The Franklin Senior Softball League is a recreational league founded in 2006 to promote co-ed softball for senior players. Games are played using modified fast pitch rules. The league is open to players age 50 and over who live in or work in Franklin Township and its surrounding towns. The league is governed by its member teams through a council formed from its team managers and a league commissioner.
The goal of the league is to provide its players with a safe and friendly environment to play softball with an emphasis on participation and sportsmanship. Team managers are responsible for promoting a healthy balance between fun and competition and a fair allocation of playing time throughout the season.
The league rules and regulations are reviewed and evaluated on a yearly basis with the input of the league managers and players.
LEAGUE CONTACT: Robert LaCorte Commissioner 732-991-1710 boblacorte52@gmail.com
Revised 3/9/2021
A. Teams will be accepted into the League upon receipt of the designated league fees and completed roster forms with a minimum of 12 players and maximum of 22 players.
B. Each team will be charged an entry fee that covers their share of the cost of umpires, field reservations, game balls, insurance and administration and are due by the registration deadline April 1 or on a schedule set by the League Council. Season Fees are based on an 18 game regular season plus playoffs and championship games.
C. In order to continue using township fields, we have set a goal of maintaining a league wide majority of our players as In-Town (individuals who live or work within the township limits). To this end each team will also try to maintain a majority of its players as in-town.
D. Falsification of the above information for any player is grounds for expulsion from the league without a refund.
E. A team must submit a completed roster, minimum 12 players with new player documentation signed by the manager or assistant manager to the League by Opening Day or a time designated by the league to be eligible for the current season.
F. Each player, scorekeeper and manager must read and sign the code of conduct before playing in any game. These forms will be held by the team.
G. Each team must have their players fill in and sign the team insurance waiver form. This form will be held by the team.
A. All players must be 50 by Aug. 1 of the current season to be eligible unless granted a waiver by the League Council.
Any person wishing to join the league who is qualified by age and not deemed to be a danger to themselves by playing, shall be assigned to a team by the League Council.
B. All NEW players must submit a photocopy of their driver’s license to the League Secretary to be made available to the other managers.
C. Players may be of either gender.
D. No refunds will be given once schedules have been distributed.
E. In the event of team/player eligibility questions, that team is responsible to supply proof of an approved team roster.
F. Adding any new player after rosters have been submitted to the league requires council approval along with the submission of that player’s driver’s license and an updated Roster Form. The proper procedure will be: submitting the new players driver’s license to the league secretary at least two days before being eligible to play their first game in the league.
G. Players may request to be moved to a different team in between spring seasons. The permission of both managers and a majority of the League Council is required.
H. A manager may
remove a player from their roster who is deemed to be a disruption to the team
or is disrespectful to his manager and/or fellow teammates when such a
situation cannot be mediated and with permission of the league Council.
New players and players returning to the league after one or
more years out of the league will be assigned to teams by the League Managers
Council. As a goal the League has an interest in promoting parity among its
teams. The Council managers will therefore consider a new player’s ability and
existing affiliations with member teams and players when making decisions.
Teams will in most instances be given a priority in the placement of new
players in reverse order of the previous seasons regular season standings. All
new players will be encouraged to participate in the league’s fall and early
spring exhibition games for evaluation.
Teams may not refuse players assigned to them by the league.
Players may attend all League Managers Meetings and receive
minutes from all meetings.
A. Any player ejected from a game will face a minimum suspension of the next two consecutive games. The suspension is effective immediately (if ejection occurs in the first game of doubleheader, player must sit out second game and next league game). A second ejection in the same season will result in a minimum suspension of the next three games. A third ejection in a season will result in a 12 month suspension.
B. In the case of a one year suspension, a hearing by the league council is required before being readmitted to league play.
C. Any player, who is suspended from a game, or for the season may not be present at the softball field during the suspension.
D. A team playing a suspended player will forfeit all games the suspended player participated in during the suspension. This could result in a team suspension from the league.
E. A team playing an illegal or suspended player in a playoff game will forfeit that game and all remaining games.
F. A team can be suspended if they accumulate five season (including playoffs) ejections in a season. That team would then be suspended from league play for the remainder of the season.
G. A hearing by the league council will be held before team will be allowed back into the league.
A. Casual Profanity pertains to expletives and verbal unsportsmanlike language not necessarily directed at umpires or opposing players, but are most likely a player uttering them out of frustration. This type of behavior is penalized by “outs” being declared against the offending team.
o If the team is at bat and unsportsmanlike words are used, the next batter can be declared out.
o If the act is committed by a player remaining at bat, he/she can be called out.
o If the act is committed by the defensive team, they may begin their next inning with one out declared.
o The outs will be treated as a delayed dead ball situation.
o If the violation occurs in the bottom of the last inning, where the fielding team may not bat again, the ejection rule can be applied.
o A game may be ended by a casual profanity out.
B. All other verbal unsportsmanlike language directed at umpires, opposing players or Township Employee can warrant an ejection.
A forfeit will be declared by the umpire in favor of the team not at fault in the following cases:
A. If a team appears with less than nine (9) players at game time.
B. Violation of Franklin League rules or Franklin Township park rules.
C. Teams that forfeit more than two games may be suspended from further league play and will not be eligible for the playoffs. League fee will not be refunded.
A. All protests must be filed, in writing by the next business day, to the League Commissioner via email, Fax or written report (signed and dated).
B. The only call that you may protest is an umpire’s misinterpretation of a rule, you may not protest judgment calls.
C.
All game protests must be made to the umpire and scorekeeper
before the next pitch after the incident.
D. All player eligibility protests can be made to the League Commissioner.
E. Use of illegal players may result in a team being suspended from the league for the remainder of the season. All illegal player issues will affect only the game in which it was raised.
F. The official score sheet cannot be protested. It is the managers’ responsibility to check with the scorekeeper to make sure that it is correct.
A. Games will be played at the Following Fields: Middlebush Park Softball Field, Demott Lane. Inman Park Lower Field, Leupp Lane. Williams Park Softball Field, Matilda Ave.
The order of re-scheduled make up games will be in the order they occurred unless requested by team managers and approved by the League Council.
A. The Franklin Senior Softball League will provide umpires for all its games.
B. An umpire has the right to cancel or call off any game at any time during the game if they feel that the action of participants or weather and field conditions are a liability to the players and/or the Township of Franklin.
C. There will be one umpire assigned to all regular season games and first round playoff games. Two umpires will be assigned for all championship games. The umpire(s) is/are the sole authority on the field and any arguing or verbal threats will not be tolerated. Umpires will discuss rule interpretation only with the manager and/or assistant manager.
D. If a team manager/assistant manager are satisfied or dissatisfied with the performance of any umpire, the manager/assistant manager is requested to file, in writing, specific complaints or suggestions to the League Commissioner. The Commissioner will then review these comments. After review, if further action is warranted, he will take necessary action.
E. In the event of an umpire no show: Please call the Umpire Arbiter or Chief Umpire. An attempt to secure a substitute umpire will be made.
All injuries, must be reported to the League Secretary within 24 hours.
Playoffs for the League Championship will be held after the conclusion of the regular season.
Player eligibility for the playoffs will be a minimum of six games played during the regular season. The League Council may waive or change this requirement in cases of injury, illness or other extenuating circumstances by a majority vote.
In the case of a three team playoffs a round robin format will be used.
In the case of a five team playoffs the fifth seed will play a one game elimination round against the fourth seed with the higher seed as the home team. Then there will be two semi-final rounds, the same as for a four team playoffs format.
Each semi-final and championship round will be decided as a best of three series. No doubleheaders. In each round the higher seeded team will be the home team in games one and three. The match ups will be, first place team against the fourth seeded team and the second place team against the third place team.
In the semi-final round the first place team will have the choice of which field (fields that the league has permits) to use for games one and three, game two will be played at the second field used by the league.
The winners will advance to the League Championship Round.
The league will provide one umpire for each playoff game and two umpires for each League Championship game.
All playoff games must be played until a winner is decided, extra innings if necessary. All playoff games must be played to completion. If called for any reason, a playoff game must be resumed at the point it was stopped.
Regular season standings will be determined by a point system, awarding three points for a win, two points for a tie and one point for a loss. No point is awarded for a loss by forfeit. In the case of a seeding tie, the first tie-breaker will be the record in head to head competition. The second tie breaker will be the run differential, head to head. The third tie breaker will be a coin toss by the team managers involved.
A. Smoking is not permitted on any Township Property.
B. Possession of or consuming of alcoholic beverages in all Township parks is prohibited as stated by Township ordinance.
C. Managers/Assistant Managers are responsible for covering the league rules with team members so that they are aware of them. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse. Please take a copy of these rules with you to all games.
D. It is recommended that each team provide their own first aid kits.
E. Please make use of the trash and recycling cans.