A. TOURNAMENT ELIGIBILITY

1. TEAM ELIGIBILITY - EACH DISTRICT SHALL DETERMINE ITS OWN RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES BY WAY OF ITS DISTRICT TOURNAMENT ELIMINATION PROCEDURE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TOURNAMENT FORMAT GUIDELINES. IN THE EVENT ONE OR MORE DISTRICTS ARE NOT REPRESENTED, THE HOST DISTRICT MAY SELECT REPLACEMENT TEAMS FROM ITS OWN DISTRICT TOURNAMENT ELIMINATION PROCEDURE. SELECT TEAMS OR TRAVEL TEAMS CONSISTING OF PLAYER FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOCAL LEAGUES, TEAMS OR AREAS ARE NOT ALLOWED OR ELIGIBLE TO ENTER THE TOURNAMENT.

2. TEAM PERSONNEL - TOURNAMENT TEAM AFFIDAVITS MUST CONSIST OF TWELVE (12) PLAYERS, ONE TEAM MANAGER AND THREE COACHES. EACH TOURNAMENT TEAM MUST BEGIN EACH LEVEL OF TOURNAMENT PLAY WITH A FULL ROSTER OF PLAYERS AND COACHES.PLAYERS SHALL BE DRESSED IN LIKE UNIFORMS. COACHES/MANAGERS SHALL DRESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR TEAM COLORS. UNIFORMS, SLACKS OR SHORTS MAY BE WORN IF IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE TEAM COLORS. NO CUTOFFS OR UNAPROPRIATELY DRESSED TEAM PERSONEL WILL BE ALLOWED.

3. PLAYER AGE - PLAYERS MUST BE LEAGUE AGE OF SIX (6), SEVEN (7) OR EIGHT (8).

B. TOURNAMENT FACILITIES and ADMINISTRATION

4. FIELD - THE FIELD SHALL BE A REGULATION SIZE FIELD WITH MINIMUM FENCES OF 140 FEET AND A MAXIMUM OF 200 FEET.

5. HOST SITE - THE STATE TOURNAMENT HOST MUST HAVE TWO (2) REGULATION FIELDS.

6. ADMISSION - GATE ADMISSION WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

AGES 13 AND UP - $5.00

AGES 6 TO 12 - $3.00

AGES 5 & UNDER – FREE

7. THE TOURNAMENTS WILL BE CONDUCTED UNDER AN APPROVED DIXIE YOUTH BASEBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET OR ROUND ROBIN FORMAT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES FORMAT ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL SET THE DATES OF THE TOURNAMENTS IN CORRELATION WITH THE TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES FORMAT OF THE SISTER TOURNAMENTS BEING HELD.

8. UMPIRES – A MAXIMUM OF FOUR AND NO LESS THAN TWO FULLY QUALIFIED UMPIRES SHALL BE USED FOR EACH GAME. THE STATE DIRECTOR MUST APPROVE ANY AND ALL CHANGES. UMPIRES WILL BE PAID A MINIMUM OF $20.00 PER GAME UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $35.00

NOTE: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE UMPIRES USED IN COACH-PITCH TOURNAMENTS HAVE PRIOR EXPERIENCE UMPIRING IN THIS AGE DIVISION.

9. INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM TROPHIES AND AWARDS SHALL BE FURNISHED AND DISTRIBUTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TOURNAMENT FORMAT GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

10. BIDS - THE FEE FOR HOSTING THE COACH PITCH STATE SANCTIONED TORNAMENTS SHALL BE THE SAME AS OUTLINED IN THE TOURNAMENT FORMAT GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

C. EQUIPMENT

11. BASEBALLS - ONLY DIXIE YOUTH APPROVED TOURNAMENT BASEBALL SHALL BE USED.

12. BATS - ONLY DIXIE YOUTH APPROVED BATS SHALL BE USED.

13. BATTING HELMETS - ALL BATTING HELMETS SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH A FULL APPROVED MASK AND CHIN STRAP.

14. CATCHERS EQUIPMENT - CATCHERS SHALL BE EQUIPPED IN FULL GEAR CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING:
A. HELMET WITH MASK AND THROAT GUARD ATTACHED
B. SHIN GUARDS
C. CHEST PROTECTOR
D. MALE CATCHERS- PROTECTIVE CUP

E. FEMALE CATCHERS- SUFFICIENT PROTECTIVE PADDING

D. GAMES

15. GAME LENGTH - GAMES WILL CONSIST OF SIX (6) INNINGS. THERE SHALL BE A FIFTEEN (15) RUN RULE IN EFFECT AFTER BOTH TEAMS HAVE BATTED AT LEAST FOUR (4) TIMES, OR IN THE CASE OF THE HOME TEAM IS LEADING BY FIFTEEN (15) RUNS OR MORE, THREE (3) TIMES.

16. SCHEDULE TIME – IT IS SUGGESTED THAT NO GAMES SHALL BE SCHEDULED TO START AFTER 9:30 P.M. EXCEPTION: THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR WITH CONSENT FROM THE STATE DIRECTOR SHALL BE EMPOWERED TO WAIVE THIS RULE SO AS TO ASSURE COMPLETION OF THE TOURNAMENT WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A DELAY DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER REASONS. GAME TIMES SHALL BE SCHEDULED 1 (ONE) HOUR APART.

17. PROTESTS - NO PROTEST SHALL BE APPEALED BEYOND THE STATE DIRECTOR. THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE STATE TOURNAMENT SHALL BE THE STATE DIRECTOR OR HIS DULY AUTHORIZED APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE.

18. TEAM REPRESENTATIVE - ONLY THE MANAGER SHALL REPRESENT OR SPEAK FOR THE TEAM UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUESTED.

19. DEFENSIVE PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS - ALL SUBSTITUTIONS MUST BE REPORTED TO THE SCOREKEEPER PRIOR TO THE START OF EACH INNING. DEFENSIVE PLAYERS MUST BE SUBSTITUTED EVERY OTHER INNING. NO PLAYER WILL SIT OUT MORE THAN ONE (1) CONSECUTIVE INNING. THE PENALTY FOR NON-SUBSTITUTION VIOLATIONS OF THE PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE THE EJECTION OF THE MANAGER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME AND THE NEXT GAME.

THERE IS NO PENALTY FOR NON-SUBSTITUTION BECAUSE OF INJURY, SICKNESS OR EJECTION. THE GAME WILL NOT BE FORFEITED BUT SHALL BE RESUMED AT THE POINT OF THE SUBSTITUTION VIOLATION. ALL SUBSTITUTIONS SHALL BE REPORTED TO THE SCOREKEEPER PRIOR TO THE START OF EACH INNING. NOTE: A SUBSTITUTION VIOLATION MUST BE REPORTED TO THE HEAD UMPIRE AS SOON AS IT IS DISCOVERED AND BEFORE THE END OF THE INNING IN WHICH THE VIOLATION OCCURS. NO PROTEST WILL BE ALLOWED AFTER THE INNING IS COMPLETE.

20. STOPPING PLAY - NO PLAY IS DEAD UNTIL TIME OUT IS CALLED BY THE UMPIRE WHEN ALL RUNNERS ARE FORCED TO STOP OR RETURN TO A BASE UNDER THREAT OF MAKING AN OUT.

21. INFIELD FLY - THE INFIELD FLY RULE SHALL NOT APPLY. NO BUNTING, BASE STEALING OR BASE ON BALLS SHALL BE ALLOWED. IF THE BATTER SQUARES AROUND OR ATTEMPTS TO BUNT THE BASEBALL THE UMPIRE SHALL DECLARE A "STRIKE". THE BALL IS AUTOMATICALLY DEAD - NO RUNNERS CAN ADVANCE OR SCORE.

22. APPEAL PLAYS - THIS WILL BE A DEAD BALL APPEAL AND NO RUNNERS SHALL BE ALLOWED TO ADVANCE. THE MANAGER MAY APPEAL A RUNNER FOR MISSING A BASE. THE MANAGER MUST APPEAL A RUNNER MISSING A BASE SHOULD TO THE UMPIRE BEFORE THE NEXT PITCH. THE BALL STAYS ON THE MOUND AND IF THE RUNNER IS RULED THAT HE OR SHE MISSED THE BASE, THEY MUST RETURN TO THAT BASE AND ANY RUNNERS THAT MAY HAVE ADVANCED BEHIND THEM. THE RUNNER IS NOT CALLED OUT. THE PENALTY FOR A RUNNER MISSING A BASE OR LEAVING A BASE TO SOON IS THAT THEY ARE TO RETURN TO THE BASE ON APPEAL PLAYS ONLY.

E. BASE RUNNING

23. BASE RUNNING - RUNNERS SHALL REMAIN ON THE BASE UNTIL THE BALL IS HIT. IF RUNNERS LEAVE A BASE BEFORE THE PITCH REACHES THE PLATE THE BASE UMPIRE SHALL DROP A SIGNAL FLAG TO INDICATE THE VIOLATION AT THE TIME IT OCCURS.

PENALTY: THE DEFENSIVE TEAM SHALL HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF NULLIFING ANY PORTION OF THE PLAY THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE VIOLATION. ON A RULED "NO PITCH", THE RUNNERS MUST RETURN AND THE BATTER MUST BAT AGAIN.

24. WHEN A BASE RUNNER IS FORCED TO STOP ON OR RETURN TO A BASE UNDER THREAT OF MAKING AN OUT, THE BALL IS DEAD. BASE RUNNERS SHALL NOT ADVANCE TO ANOTHER BASE UNTIL THE BALL IS BATTED LIVE BY BEING BATTED FAIR OR A FOUL BALL BEING CAUGHT IN THE AIR. (SEE RULE 22) EXCEPTION: IF A MEMBER OF A DEFENSIVE TEAM CAUSED ONE BASE RUNNER TO STOP OR RETURN TO A BASE AND THEN MAKES A PLAY ON ANOTHER BASE RUNNER (ALREADY IN ROUTE TO ANOTHER BASE WHEN THE FIRST BASE RUNNER WAS STOPPED) THE BALL IS LIVE AND ALL BASE RUNNERS MAY ADVANCE WITH A CHANCE OF MAKING AN OUT.

F. BATTING

25. BATTING ORDERS - THE CONSECUTIVE BATTING ORDER GUIDELINES WILL BE USED. IF A PLAYER IS EJECTED OR BECOMES ILL OR UNABLE TO CONTINUE, THE BATTER WILL BE SKIPPED IN THE BATTING ORDER WITHOUT PENALTY.

26. BATTING - EACH BATTER WILL BE ALLOWED THREE (3) SWINGING STRIKES OR SIX PITCHES. IF THE BATTER HAS FAILED TO PUT THE BALL IN PLAY AFTER THE SIXTH PITCH, THE BATTER WILL BE OUT. EXCEPTION: IF THE BATTER FOULS THE SIXTH PITCH, THE BATTER WILL BE ALLOWED ANOTHER PITCH. THE AT-BAT WILL CONTINUE AS LONG AS THE BATTER FOULS THE SUBSEQUENT PITCH.

27. ILLNESS OR INJURY - PLAY IS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED FOR INJURY AND THE BALL IS DEAD AND RUNNERS WILL ADVANCE ONE BASE. A PLAYER THAT IS TAKEN OUT OF THE GAME FOR ILLNESS OR INJURY AND GOES BACK INTO THE GAME WILL BAT IN THE SAME PLACE IN THE BATTING ORDER AS WHEN THEY LEFT THE GAME. THERE IS NO PENALTY. THE BATTING TEAM MUST INFORM THE OPPOSING TEAM AND SCOREKEEPER PRIOR TO THE PLAYER BEING SKIPPED.

28. BAT SLINGING - A PLAYER WILL RECEIVE ONE WARNING FOR SLINGING A BAT. ON THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, THE PLAYER WILL BE CALLED OUT, THE BATTED BALL WILL BE DEAD AND NO PLAYER MAY ADVANCE.

G. DEFENSE

29. DEFENSE - TEN (10) PLAYERS WITH A PLAYER PITCHER, CATCHER AND AT LEAST FOUR (4) PLAYERS IN THE OUTFIELD.

30. SUBSTITUTIONS - FREE SUBSTITUTION ON DEFENSE.

31. TIME OUTS - THE DEFENSIVE COACH MAY CALL TWO (2) TIME OUTS PER INNING EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS OR INJURY. ADDITIONAL TIME OUTS SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED.

32. PLAYER PITCHER & CATCHER - THE PLAYER PITCHER MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE FOOT INSIDE THE 12-FOOT CIRCLE OF THE PITCHER’S MOUND UNTIL THE BALL IS HIT. THE PITCHER'S CIRCLE SHALL BE AROUND THE 46-FOOT RUBBER. THERE IS A PENALTY ONLY IF THE ILLEGALLY POSITIONED PITCHER IS THE FIRST PLAYER TO TOUCH THE BALL. THE PENALTY SHALL BE THE OFFENSIVE CHOICE OF THE RESULTS OF THE PLAY OR A DEAD BALL. THE BATTER IS AWARDED FIRST BASE AND ALL BASE RUNNERS SHALL ADVANCE ONE BASE.

THE CATCHER SHALL BE IN THE CATCHERS BOX UNTIL THE BALL IS HIT.

33. OUTFIELDERS - OUTFIELDERS MUST BE POSITIONED IN THE OUTFIELD UNTIL THE BALL IS HIT. THERE IS A PENALTY ONLY IF THE ILLEGALLY POSITIONED OUTFIELDER IS THE FIRST PLAYER TO TOUCH THE BALL. THE PENALTY WILL BE THE OFFENSIVE CHOICE OF THE RESULTS OF THE PLAY OR A DEAD BALL. THE BATTER IS AWARDED FIRST BASE AND ALL BASE RUNNERS SHALL ADVANCE ONE BASE.

34. COACHES - DEFENSIVE COACH’S BOXES WILL BE PLACED FIFTEEN (15) FEET BEYOND THE BASE COACHES BOX ON THE FOUL LINES. COACHES MUST STAY IN THE BOXES AT ALL TIMES. DEFENSIVE COACHES ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE FIELD DURING PLAY.

H. PITCHING

35. PITCHING - THE COACH-PITCHER SHALL PITCH OVERHAND FROM A STANDING POSITION ONLY. THE DISTANCE FROM THE PITCHING RUBBER TO HOME PLATE SHALL BE FORTY (40) FEET. IF A BATTED BALL HITS THE COACH-PITCHER THE BALL IS DEAD AND IT SHALL BE A NO PITCH. THE COACH-PITCHER MUST MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO AVOID THE BATTED BALL AND THE PLAYER PITCHER. IF THE COACH-PITCHER INTERFERES WITH THE BATTED BALL, OBSTRUCTS A DEFENSIVE ATTEMPT ON A BASE RUNNER OR IMPEDES A DEFENSIVE PLAYER FROM CATCHING OR THROWING A BATTED OR THROWN BALL, THE PLAY IS DEAD AND NO RUNNERS SHALL ADVANCE.

36. INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE - (IN ADDITION TO RULE 37) IF, IN THE JUDGMENT OF THE UMPIRE, THE INTERFERENCE BY THE COACH-PITCHER IS INTENTIONAL, THE BATTER IS OUT AND THE COACH-PITCHER IS REMOVED FROM THE MOUND. HE MAY COACH A BASE. NOTE: IF THE COACH-PITCHER HAS TO CATCH A BATTED BALL FOR PROTECTIVE REASONS, THEN THIS WILL BE A DEAD BALL - NO PITCH.

37. COACH-PITCHER DURING LIVE ACTION - THE COACH-PITCHER SHALL EXIT THE PLAYING FIELD BEHIND THE RUNNER, OR AWAY FROM THE PLAY WHEN THE BALL IS HIT INTO FAIR TERRITORY.

38. THE COACH-PITCHER THAT STARTS AN INNING SHALL FINISH THAT INNING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF INJURY, ILLNESS OR EJECTION.

39. COACHING BY COACH-PITCHER - THE COACH-PITCHER SHALL NOT COACH ANY RUNNER DURING A LIVE OR DEAD BALL. ON THE SECOND OCCURANCE THE COACH-PITCHER SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THE MOUND FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME. THE REMOVED COACH-PITCHER CAN BECOME A BASE COACH. THE COACH-PITCHER MAY INSTRUCT AND ENCOURAGE THE BATTER DURING A DEAD BALL ONLY. NOT AFTER THE BALL IS PITCHED. ONCE THE BALL IS PITCHED THE COACH-PITCHER MAY NOT COACH THE BATTER. EXAMPLE: THE COACH-PITCHER HAVING PITCHED THE BALL MAY NOT SHOUT LAST SECOND INSTRUCTION TO THE BATTER. (EXAMPLE: "SWING", "DON'T SWING") THE COACH-PITCHER MAY TALK WITH OTHER COACHES DURING A DEAD BALL.