CYS Softball Policies & Procedures
Tryouts & Team Selection:
- Tryouts are held at Talmadge Middle School on the first Saturday of April. It begins at 9am and goes until noon. Each age division will be scheduled a specific time, i.e., 8U at 9am, 10U at 10am, 12U at 11am.
- Two volunteers are needed to staff the registration table. Most players will have already registered and they just need to check in and be given a number sticker to put on their shirt. We will also take new registrations on that day.
- Three volunteers will be needed to conduct the player evaluation. The softball program will use the same tryout process and forms as baseball does.
- We will need to bring bats in a variety of sizes, provide inside softballs “softees” for throwing & hitting. Softees may be able to be borrowed from the high school.
- All youth are required to attend tryouts unless previous arrangements have been made with the Director.
- Coaches are required to attend tryouts. They are free to take notes as they choose.
- Coaches are not to recruit players specifically for their team before tryouts. Team placement will be made after tryouts with the primary goal of fairly balancing teams.
- Tryouts will be for the following age divisions:
· 8U (6 - 8 year olds)
· 10U (9 & 10 year olds)
· 12U (11 & 12 year olds)
· Evaluators will assist with various skills drills and will rate the players on their level of proficiency on a 0 – 2 scale. Each drill is performed several times and all scores are averaged.
· Players will be identified on the rating sheet only by the number which has been placed on their shirt.
· Players are then ranked based on their scores.
· Coaches will attend the draft for their age division to select teams. Details on drafting procedures are detailed below.
· There may be discussion in which the evaluators, the Director, and the CYS coaches can provide input into the final team selection.
The Draft Process:
- A time and location to hold the draft will be agreed upon by the coaches and coordinator for each level as soon after the tryouts as possible.
- Coaches will be given copies of the tryout results at the draft which will have all player rankings.
- Rankings are not to be shared with players or parents.
- The Division Coordinator will ensure that the teams are selected according to this process.
- Pitchers and catchers shall be spread out among the teams as much as possible.
- The coach may have 3 guaranteed picks – their own child, the child of one assistant coach and the child of a team parent. The rest must be drafted.
- Coaches do not automatically get the same players from their team last year. They may draft those players in an earlier round if they wish to retain them.
- Parent requests can be taken into consideration by the coach by choosing those players earlier in the draft. There is no guarantee.
- A need for ride shares, being with best friends or “if they can’t be on my team they won’t play” will not over ride the draft guidelines stated here.
- Coaches will put their names on a slip of paper and the order they are picked out of a “hat” will determine the order of the draft and who will select the first player.
- Coaches will state who their “3 guaranteed picks” are in the first round. They will begin drafting other players in the second round.
- Coaches will select players in order until all players have all been selected on a team.
- Coaches will have the opportunity to “trade” players at the end to respond to parent requests, friends, etc. However trades should be at the same skill level rating. Coaches are not obligated to complete trades but are encouraged to do so.
- Players who do not attend the tryouts but have signed up will be placed in a hat and picked randomly at the end of the draft in the order of the draw.
- The Division Coordinator will have the authority to settle disputes or issues with the draft but decisions can be appealed to the Director. The Director will then have final decision after hearing from all parties involved.
Number of Players and Teams:
- There may be as many teams per level as there are players to fill the teams. There are usually at least 2 at each level.
- Teams must have a minimum of 10 players but no more than 13. This will insure there are adequate numbers for games and not too much sitting out.
- If there are not enough players for complete teams after drafting, coaches may try to recruit additional players. However, any players added after tryouts must be placed on the team with the fewest players. If teams have an equal number of players, the teams will be placed in a hat and picked at random and the player will be placed on that team.
- Players will be required to pay all fees before they will be allowed to begin practice unless special arrangements have been made by the parent with the coach or Director. No uniforms will be distributed until fees have been paid.
- The age cutoff is January 1. The age a player is as of January 1 of the current year is their “softball age” and what will be used to determine what age division they will play.
- “Playing Up” Players wishing to tryout for a level above their age must request so at tryouts. If the player can demonstrate that she has the skills to compete at the upper age division at tryouts, they will be allowed to do so. This will only be allowed if they are one year away from being in that division. This will be considered on a case by case basis and will be an exception, rather than the rule. Note: By allowing large numbers of girls to tryout and play in higher age levels we are lowering the overall skill level in that division and hampering our ability to compete with other teams who have girls playing in the right age division. For example, by allowing 10 year olds to play on a 12U team, they are potentially playing against girls who have turned 13 after Jan 1 of that year which is a huge age difference and potential safety issue.
- “Playing Down” A player may request to play in a lower division only if they have a birthday Sept-Dec and are a “softball year” older than girls in their same grade. That request will be granted if their skills are not significantly more advanced than the girls they will be playing with for safety & fairness issues.
- No players will be cut after tryouts. Tryouts are only done to help insure the teams are balanced and there are no “stacked” teams.
- Player evaluations are to be conducted by the volunteers from the Central High School softball coaching staff or volunteers from the CYS baseball program. This is to insure impartiality with regard to rating.
- If there is a shortage of evaluators, independent evaluators may be used. Independent evaluators must not have a child trying out for the team(s) for which they are evaluating.
|
