Rule 1      Eligibility. HGSA must approve and will appoint a coach and assistant coaches for each team each season. To qualify as a head coach, the individual must have held an HGSA-appointed assistant coaching position for at least one (1) prior season. Each appointed coach and assistant coach may only head coach one (1) team per season, but may, at the sole discretion of HGSA, be an assistant coach on one additional team. Exceptions apply.             

Rule 2      Requirements. All coaches, assistant coaches, and non - coaching staff must complete & sign an HGSA personnel enrollment form and an HGSA contract agreeing to abide by the rules and regulations of HGSA and USA Softball. In accordance with USA Softball and HGSA rules it is mandatory that all coaches, assistants, and staff complete the background check & pass the Ace Certification test. This will be done at the coach’s expense. Failure to pass either will result in not being allowed to coach in HGSA. Anyone not ACE certified and/or registered on the coaching staff is not allowed in the dugout or on the field. It is mandatory that all coaches and assistant coaches attend all HGSA coach’s meetings, coach’s clinics, division tryouts, and division draft. Each team must have one female on staff and present at every practice. Junior coaches MUST be at least 16 years old.

Rule 3      Coach’s Tenure. All coaches, assistant coaches, and non-coaching staff serve voluntarily and without compensation by HGSA. A coach, assistant coach, and/or non-coaching staff may be removed whenever in HGSA’s judgment it serves the best interests of the league.

Rule 4      Coach’s Responsibilities. Coaching staff and their non-coaching staff are held responsible for the actions of their players, parents and team followers, and are accountable to HGSA for any unsportsmanlike conduct. No negative cheering from players, parents, spectators, or coaches will be tolerated.

Rule 5      Sponsors. Each team is required to have a sponsor. The sponsorship is $400.00 per team. (Spring season is an exception where Land O Frost partially sponsors 6u, 8u and 10u teams). If the sponsorship isn’t paid by the designated date given, the team will NOT be allowed to participate in the Fling Tournaments or end of the season playoffs. Any team receiving a sponsorship above $700 total (including the $400 league sponsorship) will receive half of that money and the league will receive the other half, with the exception of money earmarked for the Fling tournaments.

Rule 6      Practices. All coaches will select a practice schedule at the coaches meeting or division draft and adhere to such practice schedule throughout the regular season. Teams are allowed one assigned weekday and one assigned weekend practice plus an optional batting practice on their own time each week. Each player may have only 1 team batting practice per week.  Once games conclude, teams are no longer allowed to practice until the following season begins and practice fields are assigned. Any changes/additions to practice times or fields MUST go through the league.  ( Unauthorized practices are defined as throwing, fielding, hitting, catching, pitching, running, scrimmaging, or any other aspect of the game of softball with more than 3 players from the same team on a non-league assigned field or during a non-league assigned time for your team (or the other team if a scrimmage game) with any of the coaches present. Any teams holding unauthorized practices will result in the immediate suspension of the head coach with possible further penalties. Unauthorized practices during the off-season will result in the head coach removal and possibly the team being disband).

Full teams may only show up 30 minutes prior to practice. All players must properly stretch for 15 minutes prior to throwing or practicing. Coaches in violation of these rules will be suspended.          

Rule 7      Equipment. Coaches will be provided upon request equipment for their respective division team. The league will designate a time and place for equipment hand out. It is the responsibility of each coach to insure the proper use and storage of equipment during the season. Coaches will contact the Equipment Chairperson if they have any equipment that needs repair or replacement. All equipment must be returned at the end of the season. Coaches will be fined for any unreturned league equipment.

Rule 8      Uniforms. Coaches must report any problems with team uniforms to their league representative. If at the end of the season there are any unused uniforms they must be turned in along with the equipment. Teams will wear ONLY league issued uniforms for their league games. Teams wishing to put player or sponsor name on the jersey backs may do so at the team’s expense with the exception of the 6U, 8U, and 10U in the spring season, which will exclusively have the Land O’ Frost logo on their jerseys.

Rule 9      Statistics. It is the responsibility of each coach to maintain all of his or her team statistics. Games scores will be reported by the umpires at the completion of the game to a league representative.                 

Rule 10    Rescheduling. The only reason for rescheduling a game will be inclement weather conditions. All teams must be present at the field at their scheduled game time, unless otherwise notified. It will be up to the umpire to call the game if necessary.

Rule 11    Protest Procedures: Only game rule infractions and player eligibility may be protested. A protest committee shall be composed of a quorum of the HGSA Board of Directors. When a situation arises during a game, the coach and/or assistant coach of the protesting team shall immediately notify the umpires and the opposing coach that the game is being played under protest from that point. This will provide all interested persons with the opportunity to take notice of the conditions surrounding the making of the decision, and will aid in the proper determination of the issue. Failure of a team to follow this procedure shall forfeit its right to file an official protest.

All protests must also be filed in writing with a HGSA Representative within twenty-four (24) hours of the game in question and shall include a fifty dollar ($50.00) protest fee. If the protest is upheld, the filing fee will be returned to the team. If the protest is not upheld, the fee reverts to HGSA and will be considered a donation. The decision of HGSA shall be final.

Rule 12    Fines. Coaches in violation of USA Softball or HGSA rules may be fined anywhere from $25 to $150 depending on the severity and circumstances of the rule broken. (Examples include but are not limited to: failure to properly stretch players, unauthorized practices, unregistered coaches/parents in the dugout or on the field, unsportsmanlike behavior, inappropriate language, and being ejected from a game.) Fines will be determined by the Board of Directors and are considered a donation to the league. Coaches will be suspended until the fine is paid. Coaches may also receive a suspension in addition to a fine at board discretion. 

Conduct:

Rule 1      There are standards of conduct expected from every player, coach staff, team managers, family, spectators and other individuals associated with an HGSA team. No manager, coach, player, parent, guardian, or other individual affiliated with a team will commit any violations of the Code of Conduct as defined by USA Softball and the Pacific Coast Region 14, and HGSA.

Rule 2      A coach, assistant coach, non-coaching staff, player, parent, guardian, and other individuals affiliated with a team shall not commit any of the following conduct violations:

(a)  Lay hand on an umpire.

(b)  Delay the game with stalling tactics.

(c)  Use vulgar, profane, or abusive language.

(d)  Use tobacco products of any kind while on the playing field, the players’ bench, or in the dugout.

(e)  Engage in a fight with a manager, coach, player, spectator, or game official.

(f)   Engage in any unsportsmanlike conduct.

(g)  Consume alcoholic beverages on the facility premises before, during, or after a softball game.

Rule 3      All spectators, including families of players, will not engage in conversation with players or coaching staff during a game. Spectators must remain behind the field fences, outside team dugouts, and away from the backstop. Spectators are not allowed to use megaphones, whistles, or artificial noise-making devices including stereo/music equipment.

Rule 4      All coaching staff, team management, and players’ families are responsible for enforcing appropriate spectator conduct.

Rule 5      If, in the opinion of the umpire(s), the game cannot be continued in a sportsmanlike manner, the offending team shall forfeit the game.

Rule 6      In the event of a violation of conduct, the umpire(s) & or HGSA Officer(s) shall immediately suspend the offender from the game and/or facility premises. In addition, they shall, within twenty-four (24) hours, make a verbal report to a member of the HGSA Board of Directors for further disciplinary action toward the player, coaching staff, team(s), and/or any other offending individual. [Note: Leaving a message on an answering machine is not considered to be a verbal report.]

Rule 7      HGSA has the right to suspend or expel any players, coach, assistant coach, team manager, players’ family, or member who exhibits continuous behavior that is contrary to the purpose of HGSA and its rules and regulations. The decision of HGSA and its Board of Directors is final.