Fast Pitch Tournament Policies

Required Documentation

All teams should bring photocopies of the following for each tournament:

Completed team roster
Xerox copies of birth certificates
Copy of current team insurance certificate

Tournament Policies and Rules

Violation of Polices or Tournament Rules

Any parent, coach, team member, or fan that violates polices or rules of the Big Dawg Sports baseball tournament may be removed from any and all venues and future sanctions may be placed on that person or persons.

Head Coaches Responsibility

The head coach of a team is held responsible for the conduct of his assistant coaches, players, parents, and fans. He should make sure that all rules of the tournament are explained to each member above.

Tournament Director

Tournament director always has the authority to revise or change the format due to rain or any other reason that he feels is necessary, in the best interest of the tournament.

Teams Arriving for Games

Teams should be present one hour before schedule starting game time.

Early Game Starting Times

Games may be started early if fields are ready. No game will be started more than one hour early.

Coin Flipping

Teams will flip for home team before game with umpires at home plate. Higher seeds have choice for bracket play games.

Batting Cage

Available at most sites, teams should share batting cage times.

Clean Dugouts

Coaches clean your dugouts after each game.

Pre Game Infield

NONE

Run Rule

The run rule is in effect for all games for tournaments.

Ages 9-12u

15 run rule after 3 innings
Mercy slaughter rule will be in effect after three innings and a team is losing by 15 runs, the game will be over.
15 run rule is in effect for all games including the championships.
10 run rule after 4 innings
8 run rule after 5 innings

Ages 13 and Above

15 run rule after 4 innings
Mercy slaughter rule will be in effect after four innings and a team is losing by 15 runs, the game will be over.
15 run rule is in effect for all games including the championships.
10 run rule after 5 innings
8 run rule after 6 innings
Coach pitch has no rule rules for stopping games.

Time Limit is in Effect

Coach pitch 1 hour and 30 minutes
9-12u---2 hours
13 and above---21/2 hours
Championship game time limit is waived

Eligibility of Players

If a player is found to be ineligible prior to the start of the tournament, the player will be expelled from the tournament. If a player is found to be ineligible after the tournament has begun, not only the player will be expelled, but the entire team will be expelled from the tournament. Coaches are responsible to see that their team meets all eligibility requirements. No team refunds.

Pick-up Player Rule

Big Dawg Sports tournaments are all open roster.
Any team may pick up players from another team as long as the player is not roster on two teams in the same tournament. Regardless of age division, players may not play on two separate teams in the same event. No exceptions to this rule will be allowed. If it is found that a player is roster and playing on 2 teams in the same event the penalty will be as follows.

National Federation High School Rules

National federation of high school rules will be used.

Forfeits

All forfeits are subject to review by the tournament director, and may result in the offending team being declared ineligible for any future tournament play.

The tournament committee shall administer the rule so that the forfeiting will not benefit and may not advance to championship pool or bracket play, unless the tournament committee determines there were extenuating circumstances causing the forfeit.

Teams not having enough players to participate from either starting or ending a game will “not” be considered extenuating circumstances.

Ejections

Manager, coach, or players: In all age divisions, the first occurrence results in the suspension for the game and removal from the game venue, and also the next scheduled game. The coach is not permitted at the game venue for his suspension game.

Second Ejection During the Tournament

The second occurrence during the tournament results in suspension for the remainder of the tournament as well as possible impositions of further sanctions subject to review.

Protests

Protest must be made verbally with the umpire by the offended team at the time of the play and before the next pitch is thrown. A fee of $100.00 cash (refunded if upheld) must accompany the protest. All decisions of the protest committee shall be final. Only the decision involving the misinterpretation or misapplication of a rule may be protested. No protest shall be allowed in matters involving solely the officials judgment.

Rain

Teams should report to venues, if there is any doubt of games being played. The responsibility will be on the head coach to find out if games are rained out or being moved. Coaches must come to the venues to find out if games will be played, or if a game has been rescheduled. If at all possible, games will be played in complete. Games that are stopped will be continued from the point of stopping, if not reached official game status. Rain delays could last for any period of time. The tournament directors has the authority to change the format of the tournament due to inclement weather.

Refund Policy

if a tournament is cancelled due to rain prior to any games being played, all teams will receive a full refund.
if one (1) game is started or completed and the tournament can not continue, then teams will receive ½ of the team entry fee.
if a teams second game is started or completed, there will be no refund.

Official Game Status

If rain occurs after official game status has been reached, and the games can not be continued due to rain and field conditions, that game will be called, and become a complete official game. The tournament directors will make that decision only.

Big Dawg Sports

Big Dawg Sports shall investigate complaints regarding the violation of rules by athletes, coaches, volunteers or teams.

If BDS determines that a violation has occurred he may impose penalties as provided in the general rules.

Conduct

Teams, coaches, players, and organizations are subject to sanctions imposed by the chairman or director for misconduct. Misconduct includes but is not limited, destruction of property, intoxication, possession of alcohol, drugs, weapons, use of profanity, or commission of crime during any BD Sports competition. Sanctions may be imposed for failure to comply with this publication of the general rules.

The Coaches/ Volunteer Code of Honor

I promise upon my word of honor to help to create an environment which primary emphasis is placed upon the emotional and physical well being of Big Dawg Sports, rather than winning. I will lead, by example, and will demonstrate the value of fair play and sportsmanship to all participants.