act).

Failure to pay owed fees to USSSA/GSL will result in an INDEFINITE team suspension until payment has been received in the form of a full team payment or individual player payments. Individual player payments will result in the player being removed from the suspended roster, but the team registration will remain suspended until every player on the roster has paid. We encourage teams to pay the full fee owed prior to the end of the event weekend to avoid paying more through the individual player fee option.

ALCOHOL & MARIJUANA SMOKING/VAPING POLICY FOR PRIVATE/CITY COMPLEXES THAT CHARGE A GATE FEE, SERVE FOOD & DRINKS

No Food or Beverage (with the exception of water) may be brought into the complex. Igloos and coolers full of water only are allowed. However, anything other than water found inside coolers will be confiscated. All bags/purses/coolers/etc. may be subject to search at entry. A variety of food and beverage items are available for purchase at our private/city complexes.

Consumption of alcoholic beverages, picnics, team parties or tailgating will NOT be allowed in the private/city complex PARKING LOT. Teams or individuals violating this policy will be asked to leave the facility and take risk of being cited by local authorities. Failure to comply with our request to leave the facility which includes the parking lot will result in a ONE-year suspension.

FOR CITY PARKS & CITY COMPLEXES THAT DON’T SERVE ALCOHOL

Consumption of alcoholic beverages or marijuana smoking/vaping will NOT be allowed in the PARK OR PARKING LOT. Teams or individuals violating this policy will be to leave the park/complex and take risk of being cited by local authorities. According to CA State law, one cannot smoke marijuana or marijuana products in any public place or in any location where smoking or vaporizing tobacco is prohibited. Failure to comply with our request to leave the park/complex which includes the parking lot will result in a ONE year suspension.

PHOTOGRAPHERS & LIVE STREAMING Any person taking photos or videos at our events on the field of play or from a dugout must have an official media pass issued by the USSSA National office. Any person caught taking photos or videos without an official media pass will be asked to take photos outside the field of play and dugouts. Any person that does not comply with our warning will be asked to leave the park immediately until the conclusion of the event.

Any person interested in requesting a media pass must make the request in writing to vic.rivera@usssa.org weeks before an event.

We allow live streaming at our events ONLY IF we have no USSSALIVE.COM camera set up at a field. Any player or spectator live streaming games with a USSSALIVE.COM camera mounted at the field, will be asked to stop streaming. Any person that does not comply with our warning will be asked to leave the park immediately until the conclusion of the event. Please read our National by-laws ARTICLE XV - COPYRIGHTS, TELECAST AND BROADCAST RIGHTS @

https://www.usssa.com/docs/general/Bylaws.pdf

RAIN OUT POLICY

1. If the tournament is rained out and no games have been played, a full refund of the paid entry fee will be given to teams. Team registration will not be refunded.

2. If the tournament gets rained out and your team has played a game(s) you will be charged for however many games you have played. The amount charged per game will be based on the paid entry fee divided by the number of games guaranteed. 

Example: Your team plays 2 of the 3 games guaranteed, you will be refunded or credited 1/3 of the PAID entry fee. If you paid $440, you would be refunded $147. 

3. All applicable refunds will be sent electronically (PayPal or Venmo) ONLY IF the second day of an event is an OVERNIGHT rain out. Otherwise, we will refund you cash at the event ONLY IF entry fee was paid in cash. If fee was paid electronically, refund due will be refunded electronically after electronic payment has cleared. If fee was paid with a company check, refund due will be refunded electronically after check has cleared. You can also roll the refund as a credit towards your next tournament.

4. Once the game clock starts, it will be considered a played game. The final score will be recorded for the last COMPLETED inning and winner declared. In the case of a tie, a winner will be declared with a double coin-toss.

5. If your team has been eliminated prior to the event being rained out/cancelled you will not receive any refund/credit.

6. For teams that have played 3 or more games and are not eliminated from the tournament after a mid-tournament rain out has been declared, we will give managers the following options:

Option 1: we will combine the full or prorated prize package and split amongst remaining teams. If there are teams receiving a partial refund in your division due to playing less than 3 games, they will not count towards the minimum number of teams required for a FULL prize package. It's possible a prize package may be prorated if the paid-in-full team count drops below the minimum number of teams required for a FULL prize package. Teams will not receive any refund/credit.

Example: If 8 out of 20 teams played 3 or more games, plus have not been eliminated, and the remaining 12 teams played less than 3 games, the prize package will be prorated as an 8 team event then split up amongst the 8 teams. The remaining 12 teams will get a refund after the games played has been deducted from the PAID entry fee.

Option 2: (EVERY MANAGER MUST AGREE WITH THIS OPTION) we will determine winners for the remaining play-off games with a double coin-toss. All remaining managers must be present. Prizes will be awarded based on final bracket results after all head-to-head coin-toss matches has been completed.

Note: regardless of what option is selected, we must complete the online bracket by coin-toss in order to award teams points.

7. There is always a possibility we may switch to a two-pitch mid-tournament in order to get all the games in only if we experience delays due to light showers.