CRYSTAL LAKE
NATIONAL
LITTLE LEAGUE
BYLAWS
REVISED 2008
Crystal Lake National Little League Bylaws
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I - GENERAL LEAGUE OPERATIONS 1
SECTION 1 - name 1
SECTION 2 - GOVERNANCE 1
SECTION 3 - Insurance 1
SECTION 4 – Election Meeting Protocol 1
SECTION 5 – NUMBER OF Board members 1
SECTION 6 – Additional duties of board members 1
President 1
Vice President of Baseball Operations 1
Treasurer 1
Player Agent 1
Safety Officer 1
SECTION 7 – The Fields At Canterbury 2
Practicing 2
Board Member Authority 2
Lights 2
SECTION 8 – CLLLINC (Crystal Lake Little League INCORPORATED) committee 2
ARTICLE II – LEAGUE ORGANIZATION 2
section 1 - League Divisions 2
Major I Division 2
Major II Division 2
Minor I Division 2
Minor II Division 2
Rookie Division 2
section 2 - Player Shortages 3
ARTICLE III - DRAFT OPTIONS, TRANSFERS AND TRYOUT RULES 3
section 1 - draft Order 3
Divisional Draft Order 3
Major I Draft Order 3
Major II Draft Order 3
Minor I Draft Order 3
section 2 - option Rules 3
Option Players 3
Sibling Options 3
Option Forms 4
section 3 - Draft Rules 4
Draft Timing 4
Minor I Draft Rules 4
Draft of Option Player 4
Teams With No Manager 4
section 4 - Transfer Rules 4
section 5 - tryout Rules 4
ARTICLE IV – MANAGERS AND COACHES 4
section 1 - Selection of Managers 4
section 2 - Coach's Options 4
section 3 - Board Member Eligibility 5
section 4 - Manager of a Team 5
SECTION 5 – MANAGER RESPONISIBILITIES 5
SECTION 6 – Representation at General Meetings 5
section 7 - Suspension or Termination of Managers and Coaches 5
ARTICLE V - GENERAL PLAYING RULES 6
section 1 - Rules Covering All Divisions 6
Minimum Participation 6
Home Runs 6
Disqualifications 6
Adult Base Coaches 6
Start of Game Protocol 6
Pitching and Publicity Sheets 6
Canceled, Suspended, or Postponed Games 6
Awards 6
Sponsor Names 6
Field 1 Night Games 7
Section 2 - Major Bylaws 7
Pitching Rules 7
Stealing Bases 7
General Rules 7
Section 3 - Minor I bylaws 7
Pitching Rules 7
Regulation Game 8
Base Running 8
General Guidelines/Rules 8
section 4 - Minor II bylaws 9
Pitching Rules 9
Coach Pitching Rules 9
Regulation Game 9
Base Running 9
General Guidelines/Rules 9
section 5 – Rookie bylaws 10
Objective 10
Eligibility 10
Equipment 10
Coaches 10
Umpires 10
Games 11
Playing Rules 11
Sportsmanship 12
Competition 12
ARTICLE VI - WEATHER AND CANCELED OR SUSPENDED GAMES 12
section 1 - Tornado Watch 12
section 2 - Tornado Warning 13
section 3 - Thunderstorms and/or Rain 13
section 4 - Completion of Suspended or Weather-delayed Games 13
section 5 - Field Conditions 13
ARTICLE VII - ALL-STAR TEAMS and SPECIAL GAME RULES 13
section 1 - post Season Play 13
Participation 13
Post Season Divisional In-House Tournaments 13
All-Star Team Managers 13
section 2 - Season Rules 13
section 3 - All-Star Game Rules 13
section 4 - All-Star Selection 13
section 5 - City Series Participation 14
City Series Selection 14
Tie Breaker Rules 14
ARTICLE VIII – FALL BASEBALL 14
section 1 - Fall Ball Committee 14
section 2 – Fall Ball Bylaws 14
General Guidelines/Philosophy 14
Special Fall League Rules 14
ARTICLE IX – FINANCIAL POLICY 15
section 1 - Annual Budget 15
section 2 - Disbursement Approvals 15
section 3 - Treasurer Role 15
section 4 - Registration Fees 15
section 5 - Financial Aid 15
section 6 - Sponsors 15
section 7 - TAXES 15
section 8 – AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 15
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS 15
- ii -
Crystal Lake National Little League Bylaws
ARTICLE I - GENERAL LEAGUE OPERATIONS
SECTION 1 - name
This organization shall be known as the Crystal Lake National Little League, hereinafter referred to as the “league.” The Board of Directors for the league hereinafter shall be known as the “board.”
SECTION 2 - GOVERNANCE
The league shall be governed by the Rules and Regulations of Little League Baseball, Incorporated (“Little League”), the league Constitution on file with Little League, and these league bylaws.
SECTION 3 - Insurance
The league shall obtain accident insurance coverage for the protection of players, team managers, coaches, league officials, concession stand workers, field day workers and umpires. Coverage is in effect during all general league meetings and board meetings, fundraising campaigns, tryouts, practice sessions, regular playing season games, post-season play, league picnics, and traveling to or from these events.
SECTION 4 – Election Meeting Protocol
New board members will be elected by a simple majority of all Members present at the election meeting by secret ballot if requested by any Member present. Any person running for a board position does not have to be physically present at the election meeting to be voted in to that position. Any person wishing to run for a board position should notify the League Information Officer of the same no later than seven (7) days prior to the date of the election meeting, or earlier if required by the board. If two or more people are running for the same board position, they will be asked to go in front of the Members and explain why they wish to become a board member.
SECTION 5 – NUMBER OF Board members
As a rule, the number of voting-eligible board members shall not exceed five (5) percent of the total player population of the league.
SECTION 6 – Additional duties of board members
Additional duties of some league board members not described in the league Constitution are outlined here.
President
(a) Allowed to cast the deciding vote on board issues only in the condition where the vote is tied.
(b) Responsible for coordinating communication between the divisional Vice Presidents.
(c) Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the league.
(d) Acts as the representative of the league to the Little League District Organization and Little League Headquarters in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
(e) Acts as the representative of the league to other Crystal Lake leagues, the City of Crystal Lake, the Crystal Lake Park District and the community.
(f) Presides at league meetings and assumes full responsibility for the operations of the league.
(g) Provides a report on the status of the league at each normally scheduled monthly general meeting
(h) Receives all mail, supplies, and other communications from the league as well as from the Little League Headquarters.
(i) Responsible for performing background checks on all league volunteers
(j) Takes an active role in gaining support and winning friends for the league.
Vice President of Baseball Operations
(a) Responsible for coordinating communication between the divisional Vice Presidents.
Treasurer
(a) Prepares a monthly league financial report and reports on the status of the league funds on a monthly basis to the Board.
Player Agent
(a) Creates and manages the league’s playing schedules.
Safety Officer
(a) Submits written league safety program to Little League Headquarters by date specified by Little League Headquarters.
(b) Responsible for distribution and collection of safety kits to all teams.
(c) Keeps records of all accidents.
(d) Organizes training sessions as appropriate (i.e. first aid, cpr, defibrillator, etc.).
(e) Enforces safety rules with support of board.
SECTION 7 – The Fields At Canterbury
Practicing
All games are played at Canterbury Park (area around Canterbury school). Practices may be held on the fields except as decided by the board. Practices may be forbidden on one or more of the fields in the weeks prior to the spring season because the league is working to prepare the fields for the upcoming season. The Field Manager will decide what is allowed on an annual basis.
Board Member Authority
Any board member shall have the right to control and/or eject any person causing interference with a game at the Canterbury fields by their disruptive conduct. That board member can cause a game to be forfeited if a team does not exhibit proper control. If such a situation occurs, the board member shall immediately report it to the league President.
Lights
The lights on Field 1 are solely to be used for regular season games, in-house or all-star team tournament games, or scheduled fall ball games. The lights shall not be used at any other time without explicit permission from the board. The lights shall be turned on no earlier than 7:30pm local time unless the Field Manager authorizes them to be turned on earlier. Lights on three of the four light poles shall be turned off no later than 9:50pm local time, with the final light pole being turned off no later than 10:00pm. These were the times designated in the agreement between our league and the City of Crystal Lake in respecting the wishes of the surrounding neighborhoods.
SECTION 8 – CLLLINC (Crystal Lake Little League INCORPORATED) committee
The CLLLINC organization was established years ago to allow the three Crystal Lake little leagues to meet to ensure some consistency in fees and rules across the city as well as to establish an inter-league schedule. The board members that represent our local league at the CLLLINC meetings are the President, the Player Agent, and one additional board member chosen annually by the Board.
ARTICLE II – LEAGUE ORGANIZATION
section 1 - League Divisions
The league will consist of five (5) divisions. Two Major divisions will be registered as a major leagues with Little League Baseball, Inc., and all the remaining divisions will be registered as minor leagues. Note: All references to the ages of children from henceforth in this document will refer to the “playing age” of the child, not their actual age.
Major West Division
(a) This division will consist of all drafted eleven (11) and twelve (12) year olds
(b) The teams will consist of a number of players that will be beneficial to the division play ability.
(c) Ten year olds are eligible to play in the Major West division. They will be brought in on a case-by-case basis. The Player Agent shall have the final decision on whether or not to allow this.
(d) This division will be the only division that will keep all returning players from year to year.
Major East Division
(a) This division will consist of all eleven (11) and twelve (12) year olds who were not drafted by a Major I division team.
(b) This division is officially a major division, and will follow Major West division rules except as noted in the Major East division bylaws.
(c) Players will be selected by a draft.
Minor I Division
(a) This division will consist of all nine (9) and ten (10) year olds.
(b) Eight year olds are eligible to play in the Minor I division. They will be brought in on a case-by-case basis. The Player Agent shall have the final decision on whether or not to allow this.
(c) Players will be selected by a draft.
Minor II Division
(a) This division will consist of all seven (7) and eight (8) year olds.
(b) Players will be placed on teams by random choice.
(c) Six year olds are eligible to play in the Minor II division. They will be brought in on a case-by-case basis. The Player Agent shall have the final decision on whether or not to allow this.
Rookie Division
(a) This division will consist of all five (5) and six (6) year olds.
(b) Players will be kept on teams from year to year and be placed on teams at the discretion of the Player Agent to help balance the teams.
section 2 - Player Shortages
(a) Managers with temporary player shortages (defined as a team with less than nine (9) players to start a game) will contact any of the other managers in their division on a game-by-game basis. The manager with the player shortage is responsible for obtaining any additional players necessary to start and play the game. Any team that cannot field a team of eight (8) players within (15) minutes past the scheduled staring time shall forfeit the game.
(b) Temporary player shortages on Major West teams will be drawn from Major East teams. Player shortages on Major East teams must be drawn from other Major East teams (11 year olds or younger only) or from Minor I teams (ten (10) year olds only). Player shortages on Minor I teams must be drawn from other Minor I teams (9 year olds or younger only) or from Minor II teams (eight (8) year olds only). Player shortages on Minor II teams must be drawn from other Minor II teams (seven (7) year olds or younger only). If members of the actual team report later in the game, the replacement player may continue to play, if he or she desires.
(c) The temporary player shall play no more innings than a regular player. The temporary player shall not pitch while playing on a temporary team. The temporary player shall bat last in the lineup and play outfield only.