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HADDONFIELD LITTLE LEAGUE
BY-LAWS
PROVISION I – OPERATING RULES AND REGULATIONS
The official Little League Baseball Handbook of Regulations and Playing Rules and The Little League Operating Manual as published by Little League Baseball, Inc., Williamsport, Pennsylvania, shall be binding on this League, unless in direct conflict with matters addressed in the Haddonfield Little League’s Constitution or the Haddonfield Little League’s By-Laws. In the event of such a conflict, the Haddonfield Little League’s Constitution and/or Haddonfield Little Leagues By-Laws shall control.
PROVISION II – DEFINITIONS
A. League Age: The “League age” of a player is the player’s chronological age as of April 30th of the current season. Example: A player turns 12 on April 30th, 2008. His/her league age for the 2008 season is 12. Players born from May 1, 1995 through April 30th, 1996, are “League age” 12 for the entire 2008 season.
B. Haddonfield Little League Age: A player’s “Haddonfield Little League age” (hereinafter “HLL age”) shall be determined solely by a player’s League age or by a combination of the player’s grade and league age. The following chart shall be used to determine a player’s HLL age:
HLL 12: League age 12 OR League age 11 and Grade 6;
HLL 11: League age 11 OR League age 10 and Grade 5;
HLL 10: League age 10 OR League age 9 and Grade 4;
HLL 9: League age 9 OR League age 8 and Grade 3;
HLL 8: League age 8 OR League age 7 and Grade 2;
HLL 7: League age 7 OR League age 6 and Grade 1;
HLL 6: League age 6 OR League age 5 and Kindergarten;
HLL 5: League age 5 OR League age 4 and Kindergarten.
PROVISION III -- LEAGUE STRUCTURE
Subject to Provision VI procedures (outlined below) which set forth how Major League players and rosters shall be determined and the limited exceptions embodied in Provision IV (outlined below), the Haddonfield Little League shall be structured as follows:
Babe Ruth Division: League age 13-15
Majors Division: HLL age 12; Provision VI players (HLL ages11 and 10)
Black Minor Division: HLL age 10 and Provision VI HLL age 11 players
Red Minor Division: HLL age 9
White Minor Division: HLL age 8
T-Shirts Division A: HLL age 7
T-Shirts Division B: HLL age 6
T-Ball: HLL age 5
PROVISION IV -- ALLOCATION OF PLAYERS AMONG WHITE, RED, BLACK AND MAJORS DIVISIONS
GENERAL RULE: Beginning with the 2008 season, all players are to be placed in Divisions in accordance with their HLL age. For example, the Red Minor Division shall consist of players who are HLL age 9.
EXCEPTIONS:
(1) Players may seek permission to play “down,” that is play in a Division one level lower than would ordinarily be dictated by their HLL age, in an effort to play with players in their grade or with players of a comparable skill level. In the event a player is granted permission to play “down” one Division, that player will be eligible for post-season tournament play, but only with their HLL age appropriate team. Permission to play “down” shall be requested at registration. The Player Agent shall decide whether to grant the request and his/her decision shall be final.
(2) Players may seek permission to play “up” one level by petitioning the Board. The Petition should be made in writing and delivered to a Board member by February 1st. The petition must be presented to and voted upon by the Board and shall not be approved by the Board unless the Board finds that the player has shown good cause for granting the petition. If a player’s petition to play “up” is based on the player’s desire to play with her/his classmates, the requirement that the player show “good cause” shall be deemed satisfied. Players whose petitions are granted remain subject to the eligibility requirements, if any, of the Division in which they intend to play. For example, a player who is granted permission to play “up” into the Majors Division must still satisfy the remaining eligibility requirements outlined in Provision VI.
PROVISION V – MANAGERS AND COACHES
A. Managers for teams at all levels shall be selected by the President and thereafter approved by the Board of Directors. The selection and approval process shall be completed by the February Board meeting. Coaches shall be appointed by the respective team managers, and thereafter approved by the Board of Directors.
If removal for cause of any manager or coach is contemplated, the matter shall be discussed with all interested parties, as determined by the President, or in his or her absence, the Vice President, and the Board of Directors. Thereafter, removal can only be accomplished by majority vote of the Board of Directors.
B. Any and all Board Members, Committee Members, including the President, may manage, coach, or umpire. The only exception to this rule is that the Vice President of the Majors Division, Black Division, or Red Division may not be a manager in the division for which they are the Vice President.
C. To be considered for the position of manager or coach, an individual must be a Member in good standing of the Haddonfield Little League and must submit his or her name to the League President before the February Board meeting.
D. All managers and coaches must complete the Rutgers Safety Course or a comparable course which provides safety instruction and certification.
E. All managers will be required to sign an agreement which requires each manager to adhere to a course of conduct and comply with all Haddonfield Little League rules, regulations, and policies. The agreement will further provide that violations of the agreement will subject the manager to discipline, including but not limited to, removal from his/her position as manager.
F. If a manager of a team resigns, or is declared ineligible, or is otherwise deemed unable to manage, his or her manager’s position shall be considered open, and a new manager will be selected by the Vice President of the League and thereafter approved by the Board of Directors. In the event this occurs, the new selection may immediately assume his or her duties as manager while awaiting approval by the Board of Directors.
PROVISION VI – SELECTION OF MAJOR LEAGUE players
A. General. Major League Rosters shall be made up solely of players selected from the “Pool of Major League Players.” The “Pool of Major League Players” will consist of a finite number of players selected by the Major League Managers in accordance with the procedure outlined below. All players placed in the “Pool of Major League Players” (“Pool”) will be drafted and placed on a Major League roster.
B. Eligible Candidates. Players falling into one of the following three categories are eligible to be considered for Major League play (“Eligible Players”).
Category One : (HLL 12s) Haddonfield Little League age 12
Category Two: (HLL 11s) Haddonfield Little League age 11
Category Three: (HLL 10s) Haddonfield Little League Age 10
C. Qualifying For Consideration. All Eligible Players can qualify for consideration for the Pool by attending at least 2 of 4 scheduled Player Evaluation Sessions (“Qualified Players”).
D. Pool Size. The Major League will be made up of a minimum of 5 teams and a maximum of 9 teams. Each team will consist of 11 or 12 players, with the final number being decided by the Player Agent and the League Vice President after the number of players expected to be Eligible and Qualified is determined. The number of teams (5-9) and players per team (11 or 12) will be adjusted based on the actual number of players that are Eligible and Qualified.
E. Pool Players. The Pool of Major League Players will include:
(1) Eligible and Qualified HLL 12s (Spots reserved for All
Players);
(2) Eligible and Qualified HLL 11s (Spots reserved for at least
two thirds of the number of eligible HLL 11s);
(3) Eligible and Qualified HLL 10s (spots granted on a space
available basis only, with no Eligible and Qualified HLL 10 taking the spot of an Eligible and Qualified HLL 11).
F. Determining the Pool. Following the Player Evaluation Sessions, the number of Major League Teams and the size of their rosters (11 or 12) will be determined. These determinations will yield the final size of the Pool, or the “Total Roster Spots.” The Player Agent will determine the number of Eligible and Qualified HLL 11s and, if necessary, the Eligible and Qualified 10s needed to fill roster spots by subtracting the total number of Eligible and Qualified 12s from the Total Roster Spots (“Sub HLL 12 Roster Spots”). The Sub HLL 12 Roster Spots will be filled first from the pool of Eligible and Qualified HLL 11s. If the pool of Eligible and Qualified HLL 11s exceed the Sub HLL 12 Roster Spots, the Major League Managers will determine the most deserving Eligible and Qualified HLL 11s to fill the Sub HLL 12 Roster Spots. If there are not enough players in the group of Eligible and Qualified HLL 11s to fill the Sub 12s Roster Spots, the Major League Managers will determine the most deserving Eligible and Qualified HLL 10s to fill the Sub HLL Roster Spots. The Eligible and Qualified 12s plus the Sub HLL 12 Roster Spots shall equal the Pool of Major League Players from which the managers shall select the Major League Teams.
PROVISION VII - SELECTION OF BLACK MINOR, RED MINOR, AND WHITE MINOR PLAYERS.
Black Minors: Every player registered for Little League who is Haddonfield Little League age 10 (HLL age 10), unless granted an exception pursuant to Provision IV, or selected to play in the Majors pursuant to Provision VI, shall be a member of the Black Minors Draft Pool.
Red Minors: Every player registered for Little League who is Haddonfield Little League age 9, unless granted an exception pursuant to Provision IV, shall be a member of the Red Minors Draft Pool.
White Minors: Every player registered for Little League who is Haddonfield Little League age 8, unless granted an exception pursuant to Provision IV, shall be a member of the White Minors Draft Pool.
PROVISION VIII – MISCELLANEOUS RULES GOVERNING DRAFT(S)
A. Final Draft List: A final list of all players who are part of the draft pools shall be prepared by the Player Agent and distributed at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the draft selection. This list must be maintained by the Player Agent and the Vice President of each league.
B. Time: The player drafts shall take place within ten (10) days after the last tryout and/or evaluation has been completed.
C. Attendance: The player drafts selection meetings are NOT general membership meetings but are limited to the following:
1. Mandatory: (a) the Manager or his designated representative,
the player agent, and/or the Vice President of the league;
2. Optional: (a) elected league officials;
3. Alternates for Mandatory attendees identified in subsection (1) are permitted but must be identified to the Player Agent prior to proceeding with the draft selection. Alternates must be approved by the President or, if the President so designates, the Vice President of the Division involved.
D. Team Selection: The teams shall be selected from the draft pool. The process employed by all Divisions shall be “serpentine” and the manager with the first selection shall also have the last choice for the draft. All players in the draft pool shall be drafted onto a team within their Division.
E. Children of Managers and Coaches: A manager or coach who has a child registered for Little League must draft the child in the round designated and predetermined by the Vice President of the league. No other team may draft the player. Prior to the start of the draft, a manager or coach may request the Player Agent to declare his child a free draft choice, thereby permitting the player to be drafted by another team. Siblings may not be separated through this provision.
F. Siblings (Coaches and Managers Children): When the first sibling is drafted, all remaining siblings are automatically assigned to the team. The round in which the sibling is drafted is designated and predetermined by the Vice President of the league.
G. Player Transactions:
(1) Trading of players after draft selection is permitted during the
draft and/or until the draft meeting is concluded.
(2) In the event of injury, teams may call up a player from the
Division one level below. For example, a Major League team may call upon a Black Minors player, a Black Minors team may call upon a Red Minors player, etc., to replace an injured player. Any player called upon to replace a player has the right to decline the invitation. Any player who accepts the invitation to play up one level to replace an injured player shall remain eligible to play on his or her age appropriate tournament team.
H. Draft Results: The date for publication of draft results shall be set by the Vice President of the Majors and under no circumstances may any manager publish any draft results prior to the date for publication set by the Vice President. Violation of this rule may result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to suspension or forfeiture of the privilege to manager or coach.
PROVISION IX – SELECTION AND PLACEMENT OF T-SHIRT AND
T-BALL PLAYERS
A. The Vice President of each league shall be responsible for the selection and/or allocation of the players among the teams. The Vice President of each league shall endeavor to make the teams as equal and balanced as possible. A formal draft is discouraged for these three divisions.
B. Parental Requests: Requests by parents and/or guardians to place their child on a specific team, with specific friends or classmates or with a particular manager, should be honored unless there is a compelling reason not to do so. In the event a dispute arises concerning a specific request and the Vice President is unable to resolve the dispute, the matter should be brought to the attention of the Player Agent for resolution. The Player Agent’s decision on the issue(s) in dispute shall be final.
PROVISION X – PLAYOFFS
The playoff format for the Major, Black, Red, White Divisions shall be double elimination, weather and time permitting. Final decisions on the format shall be decided by the Vice President of the Division. All playoff formats must be approved by the President of HLL. Regardless of the format chosen, it is mandatory that all teams participate in the post-season playoffs.
T-Shirt and T-Ball Divisions: There are to be no playoffs held or conducted for T-Shirt Divisions or T-Ball.
PROVISION XI – TOURNAMENT PLAY SELECTIONS
A. Manager Selection. The tournament manager(s) for all teams(s) at every level shall be selected by the Board of Directors (majority vote) from among the managers of each respective Division. In the event there is not a regular season manager available to manage a tournament team, the President shall appoint a manager for the tournament team. This selection is subject to Board approval.
B. Eligibility of Players.
(1) Only Haddonfield Little League age twelve (12) year old players (HLL 12s) who play in the Majors are eligible for selection to the Major League age 12 Tournament Team(s). Players who are HLL 12 and League Age 11 must choose, before the selection process begins, whether they wish to be considered for the Major League age 12 Tournament team(s) or the Major League age 11 Tournament team(s). Once this choice is made, the players involved will be considered ONLY for the team(s) they have chosen (Major League age 12 Tournament team(s) OR Major League age 11 Tournament Team(s)). No player may be considered for both the Major League age 12 Tournament Team(s) and the Major League age 11 Tournament Team(s) in the same season.
(2) Only Haddonfield Little League age eleven (11) year old players (HLL 11s) who play in the Majors are eligible for selection to the Major League age 11 Tournament Team(s). Players who are HLL 11 and League Age 10 must choose, before the selection process begins, whether they wish to be considered for the Major League age 11 Tournament team(s) or the Black Minor league age 10 Tournament Team(s). Once this choice is made, the players involved will be considered ONLY for the team(s) they have chosen (Major League age 11 Tournament Team(s) OR Black Minor league age 10 Tournament Team(s)). No player may be considered for both the Major League age 11 Tournament Team(s) and the Black Minor league age 10 Tournament Team(s) in the same season.
(3) Only Haddonfield Little League age ten (10) year old players (HLL 10s) who play in the Majors or in the Black Minors are eligible for selection to the Black Minor age 10 Tournament Team(s). Players who are HLL 10 and League age 9 must choose, before the selection process begins, whether they wish to be considered for the Black Minor league age 10 Tournament Team(s) or the Red Minor league age 9 Tournament Team(s). Once this choice is made, the players involved will only be considered for that team(s) they have chosen (Black Minor league age 10 Tournament Team(s) OR Red Minor League age 9 Tournament Team(s)). No player may be considered for both the Black Minor Tournament team(s) and the Red Minor Tournament Team(s) in the same season.
(4) Only Haddonfield Little League age nine (9) players (HLL 9s) who play in Black Minors or the Red Minors are eligible for selection to the Red Minor league age 9 Tournament Team(s). Players who are HLL 9 and league age 8 must choose, before the tournament selection process begins, whether they wish to be considered for the Red Minor league age 9 Tournament Team(s) or the White Minor league age 8 Tournament Team(s). Once this choice is made, the players involved will be considered only for the team(s) they have chosen (Red Minor or White Minor Tournament Team(s)). No player may be considered for the Red Minor and the White Minor Tournament Team(s) in the same season.
(5) Only Haddonfield Little League age eight (8) players (HLL 8s) who are league age 8 who played in the Red or White Minors may be considered for the White Minor Little League age 8 Tournament Team(s). Players who are HLL 8 and league age 7 who played in the White Division are not eligible for consideration, unless players are needed to complete a roster of eleven players. As outlined above in subsection (4), league age 8 players who played in the Red Minors must choose, before the tournament selection process begins, whether they wish to be considered for the Red Minor league age 9 Tournament Team or the White Minor league age 8 Tournament Team. Once this choice is made, the player involved will be considered only for the team(s) they have chosen. No player may be considered for the Red and White Minor Tournament Team(s) in the same season.
(6) No player will be granted an automatic position on any tourna- ment team.
C. Player Selection. The tournament teams shall be selected at a meeting of the league managers. The meeting shall be conducted by the Vice President of the league. Each manager shall nominate players deserving of consideration for a roster of approximately 12 players. Each manager shall be given the opportunity to explain why they have nominated a particular player. The managers and the Vice President shall discuss the nominees and then vote on who they believe should be on the tournament roster. Up to 12 players receiving the most votes shall be granted a spot on the roster. After all votes are cast, if roster spots remain and/or ties have occurred so that more than 12 players would receive roster spots, i.e. roster spot 10 is filled by a player who received three votes, and more than two of the remaining players on the ballot have received two votes, subsequent ballots of all remaining players receiving votes shall be conducted with each manager casting votes equal to the number of roster spots which remain, i.e., if two spots remain, each manager casts two votes. This process is to be repeated until the roster is complete. A decision to select alternate members to tournament teams shall be left to the discretion of the Vice President of the league. In exercising this discretion, the Vice President shall consider the recommendations of the league managers and the tournament team manager. The Vice President’s decision on this issue, however, will be final.
D. Voting Results. All voting results are to be kept confidential among those present at the meeting. A violation of this confidentiality rule may subject a member to discipline by the board.
PROVISION XII – BOARD NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS
A. Three (3) designees of the Membership shall be appointed by the President in June meeting to serve on the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will exert its best efforts to present at least (1) nominee for each elective office, i.e., President, Secretary, Treasurer, Safety Officer and Player Agent. No one shall be nominated whose consent to serve has not been first obtained.
B. The nominations shall be presented and elections held at the September annual meeting. Upon election by the General Membership of the Board of Directors, the Board, in accordance with the Constitution, shall move forward and elect its officers.
C. The officers elected shall be duly installed and assume their respective duties the first day of October.
PROVISION XIII – FIELD MAINTENANCE
Prior to the commencement of each game, the home team shall install the bases and chalk the home plate area and the base lines. Both teams are responsible for raking the field (infield) and policing after each game. Both teams will be expected to cooperate and aid the other when the situation may warrant such assistance.
PROVISION XIV – AMENDMENTS
This section to be written.
Last updated March 06, 2008
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