UCSSL MEETING MINUTES FOR ARPIL 6, 2016
The following is a summary of our league meeting of April 6, 2016
27 were in attendance, with all 21 teams represented.
Ken Zeidner was introduced as the manager of "Bad Brains," the new name for the team formerly sponsored by Waxtel Construction.
Managers were reminded that a registration/waiver form must be signed prior to a player engaging in any team/league activity, and all registration materials must be received before a player participates in league games.
Managers
were also reminded that "preliminary" rosters are due by league
rule "before the scheduling meeting that is held in
mid-April." Because our final
pre-season meeting is early this year, and the season begins in less than 2
weeks, managers will have until Monday April 11 to submit their initial roster,
using the NJSSA form in either WORD or Excel format. This is one week prior to our season openers. These are needed so the commissioner can
inform team leaders as to what registration materials have not yet been
received, and so a thorough check can be made on things such as too many
Final
rosters are due on or before May 15, following four full weeks of league
play. This should be more than enough
time to finalize rosters and gather all completed registration materials. Sponsor checks are due ASAP.
Softballs
-- each team received 2 dozen SB-12s at the March meeting. These are to be used in 22 regular season
games and the first two playoff games.
Managers received two Tattoo 52/300 softballs tonight to be used in 2
games against 2 different division rivals in early June. Those games will be announced in the meeting
notes (and you will be reminded as we approach those dates). Be careful to use the appropriate ball in
each game!
Dates will be
shown on our schedule (games between teams of comparable strength):
50+ = June 2 and June 7 (and 11 vs.
6 on June 14)
60+ = June 6 and June 13
Bats
-- officers met last week and established clear guidelines for bat
testing. Teams of 2 officers each will
be testing all teams within the same division on the same night early in the
season. Teams on one field will be tested prior to the game and until
done during the early innings, with teams on the other field to be tested beginning
after our testing team arrives at that field and concluding when those bats
have all been tested. Bats not tested on
the scheduled date for a team will need to be made available at a later
time/place.
The deadline
for the completion of 2016 testing will be determined by officers, after which
only those bats with a label may be used in UCSSL games. If we can avoid
rainouts we expect to be done by mid-May, at the same time when final rosters
are due.
Officers will
also determine if testing will be done annually or every other year.
Bats that
pass the test will receive a Blue pre-printed (with UCSSL 2016) "tamper
evident" label that is affixed at the end of the bat overlapping the end
cap.
Bats that
test outside the safe range will be designated failures and will have a silver
tamper evident label affixed to the bat with a red "X" placed across
the label in permanent marker.
Bats that
have a blue sticker or have not yet been tested may be used until the testing deadline, bats that fail testing may not. After the deadline, only bats with a blue
UCSSL 2016 sticker may be used.
Senior bats
will also be tested and will need to meet a slightly different threshold to
pass.
It was
emphasized that bats that fail the testing present a safety concern which is
the primary reason for the bat testing program.
Managers
were encouraged to go to the ASA website's "Non-Approved Bat List"
and print a copy to put together with their UCSSL Rules and ASA Rule Book.
Pitcher
protection (another safety
concern) -- pitchers are encouraged to wear a
protective mask in all UCSSL games. To
that end, UCSSL will reimburse pitchers (one per team) for the purchase
of a mask, up to a maximum of $40. The
mask will remain the property of the league, held by that team. We will also reimburse pitchers already
owning a mask, but only if that mask then becomes UCSSL property.
The
2016 league awards banquet will be scheduled for a Friday in early October with the
expectation of avoiding known conflicts.
Some
reminders and notifications:
1.
Items managers received recently (or will receive soon) via email:
2016 UCSSL
Rules (make special note of our new rules, including the accommodations for
when weaker teams play A Division teams in both 50+ and 60+ Divisions), 2016
Managers/Officers Listing, 2016 Schedules for both 50s and 60s, 2016 Field
Permits, and links to ASA Approved and Non-approved bat lists.
2. Game day reminders:
Home team supplies bases, strike mat, pays umpire; each team supplies a new ball.
Speed-up rule is in effect the first two weeks on unlighted fields – no infield, only two warm-up pitches after first inning.
Paying umpires if a delayed rainout -- pay them $10 "show up" fee if umpire must call the game before a pitch has been thrown.
Do not play games on fields that are closed. The county has final word on their fields; Ed Kushner has the final word on Linden fields. Gary Moran and I will coordinate with them, and emails will be sent as soon as a determination has been made on rainouts. The Union County website is not always updated and early morning times usually are merely the previous day's final status.
3. Items managers need to give to us, if they have not already done so:
Team sponsor's fee, remaining player registration forms and fees (please be sure that checks are payable to UCSSL, or are endorsed to UCSSL), and a preliminary 2016 roster. (Any of these items not brought to the meeting will need to be delivered -- email or otherwise -- to the commissioner's home prior to the start of the season.) Players may not participate without a signed waiver form! Rosters should be emailed as an attachment.
4. Managers received a check for umpire fees in the amount of $494.00 to pay for 12 regular season home games plus one playoff home game.
Managers selected fields for their home games.
"Let's play ball and have fun!"