2008 ASA Code Changes and Comments

Article Number Change

106 35 Delete the definition of Travel Permit and re-number

Comments: Travel permit requirement has been deleted.


201 A 78 Delete Tidewater Virginia Association and re-number

Comments: Tidewater Commissioner retires and the association is merged with Central Virginia.


201 A 02 Affiliation Fee. Each local association shall pay annually an affiliation fee of $1,000.00 and shall be responsible for membership dues as set forth in Article 201 ( A )( 03 ) of this Code. The

$1,000.00 payment may be made in two installments as follows: $500.00 on or before January 31 and $500.00 on or before June 30.

NOTE: Any affiliation fee not received by the deadline dates will incur a $250.00 late fee.

Comments: Encourages associations to submit fees in a timely manner.


201 A 03 d Dues. Each Junior Olympic Umpire $15.00

Comments: Changes Junior Olympic Umpire Fees to $15.00


307 ATHLETE REPRESENTATIVES. The Athlete Representative shall comprise seven positions on the ASA council with three positions or such additional number as to be not less than twenty percent ( 20% ) of the members of the Board of Directors and shall be elected in accordance with procedures approved by the United States Olympic Committee ( USOC ). The person elected to represent the ASA on the USOC Athlete Advisory Council shall hold one of these positions.

Comments:  Establishes seven total voting positions on the ASA Council for Athlete Representatives.


312 C 02 Nomination Forms. Each Council Member may nominate no more than two (2) candidates each year.

Comments: Allow any Council Member to nominate candidates for the ASA Hall of Fame.


312 C 03. Evaluation of Candidates. Factual and detailed information must be presented to the committee before a candidate can be accepted. Scrapbook and newspaper clippings are acceptable; also, letters from competent references. A candidate will be considered three times, but the nominee does not need to be considered in consecutive years. If a candidate is not selected in either the first or second year, the nomination will automatically be considered at the next council meeting unless the person who nominated the candidate informs the national office by September 1 not considered the candidate that year.

Comments: Defines the number of times a candidate can be considered for Hall of Fame selection.

402 D Ethics. This committee shall consist of at least one member from each ASA territory and be appointed by the President.

Comments: Helps define the make-up of the Committee.

Article Number Change

402 I Membership. This committee shall consist of at least two members from each ASA territory and be appointed by the President.

Comments: Helps define the make-up of the Committee.

402 L   National Championship Finals Tournament Awards Committee. This committee shall consist of at least twenty (20) members, at least one from each Region and not less than five from each territory.

1. National Championship Finals Tournament Awards ? Fast Pitch / Modified Pitch. This Committee shall accept and award Fast Pitch / Modified Pitch National Championship Finals in the following categories:

a. Men's Major, Class A, Class B and Class C Fast Pitch

b. Men's 23-Under Fast Pitch

c. Men's 40-Over, 45-Over and 50-Over Fast Pitch

d. Boy's Fast pitch

e. Women's Major, Class A and Class B Fast Pitch

f. Women's 23-Under Fast Pitch

g. Men's Modified Pitch

h. Women's Modified Pitch

i. Fast Pitch National Invitational Tournaments (NIT)

f. Slow Pitch National Invitational Tournaments (NIT)Comments: Renames the Special Events Committee to National Championship Finals Tournament Award Committee, defines the make-up of the committee and adds more Championships to the Committee?s list of championships awarded.

2. National Championship Finals Tournament Awards ? Slow Pitch. This Committee shall accept and award Slow Pitch National Championship  Finals in the following categories:

a. Men's Senior East / West Slow Pitch

b. Women's Masters 35-Over Slow Pitch

c. Girls' Slow Pitch

d. Boy's Slow Pitch

e. Men's Major and Class A 16-Inch Slow Pitch

New 402 O Special Programs. This Committee shall make recommendations to the council as to programs or events for the special needs population. It will review any request for special programming submitted by a council member.

Comments: Makes Special Programs to a standing committee.

New 501 A 02 b 01. In all adult Fast Pitch, USA National Team Members may not participate below the Class A level.

Comments: Defines what classifications that USA National Team Members may participate.

Article Number Change

New 501 A 02 b 03. Men's Major Fast Pitch players will be classified by a restricted fast pitch players list. The restricted fast pitch players list will be available on the ASA website and this list will be updated, modified and/or revised on a regular and continuous basis, but will be finalized by July 1 each year for the current year's National Championship Finals. The players on this list are ineligible to participate in the Men's Class A, B and C Fast Pitch classification. Any appeals regarding this list can be made through the ASA National Office to the fast pitch sub-committee.

Comments: Proposed and passed to go in Article 507, but was better suited for Article 501. This creates a restricted player list for Men's Fast Pitch.

New 501 A 02 d 02. A restricted slow pitch player list will be compiled by an ASA committee representing slow pitch. The restricted slow pitch players list will be available on the ASA website and this list will be updated, modified and/or revised on a regular and continuous basis but will be finalized by August 1 each year for the current year's National Championship Finals. Players on the ASA restricted slow pitch player's list may only play Class A. Any team that participates may not have more than two ( 2 ) players from the ASA restricted slow pitch player list. Any appeals regarding this list can be made through the ASA National Office to the slow pitch sub-committee.

Comments: Proposed and passed to go in Article 507, but was better suited for Article 501. This creates a restricted player list for Men's Slow Pitch.

New 503 A 12  Pick-up players who chose to participate in the Junior Olympic Girls' Class B program may not have participated in any college softball program.

Comments: Defines pick-up players in Junior Olympic Girls' Fast Pitch Class B.

506 A 03 Delete Women's "C" Fast Pitch

Comments: Removes Women's Class C from list of Championship play events.

506 A 14 Delete Co-ed Industrial

Comments: Removes Co-ed Industrial from list of Championship play events.

506 A 25 and 26 Changes the name of the Senior's 70 and 75 and Over Class A to Class AAA Comments: Brings the Class names in Seniors 70 and 75 in line with the other senior age groups.

507 F 01 Mandatory Reclassification. An adult team that has four or more players on a roster, including pick-up players, from a team or teams that finished in the following divisions and classifications in the same National Championship Final must participate in the next higher classification in championship play for their next playing season unless they played in the Major classification:

NOTE: If a team fails to participate in Championship play the next calendar year this restriction will remain in effect until the team participates at the higher classification.

Comments: Changes number of players from five to four on Mandatory Reclassification and redefines participate at the higher classification.

Article Number Change

509 B 02 a Men's Major Fast Pitch. This National Championship Final shall be scheduled on the weekend that includes the first Saturday in August. The tournament may not begin prior to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday and concluding no later than Sunday. If there are 13 or more teams entered into the Championship the bracket shall reflect a four day schedule.

Comments: Clarifies the number of playing days at the Men?s Major Fast Pitch based on the number of teams entered.

509 B 02 b   Men's Class A, Class B, and Class C Fast Pitch. EFFECTIVE 2010. These National Championship Finals shall be scheduled on the weekend that includes the last Saturday in July and commence no earlier than 6:00 p.m. Wednesday and concluding no later than Sunday.

Comments: Changes the dates of the Men's Class A, Class B and Class C Fast Pitch National Championships.

509 B 02 h Women's Major, Class A and Class B Fast Pitch. These National Championship Finals shall be scheduled on the weekend that includes the first Saturday in August.

Comments: Makes the dates of Women's Class A and Class B Fast Pitch will be on the weekend that includes the first Saturday in August.

509 B 04 d Girls' ASA Class A Fast Pitch ( all ages ). These National Championship Finals shall be scheduled and completed on the weekend that includes the first Saturday in August and may have the option of commencing no earlier than Monday. Opening ceremonies shall be held on that Monday. These championships are scheduled for a maximum of seven days.

Comments: Allows ASA Class A Girls' Fast Pitch National Championships to start as early as Monday and be scheduled for seven days.

509 B 04 e Girls' ASA Class B Fast Pitch ( all ages ). These National Championship Finals shall be scheduled by the Territory in which the tournament takes place, but must be scheduled between the third Saturday in July and the weekend that includes the second Saturday in August and may have the option of commencing no earlier than Monday. Opening ceremonies shall be held on that Monday. These championships are scheduled for a maximum of seven days.

Comments: Allows ASA Class B Girls' Fast Pitch National Championships to start as early as Monday, be scheduled for seven days and have the option of when to host these National Championships.

510 O 01 In Junior Olympic Girls' 10-Under Class A and 10-Under Class B Fast Pitch pool play, the time limit will be one hour and forty minutes; no inning shall start after one hour and forty minutes.

Comments: Changes Girls' 10-Under Class A and Class B time limits to match the other age classifications.

511 A 01 Junior Olympic Pool Play. In all Junior Olympic Class A and Class B National Championship Finals, pool play ( providing each team with two games ) shall be used to enhance the participation experience. In Girls? Fast Pitch 18-Under Gold pool play (providing each team with two games) shall be played for recruitment purposes only. Teams must participate in pool play to be eligible for the double elimination bracket. In Junior Olympic Girls' Slow Pitch, if there are less than 85 teams, qualifying pool play shall be conducted; if there are 85 or more teams, there shall be no qualifying Pool play.

Comments:  Pool play in all Junior Olympic Girls' Fast Pitch will be used only to enhance the participation experience.

Article Number Change

511 B 01 Bracket Protection. The ASA Official Double Elimination Bracket shall be used. Teams qualifying from the same region shall be protected, where possible, from playing each other in the first two rounds of the winner's bracket. When the number of teams entered in the tournament from a region is greater than the number of sections on the bracket, the final alignment shall be
determined by the ASA Representative.

NOTE: The double elimination bracket draw shall be held prior to the pool play draw. Pools will be assigned from the double elimination draw.

Comments: Defines that Double elimination bracket draw shall be held prior to the pool play and pools assigned from the double elimination draw.

515 ASA TERRITORY QUALIFYING TOURNAMENTS ( Junior Olympic 18-Under Gold Only ). The ASA shall conduct two Territory Qualifying Tournaments in Junior Olympic Girls? 18-Under  Gold Fast Pitch in each of the following Territory as defined in Article 203 of this code as follows:

Comments: The word Sector is changed to Territory in all instances within Article 515 of the ASA Code and all other areas in the ASA Code.

516 B 01 Men's Women's

Host Teams 4 4

0 - 500 6 6

501 - 1,000 10 10

1,001 - 2,000 12 12

Over 2,000 14 14

Each Region 4 4

Comments: Increases number of teams that Local Associations can send to the adult Slow Pitch National Championships in Men's Class B, Class C, Class D and Women's Class C and Class D.

516 B 02 Qualifying. Teams will qualify for these National Championship Finals through their local associations. Local Associations shall establish guidelines for the process teams may earn a berth into these National Championships. Local associations and regions may combine berths to qualify teams for these tournaments in accordance with Article 516 ( A )( 05 ) of this Code.  Teams may play in their closest National Championship.

Comments: Defines that teams may play in their closest National Championship.


New 516 D 03   EFFECTIVE 2008. Men's Senior Slow Pitch National Championship Finals. The ASA will conduct two ( 2 ) National Championship Tournaments in Men's Senior Slow Pitch.

Comments: Establishes an East / West National Championship for Men's Senior Slow Pitch.

 
516 E 01 Eligible Teams. All teams within an ASA National Championship Finals Territory that have not qualified for an USA / ASA Junior Olympic Girls' Class A Fast Pitch National Championship are eligible to qualify for the ASA National Championship Finals Tournament through their local association. Teams may play in their closest National Championship.

Comments: Defines that teams may play in their closest National Championship.

Article Number Change

516 F   The ASA shall conduct one National Championship Finals in each age classification of Junior Olympic Girls? Class B Fast Pitch in each of the ASA territories, In accordance with Article 203, Territories of this Code.

01. Eligible Teams. All teams within an ASA National Championship Finals Territory are age eligible to qualify for their ASA Territory National Championship Finals tournament through their local Associations. Teams may play in their closest National Championship.

02. Format. Each ASA Girls' Fast Pitch National Tournament shall be structured so that each team is scheduled to play a minimum of four ( 4 ) games - two games of pool play and double elimination bracket.

03. Opening Ceremonies. Each National Tournament shall have a pretournament luncheon/draw for the managers and opening ceremonies.

Comments: Changes ASA Junior Olympic Class B Fast format to be similar to ASA Junior Olympic Class A format and allows teams to play in their closest National Championship.

Article 516 G Junior Olympic GOLD Girls' 18-Under Fast Pitch EFFECTIVE 2008. There will not be a Defending Champion or top Three Runners-Up from the 2007 Gold National Championship receiving berths to the 2008 Gold National Championship. The berths will be allocated as follows:

National Qualifier 2

Regional Champion 15

Regional Berths based on previous Year's Gold Participation in Regional Play:

Region with the highest participation 5

Region with the second highest participation 5

Region with the third highest participation 1

Region with the fourth highest participation 1

Region with the fifth highest participation 1

Region with the sixth highest participation 1

Region with the seventh highest participation 1 15

Territorial Berths based on previous Year's Gold Participation in Territorial Play:

Territory with the highest participation 12

Territory with the second highest participation 12

Territory with the third highest participation 4

Territory with the fourth highest participation 4 32

Maximum Possible Number of Teams 64

Comments: Determines the representation of Girls' 18-Under Gold National Championship berths.

517 A NOTE: In the Championship Series involving four (4) teams. A four team Round Robin leading into a seeded Double Elimination bracket will be played.

Comments: Defines format for National Championship Series Finals that involves four ( 4 ) qualifying teams.

Article Number Change

520 C 05 Delete Travel Permit

Comments: Travel Permits no longer necessary.

602 F 01  The bid shall be opened and screened in the national office by a tournament review committee and the results shall be sent to the Council for review at least 15 days prior to the start of the Annual Council Meeting.

Comments: Defines who screens National Championship bids.

607 B 03 a b c d e Adds MVP award to all packages

Comments: Allows Championship Committee to award a MVP award.

607 B 06 b 01 and 02 Fast Pitch. Four Infielders, four Outfielders, three utility players, one catcher and three pitchers.

Comments: Gives the Championship Committee flexibility when naming the All-American teams.

607 B 07 b 01 and 02 Slow Pitch. Four Infielders, four Outfielders, five utility players, one catcher and one pitcher

Comments: Gives the Championship Committee flexibility when naming the All-American teams.

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