For new rule changes please refer to the link below..just click on the link to view.  New rule books will be published soon!

SSWC RULE CHANGES

The following rules clarify and augment the rules provided in the Official Senior Softball-USA Rulebook. For rules not covered here, the rulebook applies. Where conflicts occur between these rules and the rulebook, these rules are official. 

WOMEN'S RULES CONFORMANCE • The Men's and Women's rules were merged into a single, non-gender specific set of rules rather than as separate sections. CLARIFICATION: The Women's roster composition rules will NOT be conformed to the Men's rules. Geographic rules for the Women will remain UNCHANGED for the Senior divisions (ages 50+ and older).

REGION CHANGE FOR CALIFORNIA & FLORIDA • The prior posting on the Rules Committee activity inadvertently omitted significant relevant information regarding this early announcement about the 2011 playing season for California and Florida teams. The SSUSA is undertaking a thorough statistical analysis of where its players reside, at all ages and levels of play. The goal is to acquire the data supporting the general abandonment of the 'home/bordering states' rules in favor of a 'regions' approach to player eligibility for constituting the roster for any specific team.

Historically, SSUSA operated for years on a 'regions' basis, but several years ago implemented the 'home/bordering states' approach in concert with the then-members of the Senior Softball Summit. Under the former SSUSA 'regions' approach, the states of (Northern) California, (Southern) California, Florida and Texas were defined as their own closed 'regions'. The Summit goal was to create uniform boundary rules so that all Summit member organizations would have the same roster rules, thereby creating identical rosters for teams participating across differing association tournaments. These standard roster rules never came into application simultaneously because each association created 'exceptions', all of which made sense to them and were acceptable to the participating teams.

It is now apparent the 'home/bordering states' approach unduly inhibits teams in certain states from being able to draw from a sufficient number of players within the current geographic boundaries to build the type of team they would like. Teams from smaller states, geographically or in population, or both, are disadvantaged over many larger states. Most notable are many smaller states in the Northeast and on the Eastern seaboard. The upper Midwest and Plains states players and teams are also similarly disadvantaged too frequently.

The SSUSA intends to re-establish multi-state regions, potentially as soon as the 2011 playing season, somewhat analogous, but not identical to, the 'Clubs and Leagues' regions currently defined on this web site. Regional population density, number and ratings of existing teams, logical state combinations and similar criteria will be the components of this analysis leading to change. California and Florida will be their own regions, and the balance of the regions structure will be determined as quickly as is feasible. We expect the most notable effect of this change will be more teams participating in the higher skill level ratings.

• 40-MASTERS REGION RULES • The Men's and Women's 40-Masters teams are now being rated instead of being 'open' divisions. As such, these programs will now be subject to the same regional rules (as amended by the above discussion) for roster composition as all other ages having ratings levels.

 

·        The ball

 

Women use an 11 inch slow pitch softball, .47 COR, at least 500 compression rating, optic yellow.

 

 ·        The arc

 

The height of a legal pitch must be from six (6) feet to twelve (12) feet above the playing surface.

 

    ·        Count

 

Each offensive player starts with a zero (0) zero (0) count.

 

    ·        Foul ball rule

 

A fly ball caught in foul territory with less then two outs, with runners on base, is NOT a dead ball. The ball remains alive and runners may advance at the risk of being out. A foul tip is NOT a foul ball unless the ball rises to a height above the batter’s head.

 

    ·        Bats

 

Legal bats are stamped either 1.20 bpf or ASA2000. The original Miken Ultra and the “Rip It” bats are banned. No additional bats have been banned.

 

     ·        Strike zone mat

 

The strike mat will be used.   Dimensions will be 19” wide and 34 ½ deep. The mat will be placed over Home Plate, aligned at the front edge. A defensive player making a play at Home Plate will be allowed to complete the force-out by touching any portion of the strike mat, not just home plate.

 

    ·        Commitment line

 

A commitment line twenty (20) feet from the scoring plate will be used. Once a runner’s foot touches the ground on or past this line, the runner is committed to advancing to the scoring plate. NOTE: If a runner recrosses the commitment line she will be declared out and the ball remains live.

 

    ·        Five (5) run limit per inning

 

Teams are limited to five (5) runs per inning, except for the final inning of the game in which each team can score an unlimited number. The umpire must announce the last inning unless it is the seventh (7^th) inning.

 

    ·        Courtesy runners

 

A courtesy runner may be used for a base runner at any time, but the same courtesy runner may not be used more than once per inning. Any player on the roster may be a courtesy runner. A player who has been replaced by a courtesy runner may not become a courtesy runner later in the same inning. Any courtesy runner found running in violation of this rule will be called out. 

 

    ·        Unrestricted batters

 

There is no restriction on the number of batters, but the lineup cannot be changed after the first pitch. A team dropping below the original number of batters in the lineup, and not having a substitute, will record an out when that position comes up to bat for the first time.

 

    ·        Scoring plate

 

Whenever possible a scoring plate replaces the scoring line. A foot down on the scoring plate or down on or past the scoring line prior to the ball being received by a defensive player touching home plate is the same as a foot down on home plate for the purpose of scoring a run.

 

    ·        Crossing or touching home plate/mat

 

The runner shall be called out if she touches or crosses over any portion of either home plate or the strike zone mat.

 

    ·        Tag by defensive player not allowed

 

If a defensive player tags a runner who has passed the commitment line and is attempting to score, the runner will be called safe and the ball remains live.

 

    ·        Sliding and over-running bases

 

Sliding or diving into first base or the scoring plate is not permitted, and such players will be called out. However, a player may slide or dive into second and third bases and when returning to any base. Players are not permitted to over-run second or third base without being in jeopardy of being tagged out. Sliding into home is not permitted.

 

    ·        Avoiding collisions

 

A runner must make every effort to avoid colliding with opposing players while running the bases. If a runner misses a base to avoid a collision, in the judgment of the umpire, she will not be called out.

  

    ·        Verbal protests

 

Only managers or acting managers can consult with the umpire over a rule interpretation.

 

    ·        Re-entry

 

Any of the starting players, including an EP, may be substituted and re-entered once, provided players occupy the same batting positions whenever in the lineup. The starting player and the substitute(s) may not be in the lineup at the same time. A substitute may not be removed and then re-entered in the game.

 

    ·        Pitcher Protection Rule

Currently being revised

    ·        Age qualifications

 

The age a player attains on her birthday in any particular calendar year will be considered to be her age for that entire calendar year.

 

    ·        Game times

 

After time has expired (60 minutes for the seeding round, 65 minutes for bracket play except for the Championship game), the current inning will be completed and one additional full inning will be played. 

 

 

    ·         Seeding

 

After round robin or pool play, seeding will be determined in the following manner:

 

Ø      1.         WON/LOSS record.

 

Ø      2.         HEAD TO HEAD competition.

 

Ø      3.         LEAST RUNS SCORED AGAINST.**

 

Ø      4.         RUN DIFFERENTIAL.

 

Ø      5.         FLIP OF COIN.

 

  v     Only the scores of the teams involved in a tie will be considered in calculating 3 and 4 above.

 

** Equalizer runs are included. If a team has a forfeit, then the game with the least runs scored will be removed from the equation of all affected teams.

 

    ·        Championship game

1. Two (2) umpires will be used in championship games in all tournaments.
2. There will be no time limit on championship games.
3. Definition: A Championship game is a game in which the winner may be declared champion.

    ·         Rosters                                                               

 

Rosters must be submitted prior to a tournament with the entry fee. No player can be added to the roster after the first pitch of the team’s first game. Players must be listed on the roster and on the Game Card to play in a game.

If a player cannot be present on the first day of play, the Manager/Coach must get prior approval from their Division Director. If approved, the player's name must be listed on the roster prior to the start of the tournament with an (*). This player must also sign in with the Field Director before playing their first game. This player will be deemed an "Ineligible" player if not signed in.

 

    ·        Double team registration

 

2010 will allow players to Double Roster as long as the player is within the age eligibilty of the age division.  No schedule will be rearranged to accomodate a player to play on two different teams of two different age divisions.

 

    ·        Number of players on team

 

Ten (10) players constitute a team for the master’s division (age groups 40+ and 45+). A team may start a game with no fewer than nine (9) players. A tenth (10^th) player on the roster may be added any time during the game, batting in the last (10^th) position. Unless the tenth (10^th) position is filled, an out will be declared the first time that position comes to bat.

 

Eleven (11) players constitute a team for the senior division (all age groups 50+ and above). A team may start a game with no fewer than ten (10) players. An eleventh (11^th) player on the roster may be added any time during the game, batting in the last (11^th) position. Unless the eleventh (11^th) position is filled, an out will be declared the first time that position comes to bat.

 

    ·        Tie games

 

Tie games after seven (7) innings or time limit will continue until one team is ahead after the completion of any subsequent inning. The international tie breaker rule will be in effect when a game is tied after the seventh (7^th) inning is completed.

 

    ·         International tie breaker rule

 

When the teams are tied and going into extra innings, each team starts each inning with a runner on second base. That base runner is the batter-runner (player at bat) when the last out was made in the previous inning, and no substitute or courtesy runner may replace her until she has reached third base. If the last batter out cannot continue to play because of injury, illness, etc., she will be declared out and the next previous batter out will be the tie-breaker runner.

 

    ·        Flip-flop rule

 

The flip-flop rule may be applied only at the discretion of the tournament director and only with approval of the managers of both teams.

 

    ·        Team rosters and competition

 

There are no geographic restrictions for team makeup.    A team roster for the World Championships is frozen on the first day of competition when that team begins play.

 

            TOC ROSTERS: Teams must use the rosters with which they won the Championships. Teams may addplayers in the same skill level and in the next older age group up to a maximum of 15 players (16 players for age groups that normally play with 11 defensive players.) If teams wish to add players the same age group and same skill level, they must to submit a written request that states the player's name and the previous team the player was on. Those exceptions are evaluated and granted or denied on an individual player-by-player basis.    There are NO automatic invitations to the TOC. All single-division teams need to win in whatever division they are placed into in order to be invited.

 

    ·        Format modification

 

SSWC qualifier tournaments and the Championships will use the same format when possible. However, qualifier tournaments may have valid reasons for modifying their format. In such a case, the tournament director may change the format with the concurrence of SSWC.

 

    ·        Scheduling modifications

 

SSWC reserves the right to place any team in any division for the purpose of competitive equality. 

 

    ·        Age Divisions

 

Women have as many age groups as possible, starting with the “Masters Division 40+. Senior age groups will start with 50+ and go up in increments of 5 years (e.g., 55+, 60+, 65+, etc.). 

 

Only players that reach the age defined by the age group before December 31^st will be allowed on the roster (for example, all players in the 60+ age group must be at least 60 before Dec 31st).

 

    ·        Equalizers

 

When two teams from different age divisions are playing, the team in the younger age division will give the team in the older age division 5 runs for one incremental difference in age. For ecah incremental difference in age thereafter the number of runs will increase by 2. For example, a 60+ team will give a 65+ team 5 runs because the 65+ is the next age division up from the 60+ division. A 55+ teams will give the 65+ team 7 runs because the 65+ is two age division up from the 55+. The 5-run equalizer is granted at one run per inning, from innings 2 through 6, inclusive. The 7-run equalizer is granted at one run per inning in each of the first seven innings played. 

 

Teams playing in different age divisions will be avoided if at all possible.   A three team makeup will be considered a division and qualify for the awards. If there are not three teams in a particular age division, SSWC will give the option to the short division of playing or not.

    ·        UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

New provisions to be added to SSUSA Rule Book to impose penalties for Unsportsmanlike Conduct ejections from Game(s) and/or Tournament(s). Variable penalties based upon severity of the incident, empowering Field Directors, Tournament Directors and the SSUSA Executive Board to impose additional sanctions when warranted.