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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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2007 National Advisory Board recommendations
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The Men¹s National Senior Softball Advisory Board met here during the Summit on Jan. 20-21, 2007. National Advisory Board Chairman Frank Mazzeo presented the Board's recommendations. Summit delegates then considered the recommendations and Summit Recording Secretary Terry Hennessy presented the Summit response:
Recommendations
» Revise the proposal to use a single ID Card for all Associations.
Summit Response: It was reported at last year's Summit that the company that had been approved for trials on the Central ID Cards had backed out of the project and that now only three associations require cards: SSUSA, SPA and SSWS. It was reported that until another neutral company could be found to produce the cards, the project was at a standstill. Jerry Jackson of ISA made a motion that the Central ID Card be taken off future agendas because it is not feasible. Charlie LaRouche of USSSA seconded. Passed by acclamation. Hennessy said the issue could be re-opened if another company could be found, but there were no leads at this time.
» Out-of-area Major-Plus players must select his team at the beginning of the year and then stay with that team for the year. Each team should be permitted to add one out-of-area player for their region, but the player would be limited to move within a region East or West of Mississippi (15-1 vote by Advisory Board).
Summit Response: This is an issue that the associations are each wrestling with at this time. Some associations have already adopted this rule and other associations are considering it. The results of these current discussions will be posted on the Comparison of Rules Chart on the Summit website (www.softballrating.com). In addition, the issue will continue to be studied this year by the National Ratings Committee because it concerns the common roster issue.
» A player who has played on the same team for at least 5 years and permanently moves can play for that (his old) team. A player who played for a team for less than 5 years can appeal to play with his old team (15-1 vote by Advisory Board).
Summit Response: This is a new and interesting issue that each of the delegates will bring back to their organization to discuss with the appropriate rule-making body. Delegates will report back to the Advisory Board at the 2008 Summit on the results.
» All nine associations should scrutinize rosters before all naturals and qualifiers and determine if team is properly classified with the roster presented (12-2-2 vote by the Advisory Board).
Summit Response: Summit delegates agreed that properly checking rosters has created problems at some tournaments. This issue will be addressed by the National Ratings Committee and the committee's recommendations on how best to proceed will be announced on the Summit website and in Senior Softball News.
» A. We support the Summit's Altered Bats activities and recommend 5 years for first offense and lifetime for second offense.
» B. Don't support the proposal to automatically confiscate a bat for testing if player is injured due to a batted ball (14-0-2 vote by the Advisory Board).
Summit Response to Recommendation A: The Summit passed this resolution: “Penalty for Using an Altered Bat: If a bat is suspected of being altered to enhance performance, the tournament committee will determine if the bat will continue in play or be held for inspection. If the player refuses to turn over the bat, the player will be suspended for 10 years and the manager for one year and the team will forfeit all games. If the player voluntarily releases the bat and it is found to be altered to enhance performance, the player will be suspended for 5 years and the manager for one year. A second offense may result in the lifetime ban of the player.”
Summit Response to Recommendation B: Each association has it's own rules concerning confiscating equipment in the case of serious injury. Generally, the bat and ball are only confiscated in cases of serious injury, for example those that require hospitalization. The bat and ball are confiscated because of liability issues involved with serious injuries.
» Penalty for managers should be same as players if proven culpable or there have been multiple offenses (16-0 vote by the Advisory Board).
Summit Response: This refers to altered bats. Please see the Summit Resolution in response to item 5A. The managers are penalized for the first time in this resolution. While the penalty is not the same as it is for a player using an altered bat, the delegates believe it sufficient to force managers to take a pro-active role in stopping the use of altered bats.
» Expand the National Ratings Committee by adding 2 members from Advisory Board (15-1 vote by the Advisory Board).
Summit Resolution: The Summit delegates voted to allow the selection of one Advisory Board member to the National Ratings Committee. The committee was directed to establish an application form for all new potential members of the National Rating Committee and make the selection of the new committee member.
» We support and offer Tom Schadt's proposal for the summit's consideration (16-0 vote by the Advisory Board). NOTE: See Disciplinary Recommendation.
Summit Response: Each of the nine associations has disciplinary guidelines for the use of altered bats, falsifying information and assaults. In addition, the Summit has adopted a resolution this year on bats (see 5A above) and the Summit adopted a resolution recommending lifetime bans for players falsifying their ages in 1999.
All associations have agreed to send all of the other Summit Associations letters detailing any major incident requiring a disciplinary action. Those letters contain the information recommended in Tom Schadt's proposal EXCEPT the name of the manager (unless he or she is involved in the disciplinary action) and the name of the sponsor.
» All associations should allow an unlimited number of batters (16-0 vote of the Advisory Board).
Summit Response: While this rule issue falls under the purview of each association, delegates are happy to report that they are moving closer to agreement. Currently 5 of the 9 associations allow unlimited batters -- with ASA just adopting the policy this year. In addition, SSWS has increased the number it allowed to 15. Associations not allowing unlimited batters agreed to look at it this year.
» Add a “catch-up” rule to allow enough runs to get even (16-0 vote by the Advisory Board).
Summit Response: Summit delegates felt that the “catch-up” rule works well for league play, but was not appropriate for National Tournament competition. Gary Tryhorn related how the Northern California Senior Softball Association adopted the rule, but the weaker teams generally did not like it because they felt it was harder for them to compete against the stronger teams.
» All associations should use same 1.20-bpf standard (allowing the Miken Ultra II, etc.) (15-1 vote by the Advisory Board).
Summit Response: Associations view their bat policies as an integral part of the way they regulate the game as an individual association. That difference sets them apart from every other association. The bottom line is that the three bat standards being used are unlikely to change in the near future. However, to make it easier for players to find out which bats are allowed by each association, the Summit will add links in the “Bat Spec” column of the Comparison of Rules Chart on www.softballrating.com to the bat list of each organization.
» Recommended all associations use 6-foot pitcher's box and strike mat, and that fields be prepped before every game.
Summit Response: 7 of the 9 associations use a mat and pitcher's box. Craig Cress, the delegate for ASA (one of the associations not allowing the mat and box) said that he has recommended ASA add it to their rules, but the proposed rule change has been turned down twice in the last two years. He said he would continue to propose the change. The other association not allowing the mat or box, ISSA, follows ASA rules.
Delegates said that they recognize the importance of field preps at tournaments and most major tournaments require frequent field preps. Delegates said they would make sure the people in charge of the tournaments are aware of the importance of field preps.
» All associations allow 11 on defense for 65+ for AAA and AA divisions (13-0-3 vote by Advisory Board).
Summit Response: Two associations -- NSA and SSWS -- have adopted the policy of allowing 11 players on AAA and AA teams and 10 players on Major-Plus and Major teams. They will report back to the Summit in 2008 on how their programs went using this new policy.
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
