Bylaws and Ground Rules

2012 FOOTHILL LITTLE LEAGUE

BYLAWS AND GROUND RULES

All Divisions

1. No alcoholic beverages or tobacco products are allowed at any Little League activity.  Managers, please be sure that your parents and spectators are aware of this.
2. Little League Baseball is dedicated to helping children become good citizens. Our goal is to teach Little Leaguers the value of teamwork, discipline and good sportsmanship. Profanityor any other verbal abuse will not be tolerated.
   1. All Managers/Coaches/Players and Spectators are subject to immediate ejection.  If a person is ejected, they must leave the facility immediately. (Sight & Sound)
   2. Physical Abuse- Will not be tolerated and be cause for immediate ejection.  The Board of Directors will review the matter and take action as deemed appropriate.
   3. Board Members- All Board Members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner that reflects positively upon the Board and FLL.
   4.  All disciplinary actions will be done in accordance with Little League Constitution, Article III, Section 4.
   5. No Pets/Animals permitted on any facilities utilized by FLL due to insurance policy. (Assistance Dogs Excluded as permitted by law).  This includes practices.
   6. Division Alignment (Team numbers may be adjusted depending on enrollment):

Divisions will be broken down by age as follows;

Tee Ball 5-6, AA 7-8, AAA 9-10 and Majors 11-12, Juniors 13-14-15, however, due to special circumstances and with the approval of Parents, Player Agent, and League President, a player maybe moved up or down depending on playing ability/ experience.  If an older player is moved down, it shall be due to inability and/or inexperience, not out of convenience.

1. All Managers, Coaches and Umpires MUST attend a Coaching clinic sponsored by the District Administrator or Little League Baseball, Incorporated, prior to the start of the season.
2. All Managers, Coaches and Umpires should attend the FLL sponsored First Aid/CPR clinic or provide current certification of minimum Basic First Aid and C.P.R.
3. Volunteers- Each year, All FLL volunteers MUST complete and submit a volunteer application along with copy of an approved Government Identification PRIOR to participating in any Local League activity.  This is MANDATORY    
4. Registration- Each parent/guardian must submit proper documentation recognized by Little League showing their legal residence establishing eligibility within FLL boundaries.  Registration fees will only be refunded prior to the date of ordering uniforms.
5. Disputes/Complaints- All Disputes should be sent to the Board of Directors or delivered in person to a Board Meeting.  Member bringing the Dispute/complaint shall be informed of the Board’s decision as soon as reasonable, whether in person at the meeting or in writing.
6. Protests-Any protests must be done in accordance with Green Book Policy (4.19).
7. A minimum of One Coach is required to be in the dug-out at all times with a maximum of 3.  Non Official Team personnel are not permitted in the dug-out during play.  A Team Parent does count as a coach.
8. All Players should be encouraged to participate in the FLL sponsored fundraiser.  If a parent does not wish to participate, an additional $28 opt-out shall be charged during the registration process.
9. No persons shall use FLL equipment for personal use (Non team sanctioned practices or games).

Tee Ball Division

1. There shall be no Minimum number of players required for an official game.  Coaches are permitted on the field in an advisory role to assist players.  Coaches will act as Umpires.
2. A game will consist of no more than SIX (6) innings, with no inning beginning after 1 Hour and 30 minutes.  No score shall be kept.
3. All roster players will bat, constituting a half inning.  If a batter/runner is declared out, they must leave the field of play.  Each Inning the batting order shall be reversed.  After Three (3) outs, any base runners will remain on the bases.

AA-  (Minor League Machine Pitch Division)

1. Teams may start and finish with a minimum of seven (7) players without re-scheduling.
2. If the Machine is struck by a batted ball and remains within the circle, the ball is dead and will be re-played.  If the machine is struck and the ball leaves the circle, the ball shall be considered live.  The player-pitcher will stay within a 10’ radius of the mound while the coach is pitching.  Once the Machine begins pitching to the batter, any balls missed by either the catcher or the player-pitcher shall be declared dead and no runners may advance.
3. Continuous Batting Order will be in effect.  Managers/Coaches shall rotate players from the bench to the field each and every inning.
4. Each Batter is allowed a maximum of SIX (6) pitches to hit the ball into play.  There will be NO Walks.
5. No bunting, no sliding, no stealing, and no infield-fly-rule; fielders may not block home plate to approaching runners.
6. One base on an overthrow of first or third base, runners are subject to put out.
7. Players may continue to advance while the ball is in the outfield, but are subject to the put out. The runners must stop advancing once the ball is returned to the player-pitcher in the pitching circle and has control of the ball.
8. In the event of a Machine malfunction, Coaches are permitted to pitch to their team.
9. There will be a two (2) hour time limit on games and no more than six (6) innings.
10. A runner leaving the base early will be sent back to their original base with no penalty.  If the batter hits the pitch during a declared base running violation, the play is called dead.

AAA- (Minor League Player Pitch Division)

1. There will be a two (2) hour time limit on all games, with no inning beginning after the 2hr mark.  Umpire should alert both coaches at approximately the one (1) hour and 45 minute mark.
2. Open Inning- Only If/When The start of the sixth (6) inning begins (prior to the 2hr time limit), it will be announced as the OPEN INNING, Both Teams are not restricted by the Five (5) run rule.
3. When a player is called up to Majors, the player/parent has 24 hours to advise the Player Agent on their decision to move up to Majors.  If the player declines moving up to Majors, that player will then replace the player that eventually goes to Majors.  Example: Player A plays for Team 1. Player A declines moving up to Majors.  Player B from Team 2 moves up to Majors.  Player A will then be placed on Team 2 immediately.

Major League Division

1.  Ten Run Rule- If the Ten Run Rule is in effect (4.10(e)) then it will be the losing team’s                     decision to continue/conclude the game.

2.  A Manager Must notify the Player Agent when any player misses more than 2 consecutive games for any reason.  If a player is lost from a team, the Manager Must notify the Player Agent within 24 hours, then proceed with the process of selecting a new player.                                                                                                                                                                                     

Junior League Division

No additional special rules for this division

All Star Division

1. The method for selecting Tournament Team players for all divisions will be the same as the method suggested in the Little League Baseball Tournament Rules and Guidelines for the current year.  This method will serve as a guideline.  The All-Star Staff and Board of Directors will have overall say, utilizing input from all Players, Coaches, and Managers.  The All-Star Manager will be selected by the Board and in accordance to the Green Book.  It will then be the All-Star Manager’s selection to choose a second/third Coach to assist him/her with All-Stars.

Foothill LL Bylaws and Rules 2012