DAKOTA RIDGE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION

Articles, Rules & Regulations

Article I - Name of the Organization:
The name of the organization shall be the Dakota Ridge Baseball Association, hereafter referred to as DRBA.
Article II - Geographic Boundaries
The geographic boundaries of DRBA shall be the same as defined by the rules set forth by the Jefferson County Junior Baseball League (JCJBL) and recognized by Jefferson County Public Schools.

Article III - Purpose
The purpose of the DRBA is to make a positive impact in the community and the lives of our children and area youth by providing a quality baseball developmental program for the Dakota Ridge area and high school. The goal is to create an environment of leadership and role models, and to understand the importance of shaping the lives of our future leaders.

DRBA is committed to the Jefferson County Public Schools mission statement.  DRBA is committed to the ideals of good sportsmanship, ethical behavior and integrity for all members of our athletic community.  In perception and practice, good sportsmanship shall be defined as those qualities of behavior, which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others.

The Mission of the Dakota Ridge Baseball Association is to make a positive impact in the community and the lives of our children and youth

Article IV - Objective:

1. Offer the opportunity for youth in our community to play baseball.
2. Teach sound fundamentals and good sportsmanship in the game, as well as teamwork.
3. Recruit and retain competent coaches to help achieve the goals of the DRBA.
4. Emphasize the importance of practice as a means to master the sport of baseball.
5. Instill a sense of community pride as well as display respect for those from other communities.

Article V - Members and Responsibility:

Members shall consist of:
        1. Parents and/or legal guardians of all registered players.
        2. Approved head and assistant coaches.
        3. Volunteers active in the DRBA, as recognized by the DRBA Board of Directors.
        4. THE DRBA Board of Directors reserves the right to refuse any player, coach, parent, team or member to participate in the association.

Responsibilities of Members:
        1. Support the program and comply with all bylaws, rules and regulations and guidelines as established by the DRBA Board of Directors.

        2. Provide transportation (parents and/or legal guardian).
        3. Properly care for issued equipment and return to DRBA as requested, as well as properly care for game and practice fields.

        4. Treat coaches, teammates, opponents and umpires with respect and integrity.
        5. Exhibit good sportsmanship at all times, especially by being gracious in defeat and humble after winning.
        6. Conform to the regulations and rules of play as set forth by the JCJBL.
        7. Realize your attendance at the games is to support the teams involved.
        8. Appreciate the skills of all players participating.

Responsibility of Student-Athletes:
        1. Accept seriously the responsibility and privilege of representing your school and community.
        2. Treat opponents with respect.
        3. Respect the integrity and judgment of sports officials.
        4. Display modesty in victory and graciousness in defeat.
        5. Play hard and maintain self-control.

Player Removal from a Team:
        1. Players, at the conclusion of the season, may be asked to re-enter the draft if it is found that the player or parent has continually violated one or more of the following rules of “Player/Parent Responsibilities”.

        2. Players should arrive promptly at scheduled practice times and at least 30 minutes prior to game time unless given approval from the coach.
        3. Players / parents must exhibit good sportsmanship at all times. This includes not using abusive language, yelling and arguing at umpires, teammates, opponents or opponent’s fans.
        4. Players should take proper care of equipment; this includes the throwing of any equipment in anger.
        5. Players must not be disruptive at practices or games.
        6. Before a player is removed from a team the coach must meet with the player and parent(s). This meeting and the specific violation must be documented and signed by at least the parent(s).

        7. If there is a second violation the Baseball Director, coach and parent(s) will meet and discuss the violation. Any further violation(s) the Baseball Director may elect that the player at the conclusion of the season be placed in the draft for selection on another team.

Article VI - Coaches and Responsibility:
Coaches are appointed each year by DRBA Baseball Directors, Officers and Board of Directors. As Baseball Directors in accordance with the bylaws of the DRBA, he/she has the responsibility to supervise and review the progress, conduct and general coaching ability of all coaches in the sport, to take such disciplinary and administrative action as necessary to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations of the DRBA. This includes the authority to suspend any coach for continually and/or deliberately violating any of said rules, regulations, guidelines, of the DRBA and bylaws of the DRBA; or in the event that in the Director’s sole opinion a coach’s actions or inactions jeopardizes the integrity of the program or the safety of any child in the program. All such disciplinary actions are subject to review by the Board of Directors of the DRBA. All incidences and resulting disciplinary action will be reported to the President of the DRBA within twenty-four (24) hours of its occurrence.

        1. Since coaches (head and assistants) can have a significant impact on the formulation of attitudes and values, they are expected to exemplify high moral character, behavior and leadership standards of sportsmanship and conduct on the field.

        2. Know official and county rules of baseball.
        3. Teach fundamentals to the best of their and players’ abilities
        4. Teach and practice good sportsmanship and fellowship at all times.
        6. Be a positive role model for all concerned.
        7. Respect the judgment of the officials.  Abide by the rules of the game and display no negative behavior.
        8. Discipline those on the team who do not abide by sportsmanship      standards.
        9. Treat all athletes with respect.
        10. Refrain from the use of disrespectful language or gestures.
        11. Strictly follow county and DRBA rules.
        12. Maintain proper care and use of equipment, uniforms and facilities.
        13. Collect and return equipment as requested by DRBA.
        14. Meet with parents of players to discuss plans for the season.
        15. Regularly attend a meeting called by the Baseball Directors.
        16. Conform to the “must play” rule.
        17. Failure to comply with the above rules may constitute sufficient grounds for dismissal at the discretion of the Baseball Directors or Board of Directors.

Article VII- Elected Officials and Baseball Board:

Following is a list of positions, which may need to be filled as deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.  The first seven positions are mandatory pursuant to JCJBL requirements:

        1. President
        2. Vice President
        3. Secretary
        4. Two County Representatives
        5. Baseball Directors
        6. Assistant Baseball Director
        7. Scheduler
        8. Scorekeeper
        9. Treasurer
        10. Equipment and Uniform Manager
        11. Coaches
        12. Coaches Coordinator
        13. Field Coordinator and Supervisor
        14. Sponsor Coordinator
        15. Tournament Director
        16. Level III Coordinator

The Board of Directors of DRBA shall consist of at least the following:

        1. President
        2. Vice President
        3. Up to Two County Representatives
        4. Secretary / Treasurer

The above positions (except President) will be appointed by the President. Each of the Board members will serve at least one year and will be reappointed at the discretion of the President. The President has the discretion to add positions to the board, as he/she deems necessary. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall fulfill his/her duties.

Article VIII - Meetings

Meetings of the DRBA involving coaches shall be as deemed necessary by the President.

Article IX - Tryouts and Draft:

1. DRBA may field teams in age groups 8 - 14 years old and for freshman and sophomore high school students (Level III program) and the Seniors program, as defined by JCJBL. Rules and regulations governing the tryouts and draft of the program are set forth herein. Further, DRBA operates within the framework of JCJBL and is required to conform to specific rules and /or regulations of that body as applicable.

2. Tryouts shall be held on as many dates as deemed necessary (while conforming to county regulations) per year, with a minimum of one day for all ages, 8-14 years old and Level III. All new players (i.e., first-year or former DRBA players not completing the previous year, or electing to and/or attempting to change teams or levels) in DRBA must enter the tryouts/draft.

3. All players involved will be contacted during the week prior to the tryouts/draft date. Every effort will be made to place players on a respective team in ages 8 - 14. Exception is due to restrictions placed on roster size and residence of players by JCJBL. Any and all veteran (i.e., players who completed the previous year on DRBA team) players who have the intention of qualifying for a higher league, or who are not satisfied with past situations and desire to change teams may enter the tryout/draft. If the player does not desire to play for a certain coach or team, it must specifically be stated in writing on the registration form.

4. Teams are bracketed in leagues by consensus in JCJBL by DRBA, based on previous experience and current expectations and JCJBL regulations. Team selection of players will depend upon league placement.

5. All 0 & 1 League teams per age group from a previous year may enter the tryouts/draft in the entirety each year. If a coach moves up to a 0 League team in the age group from a lower league, that returning team must also go in its entirety into the tryouts/draft.

6. Team continuity is an important element of DRBA. For age groups 10 - 14, all 0 League (Majors) and 1 League (AAA) teams must retain a minimum of 6 players and a maximum of 8 players from the previous year, while 2 League (AA) teams may retain 9 players maximum and 3 League (A) teams may retain their entire team from the previous year.  This is done to enable room for improving players to move to a more competitive level if they choose to do so and also to provide an opportunity for players new to the area. The coach also may recall players placed in the draft after the tryouts and prior to the draft should the player want to return to the previous year's team. The minimum player retention requirements must be met one week before player draft date. Teams that have fewer than the required minimum returning will not be allowed to remain as a team and all players will be placed into the tryouts/draft. The President or Baseball Director will make a determination whether the coach will be reassigned to a team or not.

7. Those players registered for the tryouts/draft, but who are unable to attend, will be placed on teams through a lottery drawing at the end of the draft for their age group. (For a possible exception to this rule for 0 & 1 League only, see “Officially excused absences from the draft” below.)

8. Fielding Level III teams 15 years old and up should be looked at individually each year, based on the need and ability of DRBA to meet the demand.

9. Registration forms must be received by the Baseball Directors by the registration deadline date of the current year, or may be subject to a late filing fee.

10. Midget baseball: The DRBA also offers midget baseball as follows - t-ball for 4- and 5-year olds, coach pitch for 6-year-olds, machine pitch for 7-year-olds and modified player pitch for 8-year-olds. Midget baseball helps teach kids the skills they need to advance into youth baseball. This is a fun experience for the kids and parents to enjoy together. Midget baseball focuses on hitting, fielding, throwing and helping kids develop teamwork and new friendships. Teams will be formed by the DRBA Board of Directors and Officers.

Roster Size

Roster sizes for DRBA teams (unless other wise determined by the Baseball Directors) will be as follows:

8-12 Years Old

1. Maximum roster shall be 13 players, unless a coach requests more and numbers dictate it. The minimum amount of players will be 11.

2. All late registrations received after teams are filled will be put on a waiting list. (See PLACEMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL POOL PLAYERS - POST-DRAFT LOTTERY below.)

13-14 Years Old & Level III

1. Roster size may be 12 minimum to 15 maximum (18 maximum for Level III) unless a coach requests more and numbers dictate it.

2. All late registrations received after teams are filled will be put on a waiting list. (See PLACEMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL POOL PLAYERS - POST-DRAFT LOTTERY below.)

PLAYER RESERVATION AND DRAFT:

All new players must go through the tryout/draft process. This includes children (who are new players) of assistant coaches for established teams. A new assistant coach (with a child who is a new player) may not be assigned to an established team until after the team has completed the draft and filled its roster. The intent of this rule is to prevent the unfair evasion of the draft process to gain a skilled player.

Draft for 8 and 9 Year Olds

0 League (8 years old) and All Leagues 1 through 4 - Each head coach can reserve 2 players, these being children of the head coach and one assistant coach. In the event that the head coach and/or assistant coach have no children in DRBA, they may still reserve 2 players with the consent of the players’ parents.

0 League teams (9 years old) - For returning 9-year-old 0 League teams, follow player reservation rules for 10-year-old 0 League below.

Ten Years Old and Older:

League 2 through 4 (Non 0 & 1 League) - Players who played on a team the previous year are automatically reserved for that team and are exempt for the tryouts/draft, if they request the same coach on the current registration form. Newly formed teams will follow player reservation rules for eight- and nine-year-old teams.

There are two types of draftees, conditional and open:

(a) Conditional draftees are veteran (completed previous year) players who enter the draft desiring to qualify for a higher league team, but failing to do so, wish to return to their previous year’s team. If a conditional draftee is not selected to a higher league team during the first round, the player is automatically returned to the player’s previous team roster when the draft sequence reaches that team’s league level and before any selections are made. The number of draft picks taken by the receiving team is determined on the basis of its adjusted roster size after reinstating the conditional draftees, and the draft proceeds as though the conditional draftees never left their team. Returning conditional draftees do not count against the number of picks that normally would have been taken during the round given its reinstated roster size.

(b) Open draftees are all new players to DRBA or veteran players who are not satisfied with past situations (including those players asked by the Baseball Directors to re-enter the draft), waive their reserved status, and enter the tryouts/draft. The veteran open draftee must specifically state on the registration form, in writing, that the player will not play for a certain coach or team.

0 &1 League - All 0 & 1 League players from the previous year or players on a previous year’s first and second league team that has moved up to the 0 or 1 League must enter the tryouts/draft. Following the tryouts and before the first draft round, each head coach can then reserve any or all of the players from his previous year’s team. All remaining players enter the draft pool.

Officially excused absence from the draft - A player who is a candidate for 0 & 1 League may be officially excused from the draft by the President or Baseball Directors for reason such as competition-preventing injury, illness of the player or death in the immediate family. Absent players who are officially excused can be selected only by 0 & 1 League teams during the regular draft rounds. This may be done if the intention of such a selection has been fully disclosed and previously agreed upon by all 0 & 1 League coaches at that age group and prior approval is given by the President and/or Baseball Director. Following the regular round, all absent players are placed in the supplemental pool for selection by the post-draft lottery. (See PLACEMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL POOL PLAYERS - POST-DRAFT LOTTERY below)

Other than the above conditions, entering the tryout/draft carries no guarantees as to the final league level or team to which the player may be selected.

SELECTION ORDER IN THE DRAFT:

Selection order in the draft will progress by leagues in the following sequence: 0, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th League. When more than one team exists at a given league level, each team in that league will take turns singly selecting players (i.e., with two teams (A and B) at the same league level: Team A takes one player; then Team B takes one player; then Team A takes one player; then Team B takes one player; and so on..) within each round until their allotments for that round are met. Then the selection process will progress to the next league level until all leagues have completed their selections for that round. The process then repeats for subsequent rounds according to the draft selection protocol in the following sections until all rosters have been filled and/or the player pool has been emptied.

In the event of multiple teams within a particular league level, selection orders determined by the following priorities:

(a) Priority 1 (Highest) - are returning teams from the previous year at the current league level. The order in this group being determined by the team who returns with the most players from the previous year; and if they are the same, then the team with the highest number of regular season wins in the previous year will select first. (i.e., the team with the most returning players selects first; the team with the second most returning players selects second; or the team with highest number of regular season wins selects first; team with second highest number of regular season wins selects second; and so on…) (b) Priority 2 (Lowest)- newly-formed teams and/or teams moving in from a higher or a lower league level from the previous year make selections after returning teams.  In cases where more than one team have the same priority, selection order will be determined by winner of a coin toss.

0 League - Following initial reservation of players, League teams fill according to selection order rules listed above.

DRAFT SELECTION PROTOCOLS:

8 Years Old

1st Round
1. 0 League fills

9 to 14 Years Old
1st Round
1. 0 League fills roster
2. 1st League or highest level fills roster
3. 2nd League fills roster
4. 3rd League fills roster
5. 4th League fills roster

Level III
Roster is filled in similar manner depending on the number of teams.

DRAFT SUMMARY - 9 TO 14 YEARS OLD:
DRAFT ROUND LEAGUE ASSIGNMENT

0
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH

1
FILLS
FILLS
FILLS
FILLS
FILLS

PLACEMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL POOL PLAYERS - POST -DRAFT LOTTERY

It is possible that the draft process may not completely fill team rosters to the desired levels. A goal of the draft should be to fill the teams to maximum roster size from the highest to the lowest league levels. Following the draft in all ages, the supplemental pool (i.e., waiting list) of late registrants and players absent from the draft will be distributed by lottery. The selection order of each team in the round of the lottery will be randomly selected by drawing immediately following the draft. Names of the players in the supplemental pool will be placed in a container and randomly drawn in the determined order with eligible teams drawing the name of one player per round. Teams with rosters greater than the smallest remain ineligible and are given byes for each lottery round until their roster size equals that of the lowest at the beginning of the round. Player’s names will be drawn from the supplemental pool continuing for as many rounds as necessary to completely fill rosters. If any players remain in the supplemental pool after filling of all rosters, player drawings may continue at the discretion of the President or Baseball Directors. Refusal of a lottery player concludes further participation by a team in player acquisition for that season. If no team accepts, then players will be placed beginning on lowest level and moving back up. Dispensation of the supplemental pool will be made within two weeks following the draft or at a time determined by the President and/or Baseball Directors.

Article X - “Must Play” Rule:

Each coach is asked to abide by the DRBA “must play” rule - everybody pays, everybody plays. The rule being that each player must play a minimum of one full inning, including at least one at bat each game. If this cannot be met, then the player must start and play a minimum of two full innings, including a minimum plate appearance in the following game. A player must make practices, abide by team policies, etc., for the “must play” rule to be enforced.

Article XI - Amending Rules & Regulations:

Changes to these rules & regulations may be done through due process and proper channels.
1. The proposed amendments(s) shall be in writing and submitted to the Baseball Directors.
2. The proposed amendment(s) shall be distributed at current or next coaches meeting.
3. The amendment(s) will be voted on at the next successive coaches meeting with 2/3 present to pass.
4. A majority vote is needed to approve all amendments.

The Rules & Regulations of the Dakota Ridge Baseball Association are hereby amended and adopted this 4th day of December 2007, as evidence by a vote of the membership on that day, and is hereby certified to be correct by the following officers of DRBA.

Name Signature
President: ____________________

Name Signature
Vice President:  ____________________

Name Signature
County Rep.:  ____________________

Name Signature
Secretary/Treasurer:  ____________________

Name Signature
Baseball Director:  ____________________

Name Signature
Asst. Baseball Director:  ____________________

The above officers appeared before me this ________Day of January 2008 and affixed their signatures above indicating their verification of the vote adopting these amended Rules & Regulations.

Attest: ____________________ Secretary, Dakota Ridge Baseball Association