Asbury Park Little League Local Rules

The APLL is a non-denominational, apolitical organization. We prioritize unity, sportsmanship, and community over any particular ideology. In keeping with this mission, signs, caps, and any other league images must remain neutral and innocuous, ensuring that our focus stays on fun, development, and teamwork. Accordingly, the APLL will not actively promote any religious organizations nor will it allow its logo or trademark to be used by any political organizations or candidates for political office.

The APLL-defined Local Rules are below. These rules complement the master document entitled, “CONSTITUTION: Asbury Park Little League (League ID Number: 2301101)”. In the case of conflict, the Constitution overrides these Local Rules.

LEAGUE OPERATIONS

APLL Board of Directors. The APLL Board of Directors consists of 7 officers: President, VP, Treasurer, Safety Officer, Player Agent, Secretary, and Coaching Coordinator. Any APLL member in good standing can be nominated for the board; elections are conducted annually. Board Members meet on the 1^st Wednesday of every month. Attendance is mandatory; any Board Member who misses two consecutive meetings is subject to removal from the Board.

Committees. The President oversees all league operations. Critical support is provided by several committees:

• Finance Committee (and Fundraising Subcommittee)
• Auxiliary (League Events)
• Managers and Coaches Committee (includes skills development)
• Communications (including social media)

APLL Property. No Manager or Coach shall have the right to give away or loan any APLL property without Board approval. The Chairperson of the Player Equipment Committee and President shall be the only people permitted to purchase playing equipment.

Any concerns about league operations must be brought to the attention of the Board for resolution.

CONDUCT

All members must follow the APLL Code of Conduct and abide by Roberts Rules in meetings. See Appendices A & B.

Player Safety. To protect our players, the following are mandatory:

• Background checks for all board members, managers, coaches, and volunteers
• Child Abuse Training for all board members, managers, coaches, and volunteers
• Skills assessments, for proper placement of players
• First Aid Training

Falsifying Information. If any member falsifies information (for example, registers a player under a false address in order to be eligible to play for APLL), that member is subject to immediate dismissal from APLL.

Ejections. If an APLL player, manager, coach, volunteer, or spectator is ejected from a game for any reason, that person is suspended from further APLL activities until a Board review is completed. Understanding that not all infractions are of equal severity, penalties can range from a one-game suspension to dismissal for the remainder of the season.

ELIGIBILITY

LL International sets strict rules for determnining eligibility, based primarily on the boundary map. See Appendix E.

APLL DIVISIONS

APLL Division Structure. The Board of Directors shall determine the amount of teams and their respective divisions based on player registrations, following this age-driven structure:

Baseball

• T-Ball 4-6yo (boys/girls)
• Pony 7-8yo
• Minors 9-10yo
• Majors 11-12yo
• Juniors 13-15yo

Girls Softball

• Pony 7-8yo
• Minors 9-10yo
• Majors 11-12yo
• Juniors 13-14yo

Challenger Division

Players aged 4-18 with physical and intellectual challenges will be referred to the South Wall Challenger Division.

Notes:

• Pony division and above: girls have the option to play baseball or softball. Boys are baseball only.

• LL International gives managers the latitude to assign 7 year olds based on skills. So if a Pony-aged 7yo players has not displayed the skills to safely play at that level, he/she can be assigned to play T-Ball temporarily or for the entire season.

Team Size. Ideally, a team consists of 15 active players, guaranteeing at least 12 players for each game. Roster size, then will be limited to the first 15 registered players plus 5 alternates.

Registration will not be cut off, however, until March 31^st. The Player Agent will assign players to teams, working closely with the managers. The Board at will determine if/when to add a team in a division. Also, in the case of multiple teams in a division, there will be no trades permitted unless approved by the Player Agent.

Game Schedules. A Scheduling Coordinator will be assigned by the Board. Games shall be played as scheduled. In general, no changes to scheduled games will be permitted due to holidays, special occasions, manager availability, etc. However, if games are rescheduled due to weather events or field playability, the following guidelines apply:

• For Away games, the APLL manager can work directly with the opposing manager to reschedule any games, and inform the Scheduling Coordinator.
• For Home games, the APLL manager must contact the Scheduling Coordinator in advance with possible dates/times, to determine whether a field is available. For Minors and above, an umpire must also be secured prior to agreeing to a new date.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Skills Assessment/Tryouts. As noted above, as a rule each player is slotted into his/her age-appropriate division. However, in many cases a parent or coach will recommend a player be evaluated. For this reason, APLL has developed a formal process for skills evaluation and development. See Appendix C for the Board-approved process.

Rules for “Playing Up”. Boys and girls are slotted into their division at registration, based on baseball/softball age. This is their primary team. However a player can “play up”; that is, be permitted to play in the upper division (e.g., a Minors player can play in a Majors game). Rules are:

• Safety first. Both managers must agree that the player demonstrates the skills required to safely play at an upper level
• The LL member (parent/guardian) must agree to allow the player to play up.
• In the case of conflict (that is, there is a game scheduled for the primary and upper level teams on the same day), the player must play for their primary team.

Rules for “Playing Down”. In some cases a player may be asked to “play down”, that is, to play with the younger division. This is tied to skills development. Rules are

• The Manager Committee chairperson must approve, and the Board must be notified.
• The APLL manager must inform the opposing manager prior to the game, and that manager must approve
• The older player cannot pitch to a younger division team
• If/when both managers agree that the player demonstrates the appropriate skills, the player can be moved up to their primary teram.

On “Playing Across”. Girls may “play across” softball and baseball (within the same age structure), if managers agree and the player demonstrate the required skills. For example, a girl may play Majors baseball and softball. However, in the case of conflict (that is, there is a game scheduled for both teams on the same day), the girl must play for their primary team.

Manager and Coach Selection. Each season, the Managers Committee recommends manager and coach selections. See Appendix D for the Board-approved process.

Appendix A. Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Be patient and courteous.

Be inclusive. We welcome and support people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to members of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, social and economic class, educational level, color, immigration status, sex, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.

Be considerate. We all depend on each other to produce the best work we can as a team. Your decisions will affect clients and colleagues, and you should take those consequences into account when making decisions.

Be respectful. We won't all agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for disrespectful behavior. Even when we are frustrated, we cannot allow that frustration to lead to personal attacks on our partners. We all volunteer our time to create a great experience for the kids. No one deserves to feel threatened or uncomfortable in this environment.

Choose your words carefully. Words matter. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Be kind to others. Do not insult or put your partners down. Harassment and exclusionary behavior aren't acceptable. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Threats of violence.
• Discriminatory jokes and language.
• Sharing sexually explicit or violent material via electronic devices or other means.
• Personal insults, especially those using racist or sexist terms.
• Unwelcome sexual attention.
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviors.

Repeated harassment of others. In general, if someone asks you to stop something, then stop. When we disagree, try to understand why. Differences of opinion and disagreements are welcome and help us improve. Assume everyone that volunteers for APLL is well intentioned and has the best interest of the kids at heart. Respect for the ideas and opinions of others a requirement for us to be a productive team.

Our differences can be our strengths. We can find strength in diversity. Different people have different perspectives on issues, that can be valuable for solving problems or generating new ideas. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that we all make mistakes, and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere. Instead, focus on listening and learning from one another.

Appendix B. Robert’s Rules: Types of Motions

Motions are a formal proposal put forward to the group, and they form many of the action items of meetings. For any suggestions to move forward, motions must be raised and then voted on. In a vote, the majority rule (or a two-thirds vote) wins, and that dictates whether the motion is passed.

Under Robert’s Rules, there are certain ways of phrasing things to ask for what you need. Below are 8 common motions that you might need in your next meeting including instructions on how to use them.

Appendix C. APLL Player Evaluation Process

Purpose:

1. Assess a player’s ability to play up to the level above his / her age group designation based on a request from the parent / guardian and assigned Manager. Example: 10 year old playing up to Majors.
• In this situation the player will always remain with their age group team but is allowed to play up when their age group team is not playing.
2. Assess whether a player has significant physical or mental limitations that would create a safety issue if they play at their age group level.
• If it is found that such a limitation exists, the player would be allowed to play at an age group below the current designation. Example: a 12 year old would be permitted to play with Minors.

Location: Asbury Park Little League Date: TBD

Process: Five APLL coaches will evaluate players in question on 5 different skills categories to evaluate their ability to meet the skills for their age group.

Evaluation Categories: Throwing, Catching, Ground ball Fielding, Batting, Base running

Scoring:

Players will be evaluated on a scale of 1-5. 5 being proficient at all aspects of the skill for age level. 1 showing no ability to execute the required skill.

Score Interpretation:

• Play must have a minimum total score of 10 in all categories to remain at age level.
• To play at the next age group level a player must have a minimum total score of 12.
• To play at a lower age group level a play will have a total score under 10 along with a Board vote that validates the player’s special needs.

Appendix D. APLL Manager and Coaches Appointment Process

All managers for APLL Baseball and Softball teams will be appointed by the APLL Board of Directors. Appointments will be made based on the following criteria.

1. Prior year manager at level (example Minors baseball) shall be given first opportunity to coach the same level. Manager must ..
1. Pass Little league background check
2. Must have no incidents / issues from the prior year that violate Little league rules / policies.
3. Adhere to the APLL Code of Conduct with no exceptions
4. Meet performance criteria defined in number 3 below
2. Managers will not be permitted to follow players to next level (example Minors to Majors) unless there is an opening and the Board of Directors appoints the manager.
3. Performance criteria – Manager candidates must meet the following performance requirements.
1. Organization Skills – Manager must be able to..
1. develop a practice plan for each practice designed to teach the skill requirements defined for her /his level.
2. Organize and lead assistant coaches in implementing practice plans
3. Actively collaborate with assistant coaches to understand and execute assignments for practices and games
4. Proactively collaborate with League officers to ensure field availability and game readiness
5. Proactively work with other managers to reschedule games when cancellations occur.
6. Maintain a communication process with parents and players that ensures attendance for practices and games
7. Plan and coordinate transportation to away game

The Managers and Coaches Committee will recommend Manager and coaches assignments to the APLL Board for approval. The Board will have responsibility for final approval. Managers assignments will be recommended to the Board in January of each calendar year. Assistant Coaching recommendations will be made in February. All assignments are contingent on completion of registration, background check and safety requirements. Assistant coaches can request desired level to coach but the board will determine final assignments.

Appendix E. Registration and Eligibility Rules

Who Is Eligible to Play for APLL? The player must meet ONE of the requirements below. If not, they will not be insured and cannot practice or play.

• Current residence is Asbury Park.
• Is enrolled at a school in Asbury Park. This now includes College Achieve Elementary.
• Ages 4-7: They can play anywhere they register, regardless of boundary.
• If a player has a sibling ages 4-7 who plays for Asbury Park.
• If a player has a sibling of any age who attends school in Asbury Park, they are also eligible to play for Asbury Park.
• If a player plays for Asbury Park then moves, they can still play for Asbury Park for the rest of their little league career (but not jump back and forth).

What About a Waiver? Waivers can be submitted within the Division 11 leagues, by the President. Waivers require 4 levels of approval -- so getting a waiver granted is unlikely.

Player Division Assignments. The SportsConnect (SC) registration system keys off the birthdate/gender, and is configurable by league. APLL registration is set as follows, and is in alignment with Division 11 guidelines.

Baseball Program

• Tee Ball Baseball (co-ed) Ages 4-6
• Pony Baseball Ages 7-8
• Minors Baseball 9-10
• Majors Baseball 11-12
• Juniors Baseball 13-15

Softball Program

• Pony Softball Ages 7-8
• Minors Softball 9-10
• Majors Softball 11-12
• Juniors Softball 13-14

Notes:

• Boys are automatically slotted into their age-appropriate program (division). Girls are given two program choices, baseball or softball. (There is no softball program for boys.)
• If a parent/guardian disagrees with the assignment (i.e., wants their child to “play up”), they must contact the Managers Committee for a skills assessment/tryout.
• Per Little League rules, a 7yo can be placed in either the Tee Ball or the Pony level by the Managers Committee, based on the skills assessment. If a child aged 7 is placed in T-Ball, that child may be moved into Pony when he/she demonstrates the required skills.