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60+ age division
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The national senior softball organizations in America:
ASA
ISA
Huntsman Games
ISSA
LVSSA
NASCS
NSA
SPA
SSUSA
These ratings are posted as teams play in tournaments sanctions by any of the supporting organizations. If your team's ratings have not appeared within 30 days of playing, please contact the organization that sanctioned the tournament in which your team competed (managers only). If managers have a question about their team or other teams, please contact the organization in which you competed or call the Ratings Coordinator at (916) 326-5303.
If team managers have a question regarding the ratings, or information concerning a team's ratings, you can contact any of the nine organizations listed on the home page, or call this website's adminstrator at (916) 326-5303.
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RECOMMENDED WOMEN'S SENIOR SOFTBALL RULES
SEASON 2006
"You're never too old to play"
The following rules are set forth as recommendations by the Senior Softball Women's Advisory Council (SSWAC) for women's games within all the senior softball organizations. It is understood that there will be some exceptions to these rules for each organization, and final rules for any tournament are set by the tournament director.
EQUIPMENT:
Each individual organization determines which bats and balls are legal for play in tournaments sanctioned by that organization. Women use an 11 inch slow pitch softball. With no proven safety issues for women, lively bats and balls are preferred. The preferred bat is 1.20 BPF. The preferred ball is .47 COR, 525 compression, and optic yellow.
COMPETITION:
Teams may draw from any regions in the USA and Canada.
Two (2) umpires will be used in championship games at all tournaments.
A seeding round into a double elimination format will be used at all tournaments.
No double rostering of players is permitted in championship (e.g., national and world) tournaments.
In any tournament, a player must play in at least one complete seeding game for a team before being eligible to play in a championship game for that team.
AGE DIVISIONS:
Women have as many age divisions as possible. There must be at least four (4) teams in a particular age group to be considered a division for tournament play.
50 Age Division:
LVSSA, SSWC, and SPA are in a "True Age Division" Transition and allow five (5) players on the roster age 49 in 2006.
SSWS is in a "True Age Division" Transition and allows five (5) players between the ages of 47-49 on the roster in 2006.
ASA, Huntsman, ISA, ISSA, NSA, and USSSA are currently at a "True Age Division" and only ladies that reach the age of 50 years of age before December 31, 2006 will be allowed on the roster.
NOTE: By the year 2009 all organizations/associations will be a "True 50 Age" Division.
2. Age Divisions Below and Above 50:
Only ladies that reach the age defined by the age group before December 31st will be allowed on the roster (e.g., a player must be 60 years of age by December 31st to be eligible to play in the 60 age group).
EQUALIZER RULE:
When two teams from different age groups are playing, the team in the younger age group will spot the team in the older age group 5 runs for one incremental difference in age. For each incremental difference in age thereafter the number of runs will increase by 2. For example, a 60+ team will spot a 65+ team 5 runs because 65+ is the next age group up from 60+. A 55+ team will spot a 65+ team 7 runs because 65+ is two age groups up from 55+.
PLAYING RULES
IDENTIFICATION AND PROOF OF AGE:
A player must present an appropriate identification and proof of age for player check in, as required by the respective organization running the tournament.
VERBAL PROTESTS:
Only managers or acting managers can consult with the umpire over a rule interpretation. PROTEST FEE: A $50.00 protest fee must be paid to the Tournament Director before the protest will be heard. Protests will be limited to player eligibility and misinterpretation of a rule by an Umpire.
HOME TEAM:
The home team shall be designated at the beginning of each game by a flip of a coin. Game time is forfeit time. The score of a forfeited game is seven (7) - zero (0) in favor of the team not at fault.
TIME LIMIT:
Seeding Rounds (Pool/Bracket Play): An official game is seven (7) innings or one (1) hour plus one additional inning. The International Tie-Breaker will be in effect after seven (7) innings or end of time limit, which ever comes first. The 60-minute rule will be used during the seeding rounds. The umpire will notify each team after 60 minutes of play. At that point, the teams will finish the inning in progress and play one more inning unless the inning being played is the 7th inning.
Elimination Rounds: There will be a 60-minute rule during the double elimination championship rounds. The umpire will notify each team after 60 minutes of play. At that point, the teams will finish the inning in progress and play one more inning unless the inning being played is the 7th inning.
Championship Game(s): There will be no time limit on the championship game(s).
INTERNATIONAL TIEBREAKER:
Tie games after seven innings or end of time limit shall continue until one team has scored more runs than the other at the completion of an inning. Each team will start each additional inning with a runner on second base. The runner will be the last player that completed her turn at bat when the third out was made in the previous inning. No substitute or courtesy runner is allowed to replace the runner starting at second base until she has advanced to third base. If this runner is unable to continue to play, for any reason, she will be declared out and the next previous batter will be the tiebreaker runner. The runner that was unable to continue may not play for the remainder of the game.
RUN AHEAD OR MERCY RULE:
A tournament may use either:
A mercy rule
A limit of 5 runs per inning except for the last inning, which is open.
WIN-LOSS RECORDS:
In round robin or pool play, seeding will be determined in the following manner:
1. WON/LOSS record.
2. HEAD TO HEAD competition.
3. LEAST RUNS SCORED AGAINST.**
4. RUN DIFFERENTIAL.
5. FLIP OF COIN.
Only the scores of the teams involved in the 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.
PITCHING RULES:
The following pitching rules will be in effect: Pitching Arc: 6' minimum and 12' maximum rule will be used. NOTE: The umpire WILL VERBALIZE, "illegal", on balls that are either below 6' or above 12'. Strike Zone Mat: A strike zone mat will be used for all age divisions. Legal pitches striking any portion of the mat or home plate will be called a strike. A pitching box will be used. The pitching box will be as wide as the pitching PLATE and extended 6 feet behind the pitching plate from the front edge.
COUNT:
Each offensive player starts with a zero (0) zero (0) count with none to waste.
FOUL THIRD STRIKE:
Upon hitting a foul ball on the third strike, the batter is out and the ball is live if caught in the air in playable territory. If a live foul ball is caught, runners can tag and advance at their own risk.
BASERUNNING:
Courtesy Runners: Unlimited Courtesy runners are allowed each inning.
Any player on the active roster may be used as a courtesy runner.
A courtesy runner is considered in the game when she touches the base.
A courtesy runner whose turn at bat comes while she is on base will be called out. She will be removed from the base and come to bat. A second courtesy runner may not be substituted at this time, nor can a substitute be inserted in the batting line-up in her spot to circumvent the rule.
A player may be a courtesy runner only once per inning.
A courtesy runner may not run for an existing courtesy runner except for injury.
A runner who is replaced with a courtesy runner cannot be used as a courtesy runner for the remainder of the inning.
If a runner violated d, e, or f above, she will be called out and removed from the base.
Commitment Line: Shall be marked across and perpendicular to the foul line and placed twenty (20) feet from home plate. Once a runner's foot touches the ground on, or past this line, the runner is committed to advance to the scoring plate/line.
Safety Base: A 1st Base Double Bag/Mat shall be used with the double portion being in foul territory abutting 1st base Ð normally Orange in color.
Scoring Plate/Line: A scoring plate or scoring line will be used. Defensive players can only touch the original home plate, not tag the runner, and runners can only touch the scoring plate or cross the scoring line.
Scoring Plate: Will be situated approximately eight (8) feet from home plate and on an imaginary extension of the first base foul line. The base runner must touch the scoring plate in order to be safe at home.
Scoring: Runners tagged after crossing the commitment line will not be out. Should a defensive player touch the scoring plate and still touch the original home plate before the runner reaches the scoring plate/line, the runner will be out. If the runner touches home plate rather than the scoring plate/line, the runner will be out and the ball will remain live.
Scoring Line:
Will be an extension of the first base foul line. It will begin approximately 8 feet from home plate and be at least five (5) feet in length. The base runner will be allowed to cross over any portion of the scoring line. The base runner will be considered scored when any part of her body touches the scoring line or beyond.
SLIDING OR OVER-RUNNING BASES:
Sliding or diving back to any base is permitted. The batter-runner must run to the portion of the double first base, if used, extending into foul territory (orange in color) when a play is being made on them. If the throw pulls the fielder (1st baseman) off the white portion of the bag, then the batter-runner may run to the white bag to avoid a collision.
Players are not permitted to over-run second or third base without being in jeopardy of being tagged out.
A runner must make an 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.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON TEAM DEFENSIVELY:
Ten (10) players constitute a team in the Masters age divisions (40+, 45+). A team may start with no fewer than nine (9) players. A tenth player on the roster must be added when she arrives during the game, batting in the last (10th) position. Until the tenth (10th) position is filled, an out will be declared each time that position comes to bat. Eleven (11) players constitute a team in the Senior age divisions (50+ and up). A team may start a game with no fewer than ten (10) players. An eleventh player on the roster must be added when she arrives during the game, batting in the last (11th) position. Until the eleventh (11th) position is filled, an out will be declared each time that position comes to bat.
Short-Handed Rule: If a team begins play with the required number of players, that team may continue a game with one less player than is currently in the lineup whenever a player leaves the game for any reason other than ejection.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON TEAM OFFENSIVELY:
A team may bat up to 15 players. A line-up cannot be changed once it has been given to the plate umpire. All batters must be listed on the line-up submitted to the umpire, including all substitutes. A team may play with one (1) less player than they started with if, due to anything other than an ejection, a player leaves the game and cannot be immediately replaced. When the missing player comes to bat, an out will be recorded. Under NO circumstances will a team be allowed to play with less than ten (10) players - nine (9) players for the Masters divisions.
UNIFORMS AND HEAD GEAR:
All players on a team shall wear uniforms alike in color and style. Numbers must be worn on all uniforms. No player on the same team may wear identical numbers. Numbers must be a minimum of 6 inches. Sleeveless shirts are allowed, as are shoulder straps (to shorten sleeves). Ball caps, visors (other than plastic) and headbands are optional for players, and if worn, can be mixed within the team. Loose/Dangerous Jewelry is not allowed. Medical alert ID bracelets or necklaces are allowed but should be taped to the body as not to present a hazard.
Metal cleats will not be permitted. Players found wearing metal cleats in a game will be ejected from the game and, if on base, a "dead ball" will be called; any player on base at the time the ejected player came to bat must return to the base occupied at that time, if there are fewer than three (3) outs.
NOTE: Players should be asked to remove or tape loose jewelry. If they fail to do so, that player may be removed from the game. Violation of the jewelry rule and uniform rule is not grounds for a protest.
The National Senior Softball Summit approved a National Combined Senior Softball Rating System in its annual meeting in Marietta, Georgia, in February 2000.
This website represents the combined ratings that are supported by all nine national softball organizations.
If you have a question regarding the ratings, changes in team names, disbanded teams, or teams that have moved up in age group, or information concerning a team's ratings, you can contact any of the three members of the Ratings Committee listed on the appeals form.
The national senior softball organizations in America:
ASA
ISA
Huntsman Games
ISSA
LVSSA
NASCS
NSA
SPA
SSUSA
National Senior Softball Hall of Fame
