MISSISSIPPIDIXIE SOFTBALL
ANNUAL MEETING 2013
We had our District Directors State Meeting February 1 and the General Meeting February 2 in Laurel. I would like to thank the Directors and the leagues that attended the meeting. There were quite of few important things that were discussed and passed by the District Directors present Friday night and the leagues on Saturday.
The first thing that has changed, is starting this year, 2013, there will be two State Tournaments for the Sweetees Division. There will be a Tournament for Tee-Ball and a Tournament for Coach-Pitch. This was passed with no objections. The reason for this change is because both styles of play are offered in that Division. Both will be played in Indianola because they were awarded all age groups last year for the State Tournament.
Starting this year, 2013 and in the future, the State Tournament will start on Thursday. The date this year is July 11th. The State Tournaments will now start on Thursdayand should conclude on Sunday. This was recommended and approved by the Directors and leagues. By doing this parents would know more about the time and days they would be missing from work instead of having to make last minute decisions about having to take off. Play will start on Thursday afternoon and a double round will be played Friday. The first of the double round will be played Friday morning and the other round Friday afternoon. A single round will be played Saturday and the Tournament should conclude on Sunday barring anything happening.
Starting in 2014 ALLState Tournaments will be awarded on a bid basis.There is no longer a rotation system. This has been replaced by a restricted bid system. Bids will be accepted from any league, in good standing, that was franchised the previous season or a new league that has franchised before the State Meeting. The league bidding on a Tournament must meet the minimum requirements as set by the State Board of Directors of Mississippi Dixie Softball (State Director and District Directors). The Board of Directors met a have placed restrictions on how the bid process will be conducted. The following are the guidelines set.
1)State Tournaments will be split into three (3) age division groupings to be bid on. These divisions will be grouped together and be held at the site and date.
a)Sweetees T-Ball, Sweetees Coach Pitch, Ponytails Traditional and Ponytails X-Play
b)Darlings and Debs
c)Angels Traditional, Angels X-Play and Belles
2)Any League, in good standing, must submit a bid prior to the Annual Mississippi Board of Directors Meeting, usually the first Friday of February. The bid must be sealed and in the hands of the State Director prior to the Mississippi Board of Directors meeting in order to be considered. It is requested that the league name be placed across the sealed flap of the envelope. The only exception is if a particular age division group has not been bid on. In this case only, a bid will be accepted at the General Meeting. Any league bidding on a Tournament MUST be present at the General Meeting to answer any question concerning their bid for a Tournament. Failure of a league to attend the General Meeting will forfeit or void their bid.
3)A legal bid shall be one that is in the hands of the State Director prior to the annual Mississippi Dixie Softball Board of Directors meeting and meets the Minimum Bid Requirements. Theses requirements can be found on-line at the Mississippi Dixie Softball website ( or obtained from your District or State Director. Most of the general guidelines are found in the Dixie Softball Official Rule Guide under the Tournament Play Section with additions set by the State Board of Directors. Any additions to the minimum state bid requirements are recommended to go to the Dixie Softball Scholarship fund or the teams playing in the Tournament.
4)All leagues in good standing have the right to bid on any age division grouping listed in number 1 above. However they can only be awarded one age division grouping for that Tournament Season. The only exception is if a particular age division grouping has not received a legal bid. In this case any league, in good standing, may submit a bid at the Annual General Meeting or at a time to be determined by the Mississippi State Board of Directors. All bids must meet the minimum requirements.
5)A league may not bid on the same age division grouping in consecutive tournament seasons. The only exception is if that particular age division grouping has not received a legal bid for the current season. In this case a league must submit a bid at the Annual General Meeting or at a time to be determined by the Mississippi State Board of Directors. All bids must meet the minimum requirements.
6)The League receiving the State Tournament has the option of starting the tournament on the first Thursday or the second Thursday of July. These dates may be assigned or changed depending on the start of World Series play.
7)ALL bids will be awarded on a straight bid basis. The sealed bids will be opened at the Board of Directors meeting by the State Director. The State Director and District Directors will review all bids to make sure they meet the minimum requirements. The State and District Directors will approve all bids but the winner will NOT be announced until the General Meeting due to rule number 2.