General Rules

1. Players will play at town in which they go to school.  If in a Unified School , they will play in the town they went to grade school or the town they would have attended grade school.  Any exceptions must be approved by the League Board of Directors and by the waiver form.  A waiver form is used to request permission to play in a town they did not attend grade school and/or high school.  Upon approval from the Flint Hills League, player will pay an additional fee of $10.00 to the league.

2. If the town does not have a team for their age group, the player's parents may request that the player be allowed to either play in their age group in another city, or play in the next age group above theirs within their city.  All players will only be allowed to play in the division that corresponds with the player's age before January 1 for girls & May 1 for boys.  Players are allowed to move to a higher age division.

3. City Presidents must make every attempt to submit official team rosters to the League President no later than May 15 of each year.  Each official roster must include names, home cities and birth dates of all eligible players for each respective age division.  Each City President is responsible for collecting and maintaining a copy of the birth certificate or birth registration of each player on any official roster for his/her city.  These documents will be made available to the Protest Committee in the event that a protest is submitted regarding a player's age and/or eligibility.  Protests regarding age and/or eligibility will follow the guidelines outlined in General Rule #31 .  If the roster is not submitted prior to the first game of the regular season, all games until it is submitted will be recorded as a loss to such team.  A player may be added to a team roster at any time during the season if he/she has a family residence in the team's respective city or Unified School District as outlined in General Rule #2 .  The City President must notify the League President, and the player will sit out for the first regular season game after being added to the roster.  Violation of this rule will constitute forfeiture of the game and dismissal of the team coach/manager.   All players must play 75% of the regular season games scheduled to be eligible to play in their division tournament. (Preseason games do not count.)  Any exceptions must have the League Board's approval.   Exceptions to this rule will only be allowed by league approval.

4. Any player, manager, coach or umpire guilty of misconduct before, during, or after a ball game will be brought before the league for investigation.

5. If any spectator is causing a disturbance at a ball game, the umpire shall instruct the manager to control the spectator.  If the manager cannot control the spectator, the umpire may make the team forfeit the ball game.  He may also have the matter brought before the league, and the team or association may be subject to a fine of $25.00.

6. If a game date has to be changed due to rainout or diamond conflict, the town that the game is to be played in will give the visitors two (2) dates for a make-up game.  If the visitors do not take one of the dates, they will forfeit the game.  Additional dates may be required in the event the visitor's team already has Flint Hills League games scheduled for the dates offered as make-up game dates.

7. In case of wet ground, etc., the home team coach will notify the other team's coach.  If possible two hour notice is required if a game is not going to be played due to weather conditions.

8. If either team fails to show up for a game 15 minutes after the scheduled starting time, game is automatically forfeited.

9. A team may start the game with seven players.  If a team starts with less than nine players, automatic outs will be used.  Coach can put automatic outs anywhere in the batting order.

10. Official A.S.A. Softball Rules govern girls teams except where Flint Hills rules state differently (see division rules).

11. Official National League Rules govern boys teams except where Flint Hills rules state differently (see division rules).

12. During the pre-game ground rules, the umpire should make it clear to both managers that no intentional roughness is permitted.  If roughness does occur, the player involved will be removed from the game.  This will be at the discretion of the umpire.  

13. No steal cleats are permitted in all age groups.

14. No slick tape on any bats.

15. All teams will wear throat protection on catcher's mask.

16. Batter, on-deck batter, and base runner(s) must wear head protection.

17. Home team will furnish all game balls.  (Softball - 1 new ball per game.  Baseball - 2 new balls per game)

18. There will be no yelling at the opposing pitcher from the dug-out.  Team will be warned one time.

19. Coach is limited to two visits to pitcher's mound per inning.  On second visit, the pitcher must be changed. (Applies to all ages.)

20. RE-ENTRY - Any of the starting players may be withdrawn and re-entered once, provided players occupy the same batting position whenever in the line-up.  Player may not re-enter in batting position of substitute player who has not played two complete innings.  If a player stays out nine batters, player can re-enter in any batting position.

21. DEAD BALL APPEAL - A dead ball appeal play is a play on which an umpire may not make a decision until requested by a manager, coach, or player.  The appeal must be made before the next legal or illegal pitch.  Once the ball has been returned to the infield and time has been called, any infielder (including the pitcher and catcher), or coach with or without possession of the ball may make a verbal appeal on a runner missing a base or leaving a base too soon on a caught fly ball.  The administering umpire should acknowledge the appeal and then make a decision on the play.  No base runner may leave his/her base during this period as the play remains dead until the next pitch.

22. 8 FT. RADIUS CIRCLE - Failure to immediately return to the base or proceed to the next base once the pitcher has the ball within the 8 foot radius of the pitcher's plate will result in the base runner being declared out.

23. DOUBLE BASE - With the approval of the double base at first base, the following rules should be enforced for their usage:

    a. A batted ball hitting the white portion is declared fair, and a batted ball hitting the orange portion is declared foul.

    b. Whenever a play is being made on the batter-runner, the defense must use the white portion and the batter-runner the orange portion.  On extra base hits or ball hit to the outfield when there is no play being made at the double base, the runner may touch the white or the orange.

    c. On a dropped third strike, the batter-runner and the defensive player may use either the orange or the white portion.

    d. Should the batter-runner round the base on a hit to the infield or the outfield, he must return to the white portion.

    e. When tagging up on a fly ball, the white portion must be used.

    f. On an attempted pick-off play, the runner must return to the white portion. 

24. BLOOD RULE: A player, coach, or umpire who is bleeding or who has blood on his/her uniform shall be prohibited from participating further in the game until appropriate treatment is administered. If medical care or treatment is administered in a reasonable length of time, the individual will not have to leave the game.  The length of time that is considered reasonable is left to the umpire's judgment.  Uniform violations will not be enforced if a uniform change is required.  The umpire shall:

    a. Stop the game and allow treatment if the injured player would affect the continuation of the game.

    b. Immediately call a coach, trainer, or other authorized person to the injured player.

    c. Apply the rules of the game regarding substitution, short-handed player and re-entry if necessary.

25. All players on offense or defense can chatter.  Cannot call anyone by their name or use foul words at another player or dug-out.  Can only encourage their own players.  One warning from umpires.

26. Umpires must be 16 years of age to umpire Pee Wee, C-Girls, Little League and B-Girls.  Umpires must be at least 18 years of age to umpire A-Girls.

27. Home team must provide an official scorekeeper at least 16 years of age.

28. All teams will have players, subs, and shirt numbers turned into scorekeepers of both teams before game starts.

29. Scorekeepers will check with each other at the end of each inning to make sure they are both the same.

30. Run rule. The official game ends when you are mathematically eliminated from winning the game. This applies to all age groups.

31. All protests will be decided by the Flint Hills League Protest Committee.  The Committee will consist of two representatives from each city.  The current League President will reside over the protest meeting.  In the event that any Committee person is involved in the protest, or his/her team would be affected by the decision, he/she will not participate in the protest resolution but may be present, as may any member of the public, to present information on the protested rule infraction.  Umpire judgment calls cannot be protested.  All protests regarding an interpretation of the General Rules will be considered only when the protest is made to the game umpire at the time of the rule infraction.  Protests concerning the age and/or eligibility of a player must be made prior to the beginning of the fourth inning of the game.    In all protest situations the home plate umpire will mark official scorebook and collect a seventy-five ($75) protest fee.  Protests can only be made by a coach/manager. Within 24 hours of the completion of the game, the protesting coach/manager will present the protest in written form to his/her City President.  The City President will immediately present the protest to the Protest Committee who will meet, review the protest and decide if a rule infraction has occurred.  Any person that desires to be present for the meeting must contact their City President and make it known.  Within approximately 72 hours of such meeting the Committee will produce a written report to the affected team's City President explaining the basis for the decision.  In the event that the protest is allowed, the protest fee will be returned and the game will be replayed from the point of the protest at a mutually agreed upon date and time unless the protest was that of an age and/or eligibility nature.

32. If a player does not show up at practice or on a regular basis at games, coach can drop player.  Coach MUST contact their city representative before dropping a player.

33. Any make-up games will be played or will count as a zero in the win-loss record.

34. Any make-up games need to be finished one week before tournament.

35. Awards will be given to first, second, third and fourth place teams in regular season.

36. If there is a tie for first place at the end of the regular season, there will be a playoff game.  This game will be played in town where the tournament is scheduled.

37 . All teams will have their win-loss records turned in to their own city president at the end of last completed round robin. If not turned in, you will go to the bottom of the bracket.

38. Players in Advanced Girls & Boys, Midget Girls & Boys, C-Girls, and Pee Wee will be in the batting line up at all times.  Players are still required to enter the game to play defense at the time stated in their division's rules.

39. All batting helmets must have a chin strap.  Chin strap must be properly worn by each batter/base runner.

40.  Each team is allowed 7 minutes for pre-game infield warm-up.  In all 7:00 P.M. games, the visiting team must have completed infield warm-up no later than 10 minutes prior to scheduled game time.  In the event a game runs over the time limit, each team of the following game will be allowed 7 minutes for infield warm-up after the field and dugouts have been cleared from the preceding game.

41. SMOKING IS PROHIBITED IN THE DUGOUT AREA.

42. Sick and/or injured player. If a player becomes injured or sick and leaves the game there will not be an automatic out for the batter/base runner provided there are at least nine other players in the line-up. If there are less than nine players in the line-up, there will be an automatic out for that player.

Advanced Girls

 1. Ages: 6, 7 & 8. Cannot be 9 before JANUARY 1.

2. Normal game time is 7:00 p.m.

3. Bases: 60 ft.

Pitching Distance: 35 ft.

Field Dimensions: 84' 10” form home plate to second base and first base to third base

4. There will be a 35-ft line from pitching rubber to coach's boxes. No player can go in front of it until ball is hit.

5. There will be an infield line 5 ft. outside of the base path. This will determine the infield and outfield. Once the ball is in the defensive infielder's possession inside the infield line the ball is dead and base runners cannot pass another base. Runners may not advance to the next base unless they are completely past the 20-ft. hash mark between bases prior to the ball being declared dead. Runners that have not past the hash mark before the play was completed must return to the previous base.

6. There will be a 10-ft. half circle for pitcher to stay in until the ball is hit.

7. Coach will pitch to their own team. Batter will get five pitches. If the player does not hit one she is out. Exception: if batter fouls off the 5 th pitch, she is not out. A hit ball or strike out ends her turn at bat.

8. Standard game will be no longer that 5 innings or one hour and fifteen minutes ( 1:15 ) unless there is a tie. If an inning ends prior to the time limit, the next inning will be played in full.

9. Three outs or five runs constitutes an inning.

10. Player cannot leave base until the ball crosses the plate or she is out. No stealing at any base.

11. If a ball is overthrown at any base, a base runner may advance no more than one base at her own risk. (Example: Batter/runner on 1 st base can advance no farther than 2 nd base on an overthrown ball at her own risk. If a fielder makes an attempt at a play at any base, the runner can advance no more further than one base.)

12. Dead ball appeal applies. (See general rules for explanation.)

13. If game is called due to bad weather conditions, it will be considered a completed game after 45 minutes or four complete innings. If not, game will be replayed from the start.

14. Double base applies in this league. (See general rules for explanation.)

15. Bunting in permitted.

16. Team must have a player in the pitcher and catcher positions if they are playing with less than 9 players.

17. An 11' ASA approved softball will be used.

18. Every player will be in the line-up to bat during the complete game. Example: if a team has 13 players at the game, all 13 players will be in the batting line-up the entire game. Teams may play with ten (10) defensive players. This extra defensive player is optional. If used, this player must be placed in an outfield position. All players must be in the game to play defense by the start of the third (3 rd ) inning. This player cannot come out of the game until she has played two (2) consecutive innings. Failure to do so will result in an automatic out at the start of the next inning.

19. Bats marked T-Ball will be allowed.

20. READ GENERAL RULES ABOVE.

TOURNAMENT RULES

1. In each tournament game the team with the highest seed will be the home team. (i.e. Seed #1 vs. Seed #16, Seed #1 will be the home team.)  Once bracketing of the seeded teams has been completed no changes will be made unless it has been determined that a team was incorrectly seeded.  In the event that a team is disqualified or removed, voluntarily or involuntarily, from the tournament after such bracket has been completed, the bracket will remaining intact without change.

2. All umpires on field shall be neutral.  No one who coaches a team can umpire the tournament in which their team is playing.

3. There will be two umpires for all games, except for consolation and championship games which will have three.

4. There will be no time limit on the Championship games.  The consolation games will follow the time limit rules for each division.  The Championship games will be the normal number of innings for the respective age bracket.  Run rules will be in effect for all games.

5. Towns must provide an official scorekeepers spot where the official scorekeeper will sit.

6. Each town will provide an official scorekeeper at least 16 years of age.

7. Teams must tell the official scorekeeper when there is a change in the line-up.

8. If child has played during the regular season, coach cannot remove that child from the roster for tournament play.  League will determine action taken, (i.e. suspension of coach and/or forfeit of game.)

9. Awards will be given to first, second, third, and fourth place teams in tournament play.

TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS

1. All tournament director(s) must attend post season, pre-tournament meetings set by Flint Hills League.

2. All tournament director(s) can not be affiliated with a team in the tournament.

3. Each tournament shall have a tournament director(s) and it will be their obligation to enforce game and sportsmanship rules and take action if those rules are broken.

4. The tournament director(s) have the authority to schedule tournaments as they see fit, in accordance with League Rules.  This includes rain-out and other unforeseen circumstances beyond their control.