2010-11 VHSL SOFTBALL RULES CLINIC

1. 2010-11 VHSL SOFTBALL RULES CLINIC Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

2. Purpose Review important VHSL policies and information Explain this year’s rule changes Answer any questions you might have

3. Clinic Attendance Each school must be represented by one coach Officials must attend each year to be eligible for varsity and post-season consideration Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

4. Penalties for Non-Attendance Coach Letter to principal $50 fine Head coach must take NFHS rules exam Official No clinic – no varsity. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

5. Clinic Make-up Coaches or officials who are unable, due to extreme or unusual circumstances, to attend one of the VHSL Rules Clinics, MAY be given an opportunity to meet the clinic requirement by viewing the PowerPoint presentation online. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

6. Clinic Make-up Request Procedure The request for an official must come from the official’s association commissioner. The request for a coach must come from his/her Principal/AD. Requests must be in writing (email is OK). Past clinic attendance and present circumstances along with any additional pertinent information will be considered in the decision to grant or deny the request. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

7. Rules Clinic Make-up Requirements If the request is granted The coach/official must pay a $25 administrative fee to VHSL in order to receive credit for attendance. The requesting school/association must verify that the official/coach did in fact view the presentation. The coach must take the online exam. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

8. Web Info 2010-11 Softball Rule Changes Softball Field Diagram NFHS Comments on the Rule Changes ASA Certified Bats Softball Signals Chart Softball & Baseball Rules Differences VHSL Rules Clinic PowerPoint NFHSLEARN.COM – NFHS sponsored site has officiating video & concussion video. It’s free. NFHS.ORG – NFHS website Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

9. Important Dates First Practice Date First Contest Date District Deadline Regional Deadline Feb. 21* Mar. 14* May 28 Jun. 4 * Local restrictions may apply Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

10. Important Dates (Cont.) State Tournament QF – June 7, 2011 Games hosted by Region Champions Must be played on VHSL-approved field If Region Champion school does not have an approved field, game must be played elsewhere Semis and Finals at Radford (A & AA) and Westfield (AAA) Spring Jubilee Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

11. Pre-Season Conditioning • Must be open to entire student body • May include weight training and/or running • Cannot be sport-specific – no softball equipment permitted • Cannot be mandatory • No instruction is permitted Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

12. Contest Limitations Regular season contests . . . . 20* Must count all possible games in a tournament No player may exceed 20 No team may exceed 20 Player could play varsity & JV, but not on same day. *Local restrictions may apply Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

13. Scrimmages & Jamborees 3 8 Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

14. Benefit Game Limited to one (1) In lieu of an authorized scrimmage Must be approved by VHSL Must be revenue producing Played any time prior to end of regular season “Free” game – doesn’t apply to contest limitations. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

15. Benefit Game (Cont.) May extend to max. of 10 innings Scrimmage conditions apply to additional innings Participating schools and VHSL Foundation share proceeds If you are interested in contributing to the VHSL Foundation, contact Hannah Catherine Munro at the VHSL office Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

16. Official Ball Wilson A9011 Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

17. Rules Exam Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

18. EXAM REQUIREMENT All officials must take and pass the exam to be eligible to work VHSL contests. Minimum score of 70 for regular season eligibility Minimum score of 80 for post season eligibility Coaches who miss the rules clinic must take the exam Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

19. ONLINE EXAM Exam will be taken online -- exams.nfhs.org VHSL will provide a link to the NFHS site from the Softball landing page of the VHSL web site. NO PAPER COPIES OF THE EXAM WILL BE ISSUED. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

20. TESTING DATES Exam opens on Feb. 7, 2011 Exams completed by Mar. 6, 2011 – no fee Officials have 4 weeks to complete the exam requirement This provides our staff with time to process results from the NFHS and send information to commissioners in time to make any necessary adjustments to assignments Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

21. LATE FEES March 7-13 . . . $50.00 fee will be applied to exams taken during this time period. $50.00 check must be received by VHSL before credit will be given. March 14-20 . . . $75.00 fee will be applied to exams taken during this time period. Check must be received before credit is given. March 21-April 30 . . . $100.00 – no check, no credit – no games! Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

22. VHSL Testing Deadlines (Review) Feb. 7 – Mar. 6 . . . No fee Mar. 7 – Mar. 13 . . . $50.00 Mar. 14 – Mar. 20 . . . $75.00 Mar. 21 – Apr. 30 . . . $100.00 YOU MAY NOT OFFICIATE UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE EXAM REQUIREMENT. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

23. VHSL Testing Deadlines (Review) Do not confuse “days remaining” on the NFHS exam site with VHSL deadlines – they are totally unrelated. You must complete the exam by March 6 to avoid a late fee. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

24. ABOUT LATE FEES Prior to online testing, there was a SINGLE test date. ALL umpires had to go to a testing location at a specified time on that date. Umpires had 90 minutes to complete a closed-book exam With online testing, opportunities for completing the exam are significantly greater. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

25. ABOUT LATE FEES The exam is an annual requirement – umpires know this. Umpires have a responsibility to meet requirements within specified deadlines. This is no different than paying your mortgage or any other bill on time – late payment results in penalties. Every umpire who fails to complete the exam within the first 4 weeks creates additional work for commissioners and VHSL staff. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

26. VHSL ID REQUIRED Officials must have a VHSL ID to take the exam Officials should have only ONE VHSL ID, regardless of the number of sports you officiate. If you do not have a VHSL ID, contact your association commissioner. Registration fees must be paid prior to receiving a VHSL ID. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

27. EXAM WEBSITE If you took ANY NFHS/VHSL exam online last year, you already have an exam website username and password. Bring up exams.nfhs.org and sign in. Softball landing page on VHSL website will have a link to the exam site. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

28. NEW OFFICIALS If you have never taken an NFHS/VHSL exam online, you will need to create a username and password. There is an online PowerPoint presentation on the VHSL website that describes how to do this. PowerPoint and other similar information are listed as “Resources” in the lower right-hand part of each web page. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

29. EXAM LAYOUT 100 questions Order of the questions is random No two tests will be alike If you need to re-take the exam (because you failed on your first attempt), the questions will appear in a different order. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

30. RE-TESTING Officials who score less than 80 may take the exam a second time No additional attempts will be permitted Do NOT attempt the exam until you are prepared to take it. Officials who score 80 or higher on their first attempt are not permitted a second try. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

31. SPORTSMANSHIP Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

32. VHSL PROGRAMS ARE EDUCATION-BASED Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

33. SPORTSMANSHIP ISTHE #1 PRIORITYOF EDUCATION-BASED ATHLETICS Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

34. The sole purpose of VHSL and other “education-based” athletics and activities programs is to provide students with unique opportunities to learn skills that will make them better people. Sportsmanship Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

35. Sportsmanship More and more VHSL schools are realizing that sportsmanship is an issue that needs to be addressed VHSL has established sportsmanship guidelines for championship events, and has encouraged schools to adopt the same or similar guidelines for regular season play. VHSL Handbook 27-13-1 thru 27-13-14 We are about “Building better citizens!” Good sportsmanship is simply having RESPECT for oneself, for others, and for the sport. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

36. Player Ejections Total – 447 (363 last yr.) 3 SB players (increase of 2) Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

37. Coach Ejections Total # of coaches ejected = 61 (38 last yr) 4 SB Coaches ejected (increase of 3) Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

38. Sportsmanship Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

39. Our Goal Our goal is ZERO There is NEVER a good reason for a player or coach to be ejected Excessive celebration and drawing attention to oneself are not “enthusiasm” – Coaches who “support their athletes” by being unsportsmanlike and/or ejected have done just the opposite Players who are ejected cannot help their teammates. Behaviors we see on ESPN are not acceptable at the high school level! Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

40. Player Ejections • Kids want to play. If coaches were to bench a player who exhibited inappropriate behavior, most inappropriate behavior would end.

41. Coach’s Role • Always remember you are a TEACHER, and that you are teaching much more than softball. • Always model appropriate behavior – coaches can sometimes have more of an impact on students than any other person. • Sportsmanship starts at the top. Let players and parents know what you expect. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

42. Official’s Role Officials – you are the “protectors of the game.” NEVER engage a spectator – not before, not during, not after a meet NEVER “bait” a coach or participant ALWAYS behave in a professional manner You are always an official, whether you are in the grocery store or a spectator at your child’s softball game – behave like one. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

43. Official’s Role ALWAYS show respect for players, coaches and administrators. If you have “an attitude” about a coach or team, don’t do their games. If a question is asked in a respectful manner, it deserves an answer. What you permit, you promote. The game is about the student athletes. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

44. Questions about Sportsmanship All questions regarding VHSL regulations should be directed to VHSL office – not to contest officials Officials do not determine the number of games a player will miss if he/she is ejected. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

45. Reporting Sportsmanship Problems ALL ejections must be reported to VHSL office Sportsmanship “incidents” must be reported to the VHSL office Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

46. It’s All About RESPECT Good sportsmanship is nothing more than having and showing respect for competitors, coaches, officials, each other, and the sport itself! Play with honor! Player behavior mirrors that of his/her coach. Good sportsmanship starts at the top. Virginia High School League Building Better Citizens

47. NFHS Softball2011Rules Changes

48. Lineup Card Inaccuracies (3-1-3 Penalty) • New penalty established for changes made to submitted lineup card • First offense = Team warning • Second offense = Head coach restricted to dugout/bench for remainder of game • Applies to changes made to name and number – not defensive position

50. Concussion Procedure Revised (3-3-9; 10-2-3k) • Concussion language revised in all NFHS rules books. • Removed references to “unconscious or apparently unconscious.” • New procedure requires an athlete exhibiting signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion to be removed from the contest.