2011 Softball Manual
2011 TOURNAMENT DATES
REGIONAL
(Class 1A) - July 6, 7, 8, 11, 13
(Class 2A) - July 7, 8,
11, 13
(Class 3A) - July 9, 11,
13
(Class 4A) July 9, 11, 13
STATE
Rogers Park, Fort Dodge,
July 18-22
ADMINISTRATIVE REMINDERS
1. Each
team is limited to not more than 28 people in their team group for all regional
and state tournament games. Each
school shall decide who their group will consist
of. All coaches, players,
managers, statisticians, bat boy/girls, etc. are included. A team may now have more than the
previous limit of 18 players in uniform, just so there are no more than 28 in
their team group.
Notify the State Office
via telephone immediately of any violation. Penalty for violation of the above guidelines may include
forfeiture of contest, probation for the offending school and/or more serious
sanction.
2. Send
roster to the tournament manager on time.
3. Admission
to the tournament site will be made strictly from the tournament checklist.
The tournament roster/checklist
is found on the IGHSAU website. Complete and send the roster/checklist
to your tournament manager prior to your game. Your tournament manager will use this form as a data sheet
to prepare their program prior to the tournament.
Keep a copy of the
roster/checklist to forward to the tournament manager of each additional site
where your team may be assigned.
TOURNAMENT MANUAL
The following
instructions will pertain to general procedures to be followed by Tournament
Managers during all regional tournaments.
The following will be
mailed to the Tournament Manager approximately one week prior to the first
tournament game your school hosts.
1. Financial statements
2. Any necessary tournament instructions.
3. Ticket information
4. Line-up cards
TOURNAMENT ASSIGNMENT
All games for regional
tournaments are being assigned prior to the start of tournament play. Sites are tentative and subject to change
depending on the participating teams.
Any teams affected by a change in site will be notified by phone.
If your school is
selected as a host site for a tournament game, it is the responsibility of the
tournament manager to contact all schools that will be playing at the
site. Host site must supply their own softballs
(Dudley SB12 LRF Y FP).
TEAMS ASSIGNED TO YOUR
TOURNAMENT
Should you have any
instructions peculiar to your tournament, contact the teams at your
convenience. Should you wish to
send a letter of invitation or of general announcement to other teams, the
IGHSAU will certainly encourage such. Study your pairing sheet carefully in
relation to teams assigned and designated time for starting game.
If you are notified by
telephone or through the IGHSAU Web Site your school will serve as host for
later-round games, it is the responsibility of the tournament manager to notify
those schools involved in the game(s).
PRACTICE AND WARM-UP SESSIONS
At no time within ten
days of the start of regional tournaments will tournament managers allow
practice sessions for participating teams.
UMPIRES FOR YOUR
TOURNAMENT
Prior to the opening of
your tournament, the Union will contract game officials. Names and phone numbers will be
emailed.
These officials have a
copy of the time schedule in your tournament. The officials are instructed to arrive at least 30-60
minutes prior to game time.
All information
regarding the name of officials assigned is confidential and for the knowledge
of the tournament manager only.
IN CASE OF RAIN
The Tournament Manager
will be in charge of postponing games that are canceled because of rain. Notify the State Office immediately
should any game be postponed due to weather.
We are anxious to play
games as close to the provided schedule as possible. Upon
cancellation contact teams involved for the particular evening immediately in
addition to notifying both of your umpires. This will help avoid unnecessary traveling.
Any game that has
started and experienced rain or lightening, the umpires' decision and judgment
may cause delay, suspension, or postponement of such game. The tournament manager must call the
IGHSAU. The IGHSAU will determine
the make-up time, date and umpires.
You must wait a minimum
of 30 minutes on any delayed game prior to postponement (use good judgment).
MARGIN-OF-RUNS RULE
All regional tournament
games will be seven innings unless the teams are tied or unless a game is
terminated prior to seven innings due to the margin-of-runs regulation in
effect, or terminated for other reasons upon decision of the umpire-in-chief as
per rule book perameters.
The margin-of-runs
regulation to be observed in regional play is as follows: a 12 run lead at the
end of three or more innings terminates play; a ten run lead at the end of five
or more innings terminates play.
** The international tiebreaker
and time limit options are not used during regional play. The international tiebreaker and 90
minute time limit will be used in consolation bracket games at the State
Tournament.
REPORTING TOURNAMENT
SCORES
At the close of each
evening, please call your scores to the State Office reporting scores for each
game and team records (515) 288-9741, or email jasoneslinger@ighsau.org or
joel@ighsau.org or text to 712-830-1088.
If your site is hosting
two games on the same evening, please report the first game score upon its
completion if possible.
PASS GATE ADMISSION
One bus driver may be
admitted, along with those individuals listed on the tournament
roster/checklist. Pursuant to Board of Directors' action, Regional and State
softball tournament sites will honor Iowa High School Athletic Association
administration passes.
Coaches and their team
shall be admitted (team members must be accompanied by the coach) at any game
in the region in which they are assigned, regardless whether they drew a bye, have
been eliminated, are scouting, etc.
GAME STARTING TIME
Because of the
margin-of-runs rule, some games may be of short duration in association with
the time schedule set forth on the pairing sheet. In doubleheaders, make every effort to have the teams
involved in the following game ready for play by the printed starting time but
not before that time.
PRE-GAME INFIELD
In regional tournaments
play both teams are allowed to take infield practice on the actual playing
diamond. There is a seven-minute limit. The timing shall be
done by the home management, preferably by the PA announcer or scoreboard operator. A reminder shall be issued with one
minute remaining. A team still has
the option of hitting ground balls in front of their dugout in foul territory
during their seven-minute warm-up time if they prefer. Both teams must be afforded the
opportunity to use the playing diamond for their seven minutes if they choose.
DUGOUT ASSIGNMENT/COIN FLIP
For ALL games a coin
flip shall be conducted to determine which team is home and visitor. When playing at a neutral site during
tournament play, the top team on the bracket will occupy the first base dugout
while the bottom-bracket-ed team will be in the third base dugout. If the host
school is playing, the host school shall remain in its normal dugout and shall
inform the opponent of their dugout assignment for every game.
OFFICIAL SCORER & PA ANNOUNCER
Provide for the official
scorer in advance so that no delay will be encountered in securing of all
line-ups. Announcing of players or
actions of the game should be on an impartial and non-biased basis (the same
for both teams).
SOFTBALLS
It is the responsibility
of each host site to supply game balls for all games. The ball which must be used is the
optic yellow Dudley SB12 LRF Y FP.
ADMISSION
Admission prices per
session for each round of the Tournament:
Regional: -
$5.00
State: - $8.00
** NOTE:
Do not charge kids who are not yet in school. Kindergarden and older need a ticket.
TOURNAMENT TICKETS
A supply of spectator
tickets for your Tournament will be sent in advance via United Parcel
Service. We would like to
call attention to the following points as related to tickets:
1. Tickets provided will be serially
numbered.
2. Before your Tournament begins, be sure
and check your shipment
of tickets with the ticket report form sent to you.
3. Instruct your sellers to be sure that
all unsold tickets will result in consecutive serial number order, meaning that
the remainder of the unsold roll is consecutively numbered without any
intermittent tickets having been sold.
4. Your shipment of tickets may contain
some rolls from which tickets have been previously sold. Be sure to instruct your ticket sellers
to sell the partial rolls first.
5. If you desire to sell from more than
one ticket booth, it is necessary to sell from two or more rolls at the same
time. This will avoid your having to sell from removed portions of a roll. Be sure that all unsold tickets are in
consecutive order.
Use only tickets
supplied to you by the IGHSAU State Office. This is essential to mandatory
accounting procedures.
Contact the State Office
immediately if you are unable to use IGHSAU supplied tickets for any reason.
We hope that we have
anticipated your needs, but if you have reason to feel that you will need more
tickets, call us and we will forward an additional supply.
Instruct your ticket
sellers to tear each ticket into two or more pieces and deposit all pieces in a
receptacle.
RAIN OUT TICKET PROCEDURE
Have on hand a roll of
tickets of any type which could be distributed as
spectators leave the complex. When
the game is made up, this ticket would be honored. Anyone not having this ticket would be required to pay
admission.
GATE RECEIPT FORM REPORT
After your Tournament
has ended, complete the Tournament financial report form in duplicate. In
determining the total numbers of tickets sold, be sure to subtract the serial
number of the first ticket sold from the serial number of the first ticket
remaining on the roll. This result
will represent the total number of tickets sold.
The total income of
admission from your Tournament is to be forwarded to the Iowa Girls' High
School Athletic Union, PO Box 10348, Des Moines, Iowa 50306-0348.All unsold
tickets must be returned to the IGHSAU immediately upon completion of your
Tournament.
The reimbursement due
you for conducting the Tournament may not be mailed until after the State
Tournament has been completed.
However, you will assist this office in expediting the preparation of
the checks due you by:
1. Carefully
checking and completing all information on your Tournament report
form.
2. Returning
all unsold tickets promptly so that auditors may have adequate time to audit
the unsold tickets.
3. Immediately
sending gross gate receipt check payment as soon as possible.
If hosting multiple
dates, send in all tickets, forms and payment at once.
AWARDS
All awards will be sent
directly to the Tournament Manager for presentation at the conclusion of the
tournament.
BANNERS & DISPLAYS
The display or usage of
balloons, banners, signs, or other paper debris is prohibited. Signs such as those used for
advertisements on an outfield fence or for tournament administration are
allowed.
Additionally, any object
which could provide a safety concern (pom-pons on
sticks, etc.) is prohibited, as is any artificial noisemakers (e.g. airhorns,
cowbells, etc.) These rules shall
apply to the State Tournament as well.
SPECTATORS
The Iowa GirlsÕ High
School Athletic Union has adopted policy recommended by the Iowa Association of
School Boards as it relates to spectator conduct.
The State Office is to
be notified immediately if any spectator is ejected from the facility. This notification shall include the
name of the spectator.
Use of Òlaser lightÓ pens
by a spectator shall result in immediate ejection from the facility.
All spectators at
state-sponsored softball tournaments shall wear shoes.
No one shall be admitted
while wearing a mask or costume which hides their
identity or provides any safety risk.
A procedure has been
established to assist officials and administrators when spectator conduct
becomes a problem.
1. When
an official arrives on-site (30-60 minutes prior to game time) he or she shall
find the administrator in charge for the evening. If no administrator is available, the HOST COACH is the
defacto administrator in charge.
2. If
a problem arises during a game, the official shall stop play, and notify the
administrator in charge of the problem, and of the remedy to the problem. The remedy may include asking for
supervision of the troublemaker, direct confrontation of the troublemaker by
the administrator, or removal of the troublemaker from the complex. The game will not restart until the
administration complies with the remedy ordered by the official.
With the understanding
that a tournament game is held as part of the educational environment, the
Board of Directors of the Iowa GirlsÕ High School Athletic Union has adopted
the following policies. It is the
expectation that the host school enforces these rules regarding unacceptable
behavior:
Disrespectful conduct,
including profanity, obscene gestures or comments, offensive remarks of a
sexual nature, or other actions that demean individuals or the event. Penalty---EJECTION
Throwing articles onto
the contest area.
Penalty---EJECTION
Entering the contest
area in protest or celebration.
Penalty---EJECTION
Physical
confrontation involving contest officials, coaches/directors, contestants, or
spectators. Penalty---EJECTION
Spectator
interference with the event.
Penalty---EJECTION
Jumping up and down on
the bleachers.
Penalty---WARNING/EJECTION
Use of artificial
noisemakers, signs, or banners.
Penalty---WARNING/EJECTION
Chants or cheers
directed at the opponent. Penalty---WARNING/EJECTION
Host game management is
responsible for each and every spectator in the facility, regardless of the
school the spectator supports. At
no time are officials to address spectators directly. Any necessary communication with spectators
shall be done by the administrator in charge.
What defines a problem
that needs to be addressed? A) Any
derogatory or inappropriate remarks directed at players. B) Any comments or actions by spectators which prevent the official from doing his or her job at
the highest level possible.
Officials must understand, not every call is going to be met with polite
applause, and one should not over-react when fan reaction is negative. That does not mean, however, an
official should be forced to tolerate conduct that is inappropriate for
interscholastic athletics.
ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO POLICY
No alcohol or tobacco is
to be sold or consumed on the grounds of any state tournament venue leased or
provided to the Athletic Union for the purpose of conducting a State
Championship. Section 123.46 of
the Iowa Code States: A person
shall not possess or consume alcoholic liquors, wine or beer on public school
property or while attending a public or private school-related function. A person shall not be intoxicated or
simulate intoxication in a public place.
A person violating this subsection is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.
PETS/ANIMALS PROHIBITED
No pets are permitted at
events sanctioned by the IGHSAU or IHSAA.
Any person with a pet will be asked to leave. This policy shall comply with the provisions of Iowa Code
216c in that such a person with a disability or person
training an assisted animal has the right to be accompanied by a service dog or
an assisted animal under control.
The person is liable for damage done to any premises or facility by a
service dog or assisted animal.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Flash photography is
permitted from dead ball territory only.
The IGHSAU strongly encourages the lining of media areas on the playing
diamond at all host sites. No photographers,
press, etc. will be allowed in live ball territory unless they are in lined
media boxes.
Only official press
photographers may be in media boxes during the contest. Any amateur photographers must pay
admission to the contest and are not allowed in media boxes. These rules apply equally to television
stations using video cameras.
VIDEOTAPING
Paying spectators,
including those scouting for other teams, are not restricted from videotaping
as long as the video equipment is hand held. A tripod may be used if located on the ground and does not hinder
any spectatorÕs view. Tournament
managers are not to make special arrangements for seating or electrical
hook-ups for spectators trying to film or videotape. No supplemental lighting is permitted. No videotaping is allowed from the
dugout or bench area.
PRESS ACCOMMODATIONS
All press outlets have
been advised to directly contact the tournament manager of a site from which
they wish to broadcast tournament games.
Radio stations and
newspapers are not obligated to inquire through the State Office nor is the
tournament manager obligated to acquire sanction from the State Office. This
provision applies to regional tournament coverage.
Television stations are
not obligated to acquire sanction from the State Office to tape highlights, but
any outlet wishing to tape or stream a game for rebroadcast must have written
permission from the Iowa High School Sports Network (515-276-4111). Do not permit such rebroadcast without
written permission from the IHSSN.
CHARITABLE SOLICITATIONS
Many tournament managers
will be confronted with requests pertaining to donations and contributions to
various organizations. No
fund-raising solicitations, etc. will be permitted within the complex. All raffles, bake sales, booster club sales, etc.
must take place outside the complex at IGHSAU-sponsored tournament games.
MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT
Presentation of the
National Anthem may be made before the first game of the session. Any live presentation of the Anthem
involving more than twelve individuals requires prior approval of the State
Office.
Music may be played
prior to the game, between innings, and after the game. No music shall be permitted during
play.
OFFICIAL PROGRAMS FOR
TOURNAMENTS
Any host school may
furnish the official programs for its tournament either on a gratis or sales
basis and may retain any profits derived from the sale thereof. Fans and guest teams appreciate the use
of the official programs.
PROTESTS
The IGHSAU does not
recognize any protests.
FURTHER QUESTION
Any question not
answered in this manual should be directed to the Athletic Union, phone
515-288-9741. Questions may also
be sent via e-mail (joel@ighsau.org).