General Rules - All Divisions

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INTRODUCTION

You, as the manager and/or coach, are responsible to ensure the growth our youth by:

• Providing a safe and fun environment,
  

• Providing instruction on the baseball skills appropriate for the age level of your team,

• Promoting, through your actions and words (and that of my coaches) good sportsmanship and fair play on and off the field,

• Teach respect for umpires and other officials through example,

• Uphold all values in the Player/Parent and Manager/Coach Code of Conduct,

• Hold and attend regularly scheduled practices,

• Provide proper care for the fields and all equipment,

• Attend all Manager/Coaches meetings, Field Maintenance Meetings, and Coaching Clinics that may be provided by the League,

This manual is provided to assist you in the performance of your responsibilities. It is a comprehensive manual that not only sets forth the guidelines for managing & coaching in Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, but also provides information relative to the rules of play and operation of the League that can and should be passed along to the parents and players.

Every attempt has been made to include information relative to all aspects of Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, Inc. However, exclusion of any rules, regulations or requirements from this manual, does not release any manager, coach, or player from compliance with such rules, regulations, or requirements. In addition, from time to time, it may be necessary for the Board of Directors, to change and or initiate new rules and regulations, and as such, the information in this manual is subject to change and modification and may be waived by the Board of Directors at any time during the playing season.

It is hoped that this manual will be a valuable asset, and that you will have an enjoyable and rewarding season.

LEAGUE OPERATION & BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, Incorporated, is a California Non-Profit Corporation, which operates under the Bylaws established and approved on April 28, 1995 (latest revisions approved each year at the Annual Board of Directors Meeting).  It is currently administered, as set forth in the Bylaws, by a duly elected Board of Directors.

Pursuant to the bylaws, Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, Inc. holds an annual general meeting, at which time; the Board of Directors is selected. Upon selection, the Board of Directors meets regularly as necessary to conduct Bakersfield Southwest Baseball business.

For the current list of Directors, go to “About Us” and click on Directors.

MANAGER & COACH SELECTION

All managers and coaches of record in Bakersfield Southwest Baseball must be volunteers over the age of eighteen (18).  Individuals interested in managing or coaching teams are asked to submit their name on a list at the time of registration.  Each Division Commissioner will recommend those individuals, to the Board, relative to their experience and ability. Managers and Coaches are recommended for approval based on several criteria, depending on the division for which the individual is being considered. The criteria includes:

• Prior coaching or managing experience,
  

• Knowledge of baseball,

• Sportsmanship and ability to work and teach young players,

• Acceptance of the Bakersfield Southwest Baseball rules and regulations and willingness to participate within that framework,

• Ability to commit the necessary effort and time.

• If they have a child/relative in the Division, and,

• Completion and review of background check through “Live Scan”.

Each team will have one (1) manager and one (1) coach of record recommended for approval to the Board of Directors by the Division Commissioner.  The coach of record must be approved prior to tryouts.  If a manager does not have an approved coach of record prior to tryouts he may only have one frozen player in the draft.   If approved, the manager and coach of record will be responsible for that team for the entire playing season, or until they resign or are removed by the Board of Directors.

In addition the manager and coach may select one or more assistant coaches to help them during the season, however only three coaches, including the manager, are allowed in the dugout or on the field of play during Division games.  All Assistant coaches must submit to the Live Scan Process.

In order to be a Manager or Coach at BSWB, you must complete the following:

• Register online (Registration Tab, Coaches),
  

• Participate in either Live Scan (Fingerprinting, etc.) and/or Online Background Check (Future).

SIGN-UPS AND PLAYER INFORMATION

All players will sign up on the League website at www.bswb.org.  Parents or Legal Guardians of each player will complete the information sheet. Failure to complete this information accurately may result in player being disqualified from participating in the “A” divisions.  Players may be asked to reveal their experience on this sheet including, but not limited to:

• Prior experience in BSWB divisions,
  

• Prior experience in other Divisions,

• Participation in (past or current) any club / travel / All Star team organization,

• Positions they have played in the past (pitcher, catcher, etc).

PLAYER EVALUATIONS

“Player Evaluations” are mandatory for ALL players in Pinto (Kid Pitch Only), Mustang, Bronco and Pony Divisions. (Foal, Shetland and Pinto Machine Pitch Players will not need to attend).

Players will attend a warm up and then proceed to 3 stations for evaluation in batting, fielding and throwing. The batting is against a pitching machine and may be supplemented with a batting tee.  Players will receive 5 pitches. Players may use their own bat.  One fielding evaluation is 3 ground balls batted to the shortstop position - the player fields the ball and throws to first base.  The second fielding evaluation is 3 fly balls from a machine to the outfield - the player tries to catch the ball and throw to third base. The tryout process lasts about one to two hours.

All “A” & “B” Division Managers and Coaches will evaluate the players using an evaluation sheet and parameters set by the league.  Evaluation sheets will be maintained by the coaches and managers for use during drafting.

Rankings will be used during the drafting of teams.  If you are new to the drafting system, the only players "placed" on a team are the player of the Manager and ONE Assistant Coach.  All other players are drafted.  No player is guaranteed to be selected by any specific manager.

A word about the evaluators - the coaches from their respective divisions are involved in scoring all the players on evaluation day.  Coaches players do not participate as they are placed on the coach's team automatically. 

Finally — this is an EVALUATION not a try-out. All players make a team, no one is turned away. The evaluations are used for team balance and to assure players will have the best possible baseball experience.

DRAFTING, & TEAM FORMATION

"Open" draft means that the players' name, and evaluation ranking, is known to all the selecting managers & coaches during that Division's draft. The only exception to this rule are “Frozen Players”. (Children or step-children of that teams manager and coach of record).

Players will be notified by email, the league website or at the time of registration when and where the evaluation for his or her particular age will be held. Players unable to participate in his/her scheduled tryout for any reason can walk through the evaluation. A player must attend evaluations to be drafted in Pinto “A (Kid Pitch)”, Mustang “A” and Bronco “A” Divisions.  If the player is unable to participate in the evaluations due to an injury the player may “walk-through” the tryout line.  Players who do not attend evaluations will automatically be placed on a team in the B Division at the end of the live draft.  After commencement of the playing season, players may be placed on all Division teams with the exception of the Pinto “A”, Bronco “A” Division and Mustang “A” Division, from a wait-list by the Player Agent, without participating in a tryout.

Pony and Colt Division Player Evaluations are for manager selection purposes.  There is no “B” Leagues in either of these divisions.  Non-Evaluated players will be handled as described below.

All registered players, regardless of performance at the evaluations, will be selected or placed on a team.  Once all “A” Division teams have been drafted, “B” Division coaches will be able to draft those remaining players onto their teams.  Players refusing or failing to attend Player Evaluations, will NOT be eligible to be included in the “Open Draft.  These remaining players will be placed in a hat and drawn by the managers (blind draw) for the “B” Division only.

FALL BALL NOTE: A & B Divisions are normally combined and there are no "evaluations" done.  Commissioners assign players to team randomly in order of age (oldest to youngest in a snake draft type method) to keep the teams as even as possible.

DRAFT FORMAT (Pinto, Mustang, Bronco, Prep / Pony / Colt):

After completion of all the player evaluations, a separate player draft will be held for each Division.  All Division drafts will be conducted by the Player Agent, and the Division Commissioner. The draft order for each “A” Division is determined by selecting numbers from a hat.  If either the manager or coach of record cannot attend the draft, the manager may select another individual to assist him/her.  The person chosen, however, may not have a son or daughter in that particular age group drafts.  No team will be allowed to have more than two (2) individuals participating in the draft.  The draft will always begin precisely at the time indicated.  Any team not present will lose a draft pick every round until the team representatives are present.  The first round of the draft will commence with the first selection.  Each team will have two (2) minutes to make their selection.  A team not making a selection within the two-minute period will forfeit that round's selection.  Each team will make their selection by player number in order until all teams have made their first selection.  Upon completion of the first round, the second round will commence with a snake draft order until all the teams have a complete-player roster.  After all the selections have been made, the coaches and managers will have fifteen minutes to verify their selections and make any trades of new players.

A list of the remaining un-drafted players will be made available to the “B” Division coaches / managers.  The order for the “B” Division draft will be determined by determined by selecting numbers from a hat.  The draft process will be the same as outlined above for the “A” Division, except ALL remaining players listed in the draft will be selected by a team.  Players who have a ranking from player evaluations, but not selected in the “A” Division, will be drafted first.  Once all “evaluated players” have been selected from the list, the remaining “non-evaluated” players’ names will be selected from a hat (blind draw) in the same draft order, until all names have been selected.

Upon completion of the “B” Division draft, all players will have been placed on a team (waiting list players not included).

The Foal, Shetland and Pinto (Machine Pitch) rosters will be assigned by the Division Commissioner.

ALL PARENTS FOR REC BALL, ACKNOWLEDGE DURING REGISTRATION, THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING PLAYER PARTICIPATION RULES REGARDING REC BALL AND CLUB BALL ISSUES:

PLAYER PARTICIPATION IN LEAGUE:

BSWB is a PONY Sanctioned League, and as such, must follow PONY Rules regarding player participation. During our Spring Leagues, Players may only participate in one PONY League or Division at BSWB or any other PONY Sanctioned League. At BSWB, that means that any player registered and participating in our Spring Rec League, MAY NOT also participate in any Club/Travel Team playing as a PONY Sanctioned team at BSWB (Note: ALL Club/Travel Teams playing at BSWB, during Spring Ball, are PONY Sanctioned Teams). Club Teams that use a Rec Player (see example below) will forfeit ANY games your player participates in with that Club Team. In addition, your player will become ineligible for Post Season (All-Stars) play, and the Club Team in question may also face disqualification for Post Season play . The Club team may also face suspensions and/or removal from the league. (This does not apply to Fall Ball Leagues, but parents and coaches should use discretion in having a player play in multiple leagues as games will be played on same days that may conflict with each other, and cause players to "overdo it").

EXAMPLE: If your Rec Ball Registered Player, is approached by a BSWB Club/Travel Team, after your player has participated in "Player Evaluations", you have the option of playing for that Club Team, but you will forfeit ALL Registration Fees to the League, and will have to pay any fees the Club/Travel Team may require for registration purposes.. If your Rec Ball Registered Player is contacted AFTER he/she has been drafted onto a Rec Team, he MAY NOT participate on said Club Team, and must complete the season with the Rec Team he was drafted onto. (See penalties above).

FACILITIES

Members of Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, Inc. will play all of their regular season Division games at the Bakersfield Southwest Baseball Complex, located at Aera Park.

Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, Inc. is responsible for the all the costs associated with maintaining the facility, including mowing, fertilizing, irrigation & irrigation repair, pest control, weed control, electricity, water, telephone & garbage.  In addition, all the improvements, including fields, fences, dugouts, backstops, concession stand, toilets, maintenance building, and lighting, have all been paid for, constructed, and maintained by Bakersfield Southwest Baseball Inc.  Because of the substantial investment in these facilities, it is imperative that all players, parents, managers, coaches & board members make every effort to continue to keep the buildings and grounds in good operating condition.  This includes making sure that all fields are properly prepared prior to and upon completion of every game.  It is the responsibility of the home team to insure the infield is properly marked, dragged, raked and watered prior to each game.  It is the visiting team's responsibility to insure the infields are properly raked and watered, that all the trash is picked up from the dugouts and stands upon completion of each game, and all equipment is stored properly in the field equipment boxes (at the end of the day).

BAKERSFIELD SOUTHWEST BASEBALL LEAGUE DISCIPLINARY POLICY

BACKGROUND STATEMENT

As an official charter organization of the PONY Baseball, Inc., BSWB has a proud history of developing and promoting an organized youth baseball program in this community.  Our goals are to foster and instill in our players a positive sense of citizenship, discipline, teamwork, and respect for the rules of baseball.  Our success depends largely on the leadership and examples set by the volunteers of this organization, and particularly the managers and coaches.

With these tenets in mind, PONY Baseball, Inc. and BSWB have adopted rules and regulations for the conduct of our youth baseball program.  It is each volunteer's burden and responsibility to observe the PONY Baseball, Inc. and BSWB rules. 

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Disciplinary action as outlined on Page 8 of the Rules and Regulations for PONY Baseball, Inc. is as follows:

• The League officers shall have the authority to suspend, discharge or otherwise discipline any player, manager, coach, umpire, league officer or other person whose conduct is in violation of the Rules and Regulations of PONY Baseball and/or is considered detrimental to the best interests of the League.

Persons subject to such discipline shall have the right to a hearing before the League Officers before such discipline is imposed.

In the event of such a hearing involving a player, or other person under the age of 18, that person’s parents shall be invited to attend.

• Persons, youth or adult, who refuse to comply with the rules of Baseball, PONY Baseball, or the League may be considered for disciplinary action.
• Recognizing the difficulty of establishing specific penalties for a variety of violations of acceptable conduct, the following penalties are suggested.  League Officers may impose the one which, in their opinion, appears to match the severity of the offense.

Warning: The offending person is to be advised, in writing, of the offense, and further advised that repetition of the offense shall result in a more severe penalty.

Suspension: The offending person is to be advised in writing that he or she has been suspended from all Division activity for a specific number of games, or days

Dismissal:  The offending person is to be advised in writing that he or she has been dismissed from the League for the remainder of the current year.

Barred: The offending person is to be advised in writing that he or she has been barred from present and future participation in the League, permanently, or for a specific number of years.

• The Board may also discipline a Manager/Coach who fails to attend mandatory meetings, or, provide proper field preparation, field maintenance or field cleanup.

PLAYING RULES & REGULATIONS

Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, Inc. conducts play under the following Rules & Regulations:

• Official Rules of Baseball
  

• PONY Baseball, Inc. Rules & Regulations

• Bakersfield Southwest Baseball, Inc. Ground Rules

All games are played under The Official Rules of Baseball, PONY Baseball Inc. Rules and Regulations, and Bakersfield Southwest Baseball Ground Rules.  The latter will supplement, and supersede the former. The Bakersfield Southwest Baseball Inc. Ground Rules for each Division are found on its dedicated tab.