LEAGUE ADMINS. & PARENTS TAKE NOTE:6 year olds may play coach pitch if they have played 1 year of t-ball ... Summary: Regulation III – Tee Ball: Added language allowing local leagues to accept league‐age 4‐year‐olds and reduces the maximum age permitted in the Tee Ball Division to league‐age 7. Page 31 (Baseball), Page 32 (Softball).
Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording
Tee Ball: Local League must establish the age structure for the Tee Ball Division. Players league age 4 and 5 are eligible only for Tee Ball. Exception: Participants league age 6 are permitted to advance to Minor League Coach Pitch or Machine Pitch after participation in Tee Ball for one year.
Presidents can now coach ... Summary: Regulation I – Added language that would prohibit the league president from resigning in an effort to be tournament team coach, after January 1. Page 22.
Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording
The president may manage, coach or umpire provided he/she does not serve on the Protest Committee. The president of record or anyone who assumes the position or duties of president, on or after January 1 of the current year, is not eligible to serve as tournament team manager or coach. The president will not serve in the capacity of District Administrator.
Composite bats prohibited ... Summary: Rule 1.10 ‐ Junior/Senior/Big League: Added language prohibiting use of composite bats.
The new standard for 2011‐2012 will be BBCOR for Junior, Senior and Big League. Page 52‐53.
Full Text of Change
EXCEPTION: For the 2010‐2011 Junior, Senior and Big League regular and tournament season, composite bats are prohibited unless an approved waiver has been granted by Little League International. This wavier will be based on additional testing verifying that the composite bat(s) meet current standards. A list of any approved composite bats can be found on the Little League website at www.littleleague.org. Beginning January 1, 2012, all bats not made of a single piece of wood shall meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard, and such bats shall be labeled with a silkscreen or other permanent certification mark. The certification mark shall be rectangular, a minimum of a half‐inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color. Aluminum and composite bats shall be labeled as approved tamper evident, and be marked as to their material makeup being aluminum or composite. This marking shall be silkscreen or other permanent certification mark, a minimum of one‐half‐inch on each side and located on the barrel of the bat in any contrasting color.
TOURNAMENT TEAMS (SUMMER A) TAKE NOTE:
Softening of the tournament team rules ... Summary: Tournament Team Practice: Added wording allowing Tournament Teams to practice with other players in their own chartered Little League, another chartered Little League in their district, or another chartered Little League in a contiguous district. Page T‐9.
Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording
Little/Junior/Senior/Big League: Try‐outs or practices by tournament teams shall not be held before June 15. Tournament team practice may only take place against other teams within the same or contiguous districts in the same division, providing such practice is done out of uniform. (Little League accident insurance for tournament teams will not go into effect until June 15, or the date of the release of the names of tournament Team members, whichever is later).
9-10 & 10-11 Year Old Divisions: Try‐outs or practices by tournament teams shall not be held before June 15 or two weeks prior to the start of the tournament. Tournament team practice may only take place against other teams within the same or contiguous districts in the same division, providing such practice is done out of uniform. (Little League accident insurance for tournament teams will not go into effect until June 15, or the date of the release of the names of tournament Team members, whichever is earlier).
Tournament teams can play after June 15th ... Summary: Regulation IX (f): Added language allowing Tournament Teams to participate in Special Games after June 15th. Page 42.
Full Text of Change, with Surrounding Wording
(f) Tournament teams may participate in Special Games after June 15th. .
Tournament play (increases to playing time requirement) ... Summary: Rule 9 – Mandatory Play – 9-10 Year Old Division, 10-11 Year Old Division, Little League and Junior League: Changes were made to increase the mandatory playing time if a team has 12 or fewer eligible players in uniform at a game. Page T‐18 (Baseball) T‐16 (Softball).
Full Text of Change
If a tournament team has thirteen (13) or more eligible players in uniform at a game, then every player on a team roster shall participate in each game for a minimum of three (3) consecutive defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time. If a tournament has twelve (12) or less eligible players in uniform at a game, then every player on a team roster shall participate in each game for a minimum of six (6) consecutive defensive outs and bat at least one (1) time.
Restriction on number of coaches has been removed ... Summary: Tournament Organization – Managers and Coaches: Removed the requirement limiting a tournament team to a manager and one coach if the team had 12 or fewer eligible players in uniform at the game site. Any team, regardless of the number of players on the affidavit or at the game site, is now permitted to have one manager and up to two coaches (provided such manager and coaches are eligible). cont'd ....