SCHEDULE:
60+, 70+, 79+, 84+ - Monday, Oct. 6 - Friday, Oct. 10
50+ - Wednesday, Oct. 8 - Saturday, Oct. 11
65+, 74+ - Monday, Oct. 13 - Friday, Oct. 17
55+ - Wednesday, Oct. 15 - Saturday, Oct. 18
Mondays: 8:30 am - 10:00 pm
Tuesdays: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesdays: 8:30 am - 10:00 pm
Thursdays: 8:30 am - 10:00 pm
Fridays: 8:30 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
MANDATORY MANAGERS MEETINGS:
60+, 70+, 79+, 84+ - Sunday, Oct. 5 – 6:00 pm – Dixie Center
65+, 74+ - Sunday, Oct. 12 – 6:00 pm – Dixie Center
50+, - Wednesday, Oct. 8 – 10:00 am - Dixie Center
55+ - Wednesday, Oct. 15 – 10:00 am - Dixie Center
VENUES:
Canyons Complex - 1890 West 2000 North, St. George
Bloomington Softball Diamonds, 650 Man-O-War Road, St. George
Gubler Park - 2375 Rachel Dr., Santa Clara
Little Valley Softball Complex - 2995 South 2350 East, St. George
Practice Field Reservations:
Hurricane City Recreation - 435-635-2609
Mesquite Recreation - 702-346-8732
DIVISIONS:
50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 74+, 79+, 84+ “Major” to “C”, depending on entries
SPORT FEE: $16 Per Person Per Team
REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
Early Bird Deadline (save $40) – August 1
Final Registration Deadline – September 1
Because we are filling up in January, we are asking teams to get at least 8 players registered per team by June 1st to help guarantee that they are coming and to allow us to contact teams on the waiting list so they have time to make travel arrangements, or release their players to other teams. If you are going to have any problems with this request, please contact the Huntsman World Senior Games Office.
REGISTRATION RULES:
• Total number of all teams will be limited to 150 per week.
• To register your team and get your team number (manager's only) register online or call Huntsman World Senior Games (800-562-1268) office for forms.
• There are no residency requirements for team members.
• Age division of team is determined by the age of the youngest player.
• A minimum of 4 teams per age division and skill level is required.
• Individual team members must register by September 1.
• Team members will be required to enter their team number when registering.
• As players register and use the team number they will be added to the team roster.
• We strongly recommend a minimum of 15 players per team. Teams with less than 10 players on their roster on September 1 may be cancelled and there will be no refund.
• After September 1 changes can be made to the team roster by calling the Huntsman World Senior Games office. All rosters are final at the managers meetings unless approved by the tournament director.
• Schedules will be available by September 25.
• Players may play on multiple teams if they are registered for each team before the September 1st deadline. The teams must be in different age divisions. A player may play in a younger age division, but not older. If the playing times of the two teams conflict, the player will have to choose which team he will play for. Players who register for multiple softball teams must pay the sport fees for each team.
FORMAT/RULES:
All games will be played under current SPA rules except as noted below. For a complete list of rules visit the SPA website at www.softballspa.com. Huntsman World Senior Games rules and tournament specific rules to note are as follows.
• 50+, 55+, 60+ teams may have up to 10 defensive players.
• 65+, 70+, 74+, 79+, 84+ teams may have up to 11 defensive players.
• All players who are age 50 or older as of the end of the current calendar year are eligible to play.
• Each team is guaranteed 5 games, weather permitting.
• Ball will be 12"/.44 C.O.R./.375 compression.
• Base path length is 65'.
• All batters will begin with a one (1) ball and one (1) strike count. One (1) courtesy foul shall be awarded after the second strike.
• Masks – It is Highly recommended that pitchers (or defensive team members) wear a NOCSAE- approved helmet.
• All bats stamped by the manufacturer and meeting the 1.20 bpf or 1.21 bpf standard are approved with the exception of the Miken Ultra I.
• Altered bats are not acceptable. Violators will be ejected from the tournament, suspended from Huntsman World Senior Games in the following year and their team manager will be ejected from the game. Both will be reported to all senior softball organizations. Team managers have the right to appeal after the game. The bat will be confiscated until the end of the tournament.
• All players are required to have a 6” vertical number, of contrasting color, on the back of the uniform.
• Age divisions for teams will be determined by the age of the youngest team member.
• There will be NO flip-flop rule.
• An illegal pitch will be signaled and verbally called at the point the pitch becomes illegal.
• First two days of play will be round-robin play after which teams will be seeded into “Major”, “AAA”, “AA”, “A”, “B” or "C” divisions (depending on entries) for the double elimination championship tournament.
• All Players must play in at least 1 round robin game to be eligible to play in the championship tournament. The tournament director may consider hardship exceptions to this rule if approved by September 15.
• Teams may start and finish with as few as 9 players. However, an out must be taken in the 10th batting position until such a time as an additional player arrives. No game will be delayed to accommodate a late arriving player.
• Teams may bat an unlimited number of players in a game, providing each player is legally on that team’s roster and official line-up sheet.
• All line-ups cards are required at least 15 minutes prior to game time or team may risk forfeiture. All sites will have a table where line-up cards are to be turned in.
• If a player is ejected from a game and no substitute is available, the game will be forfeited.
• In a Championship game the undefeated team will be the Home Team. In case of an if game, the other team is the Home Team.
• In round robin games there will be a 50-minute clock. The umpire will notify both teams when time has expired. Upon expiration of time, the current inning will be completed and the following inning will be a final inning (unless tied) and will be an “open-run” inning.
• Bracket games, (including semi-finals), will utilize a 55-minute clock. Finals will have a 7 inning or 70 minute time limit. The undefeated team in the championship game will be the home team. In case of an if game, the other team is the Home Team.
• Game time starts when the umpire announces to both teams to “Play Ball”.
• A 5-Run Rule will be used each inning except when an inning is declared an “open-run” inning by the umpire. The 5-Run Rule will be used throughout the tournament. If a team is about to be “mercy ruled”, the 5-run rule will be extended to allow the team to get 1 run under the mercy rule. Example: fifth inning, team is losing 24 to 5, the team that is losing would be able to score 8 runs and the inning would be over.
• A mercy rule of 12 runs after 5 innings will apply to all games, including finals.
• The International Tie-breaker rule will be used. (Refer to SPA Rule 1, Section 58. “Each team will start each additional inning with a runner on second base. The runner will be the last player that completed his/her turn at bat when the third out was made in the previous inning. No courtesy runner is allowed to replace the runner starting at second base until he/she has advanced to third base. If this runner is unable to continue to play for any reason and no substitute is available, he/she will be declared out and the next previous batter will be the tie-breaker runner. The runner that was unable to continue may not play for the remainder of the game.”)
• An approximate 21” x 35” strike-zone mat/plate will be used. Any part of the mat/plate touched during a play at home plate will be considered a legal touch by a defensive player. Offensive players must pass the safety line after passing the commit line.
NOTE: A pitched ball that hits the ground before hitting the strike zone mat is a “dead ball" and may not be hit by the batter.
• The allowable pitching arc shall be 6 to 12 feet. A pitching box of 50 to 60 feet will be used for all games. A pitcher may deliver the ball from anywhere in the pitching box (i.e. one foot must be in the pitching box). (Refer to SPA Rule 6, Section 1. Prior to pitching, the pitcher must come to a full stop with the ball held in either the pitching hand or both hands in front of the body. This position must be maintained at least one second and not more than ten seconds before making the delivery.)
• A runner will be called out for contact with a defensive player if, in the umpire’s judgment, the contact was deliberate or if the runner could reasonably have been expected to avoid contact.
• Strike Count: Each player will start with 1 Ball and 1 Strike.
• "Strike” Definition: (Refer to SPA Rule 7, Section 5). A "STRIKE" IS CALLED BY the umpire:
- For each legally pitched ball hitting any portion of the strike zone mat at which the batter does not swing.
- For each ball swung at and missed by the batter.
- For each foul tip, including the third strike.
- For each foul ball, including the third strike. (Ball is dead and base runners must return to their bases without liability to be put out.)
• A team’s starting line-up only may re-enter the game in their original place in the batting order.
• The batter-runner must touch the orange base if there is a play at first base, either from the infield or the outfield. Failure to do so will result in the batter being called out. If, in the opinion of the umpire, the batter touches the inside base (instead of the orange base) solely in an effort to avoid a collision, the play will be called as though the batter actually touched the orange base.
• Players may run as courtesy runners once per inning provided they are on the official line-up sheet and Roster. Once a courtesy runner touches the bag where he is to be the replacement runner, he is deemed to be “in the game” and normal substitution rules apply. Courtesy runners may not run for courtesy runners. Courtesy runners must be placed before the first pitch to the next batter.
Home Run rules for Pool play games: (all classifications)
- 5 runs max per inning per team.
- (Unlimited in last declared inning and all extra innings).
- Five Home runs allowed + one-up (Home team in unlimited inning can’t go one-up).
- Additional home run is an out.
- Home Run rules for Bracket Play games:
Once the Maximum run per inning has been obtained, no additional runs will score as a result of an over-the-fence home run; however, the over-the-fence home run will count in the team’s total. Hit and Sit rule will be used.
Major Plus - 5 runs max per inning per team.
- (Unlimited in last declared inning and all extra innings).
- Unlimited Home runs allowed.
Major
- 5 runs max per inning per team.
- (Unlimited in last declared inning and all extra innings).
- Seven Home runs allowed + one-up (Home team in unlimited inning can’t go one-up).
- Additional home run is an out.
AAA
- 5 runs max per inning per team.
- (Unlimited in last declared inning and all extra innings).
- Five Home runs allowed + one-up (Home team in unlimited inning can’t go one-up).
- Additional home run is an out.
AA, A, B, C, D
- 5 runs max per inning per team.
- (Unlimited in last declared inning and all extra innings).
- Straight one-up (Home team in unlimited inning can’t go one-up).
- Additional home run is an out.
• At the discretion of the Tournament Committee, Gold Medal teams from the previous year’s Games may be moved up in divisions.
• All team members must check-in at the Dixie Center where they will be required to present a photo ID verifying their name and date of birth. During check-in, each player will receive a wristband that must be worn throughout the tournament.
• If any team member is not registered and checked-in, the entire team will forfeit that game (unless prior arrangements were made with the Huntsman World Senior Games office or a member of the tournament committee).
• Wristbands must be worn and Huntsman World Senior Games ID Badges and picture ID must be in players’ possession during all games and will be randomly checked.
• No substitutions of players will be allowed at the Dixie Center check-in.
• 60+, 65+, 70+, 74+, 79+, 84+ Age Divisions - A copy of the playoff bracketing will be available online ASAP after pool play is completed.
• 50+, 55+ Age Divisions - A copy of the playoff bracketing will be available online ASAP after pool play is completed.
Sportsmanship: In keeping with our mission of fostering worldwide friendship, peace, health and friendly competition, we are asking Managers/Coaches to emphasize the need to show respect for opposing players and loyal fans. Inappropriate language and behavior have no place in these Championships. If such language and/or behavior are observed, the players and/or fans will be asked to leave. Fighting will not be tolerated. In such an occurrence, both teams will forfeit the game and no medals will be awarded. The teams will be suspended from the Huntsman World Senior Games for at least one year.
MEDALS:
Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams of each division. Medals will be presented to each team member and manager on the final roster after each "medal" game.
DIRECTOR(S): Josh Olmstead
ASSISTANT(S): Nolan Ackroyd, Jack Berg, Sheena Cram, Mike Fortune, Ron Garrett, Dave Hemingway, Glen Hovey, Laurie Lee, Tonya Neilson, Trisha Olmstead, Johnny Owen, Ernie Reyes, Gail Sandberg, Linda Spencer, Stephanie Stowe
UMPIRE IN CHIEF: Scott Moyes