OSLL GENERAL RULES

OSLL GENERAL LEAGUE RULES

 

The OSLL was formed for area towns to enter teams consisting of Grade-appropriate girls to compete in Spring & Fall against other towns in “Recreation Level” games.

 

The OSLL stresses FOUR Major Guidelines that have kept this league successful and growing over the years:

  1. Divisions are based on a players current School Grade (not age). The ability to play with their friends and classmates has been a significant factor in drawing more girls to the sport.
  2. Each Division has their own pre-determined Game Days. This allows parents to know ahead of time if their child can participate and not have conflicts with other sports or activities.
  3. All Towns must create their multiple teams in the same division EVENLY. No “All-Star” or super strong teams. A town’s top pitchers, top players, club players, etc must be evenly distributed.
  4. All Coaches understand that this is Recreational league, not all-stars or club, and manage their teams/players accordingly.

 

 

TOWN REPS:

 

  • Each member town will designate ONE Town Rep to represent their program. Each Town Rep will have a vote in all matters that require a league vote. The Town Rep is responsible for communicating all league matters thoroughly to their town’s coaches, and to a lesser extent parents & players. They are also responsible for ensuring that their teams are created equally within the respective divisions. Town Reps will attend the annual league meeting in January.

 

 

COACH, PLAYER & SPECTATOR BEHAVIOR:

 

  • Towns are responsible for the behavior and actions of their Coaches, Players, Spectators and anyone involved with their teams at an OSLL game.
  • The OSLL reserves the right to impose sanctions, including warnings, game suspensions or league expulsion, for any issue in which it is determined warranted. This includes actions by players or coaches involving the harassment, threatening or actual physical harm to an umpire or opposing player/coach.
  • Towns are responsible for their fans. If a fan becomes abusive during a game, that town’s coaches are expected to control or remove the offending person(s) from the field area.
  • Any Coach/Volunteer ejected from an OSLL game:
  • 1st  Offense-  will be suspended for that team’s next scheduled game.
  • 2nd Offense – will be suspended for the remainder of the season including playoffs, and must apply to the OSLL Board for reinstatement for the following season.

 

 

PLAYING  DIVISIONS:

 

  • The OSLL will consist of 3 Divisions, (as determined by a player’s current school grade):
  1. MINOR –  Players that are in the 3rd & 4th Grades
  2. JUNIOR – Players that are in the 5th & 6th Grades
  3. SENIOR – Players that are in the 7th-12th Grades*

                           *HS aged players who are on a HS Varsity team are NOT eligible.

                           *HS pitchers on JV or Freshmen teams are eligible to play but cannot pitch.

                           *7th & 8th graders who play on a HS Varsity team MAY participate.

 

NEW TOWNS:

 

  • Any new town seeking admittance into the OSLL must notify the league by e-mail prior to December 1st. The current member towns will then vote on the applying towns(s).

 

 

SEASON OUTLINE:

 

  • Games will begin on the 1st or 2nd Sunday of April each year, unless adjusted by vote of Town Reps.
  • Teams will play approx 10-11 games, averaging two per week using the 3 divisional days.
  • Playoffs will be held at the conclusion of the regular season.

 

 

GAME SCHEDULE:

 

  • MINOR Division – game nights are: Tuesday & Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
  • JUNIOR Division – game nights are: Monday, Wednesday and Sunday evenings.
  • SENIOR Division – game nights will be determined each season. Senior games are rarely on a Friday or Saturday.

 

 

SUBMITTING TEAMS:

 

  • Town Reps will submit their TEAM COUNTS to the league at a pre-determined date before each season. (usually 2nd or 3rd weekend in March).
  • Town Reps will submit any blackout dates for any or all of their teams, including school events.
  • Town Reps will submit all Field info including any unavailable dates.
  • Each town is responsible for insuring that their teams are balanced EVENLY in each division!! Club players, pitchers, catchers, etc, must be divided evenly. Town Reps should either create their teams themselves, or at least monitor the team draft to insure teams are created evenly.
  • Any town not adhering to the above policy can be excluded from playoffs.

 

ROSTERS:

 

  • Effective 2025 the OSLL will collect Team Rosters for all of their teams. This will allow us to answer any league complaints regarding uneven teams. These must be signed by the Town’s OSLL Rep AND the head coach. Official OSLL Roster forms must be used, and can be found on the OSLL website.

 

 

PLAYING UP:

 

  • Towns may use players from their younger teams to fill in with their older teams when short players. These guidelines must be followed:
  1. Players may only play up ONE Division. Seniors can use Junior players. Juniors can use Minor players.
  2. Players can only play UP, but may NEVER play DOWN.
  3. Players may not play LATERALLY, with the following exception: A team may borrow from another of it’s same division teams, ONLY if they need to get to NINE (9) players. Any players used must: Not pitch or play catcher. Must bat at the bottom of the lineup. The opposing Coach must be made aware of the player BEFORE game begins. Reminder that this is only if no players from that town’s younger teams are available to fill in.

 

 

GAME RESCHEDULING:

 

  • Games may not be moved for club conflicts, other sports conflicts or lack of field availability. Inclement weather or unannounced School conflicts only.
  • Games that are Rained Out (Inclement weather) can be rescheduled by the coaches involved by working together to find a mutually agreed upon date. They should figure out the make-up date that day if possible.
  • Games that need to be rescheduled for a unannounced School Event, should be handled by the Town Reps involved.

 

RAINOUTS:

 

  • In event of rain or wet playing surfaces once game begins, it is the sole responsibility of the umpire for that game to determine if a game should be played or should be delayed/ended based on player safety.
  • If inclement weather on game day, the manager of the home team must CALL (preferred to e-mailing) the manager of the visiting team at least one hour (but earlier if possible) before game time in an effort to speak and make a joint decision on whether the game may be played or not. The Home team makes final decision, usually based on familiarity with the field in regards to drainage, etc.

 

FORFEITS:

 

  • Any team forfeiting two (2) games during the season will not qualify for the playoffs.

 

UNPLAYED GAMES:

 

  • Coaches should make every effort to play ALL of their games.
  • If a game is rained out and then not made up it is recorded as a “NO GAME”. There are no ties awarded for these and one team cannot “give” an opponent a win because they don’t want to make it up.
  • If a game is rescheduled because of a School Event, and that game does not get played, then the team who had the conflict will receive the forfeit loss on the final standings.

 

FIELDS:

 

  • Towns are required to have enough fields to accommodate the number of teams they enter.
  • Fields should be appropriate size and in good condition.
  • Pitching Rubbers should be secure and regulation size (24 x6). No little league pitching rubbers.
  • Fields should have double, white/orange, first base.
  • Each town must have an available bathroom at any and all of the fields that they use for OSLL games. Porta-potty or actual bathrooms at the field are sufficient.
  • No pitching rubber may be in the ground in front of the rubber being used for that game.
  • Pitching distances:
  1. SENIOR – 43 feet
  2. JUNIOR – 40 feet
  3. MINOR  –  35 feet

 

REPORTING SCORES:

  • The WINNING TEAM is expected to report scores from all league games.
  • Scores should be reported that night, but must be reported within 24 hours of the scheduled game time.
  • Scores will be E-Mailed to barone1077@aol.com
  • E-Mails should be in this format, including ALL info below to be accepted and recorded to website:
  1. “OSLL (DIVISION NAME) Score” in Subject line.
  2. Date of game (if a make-up, list the original and the date is was played).
  3. Both Team Names and Score. Example, Boston White 5 – New York 1
  4. Your Name.

 

UMPIRES:

 

  • The HOME team is responsible for scheduling and paying the umpire for all OSLL games. HOME team should also ensure that the umpires they schedule are familiar with any OSLL specific rules & policies.
  • PLAYOFF UMPIRES::
  1. HOME team schedules 1 umpire for Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals, and 2 umpires for all FINALS games.
  2. For Quarter-Finals & Semi-Final games, each team will split the cost of the umpire and pay at the field.
  3. 3- HOME Team will supply two new game balls.

 

 

STANDINGS TIE-BREAKERS:

 

  • 1 – Head to head record (If applicable. If more than 2 teams involved, they all must have  played each other the                same amount of times).
  • 2 - Score differential in head to head games.
  • 3 - Record vs higher seeded teams.
  • 4 - Strength of schedule.
  • 5 - Coin flip

 

PLAYOFFS:

 

  • ALL Teams qualify for Playoffs.
  • If a playoff game is rained out it is played the next night, or before the next scheduled round. If a FINAL is rained out, the two teams can play on a mutually agreed upon day/time
  • If for any reason a town does not have an available field for a Home game for a playoff game, the game will be played at the away town’s field, with the H/A staying the same. The game can NOT be rescheduled for this reason.
  • Evening playoff games will begin at 5:30pm to allow for additional daylight to insure game is completed. (games can be played under lights if available, and if both teams agree). Sunday afternoon games will begin at either 12:30pm or 3:00pm.
  • Trophies will be awarded to players on the Champion & Runner-up teams in each division.

 

LEAGUE CHAMPION:

 

  • The Champion of each Division will be the team that wins the league playoffs.
  • Trophies will be awarded to members of the Champion & Runner-up teams after the Championship games.
  • The two teams in each Final are responsible for picking up the trophies and bringing them to that game.

 

 

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