VASA Rules for play
2024 Executive
President: Nitasha Stampflee
VP: Jamie Devauld
Treasurer: Chris Fulgham
Secretary: Penny Devauld
Directors: Chris Lang, Tyler Lang, Bubba Lyell, Steve Shenk
Youth Liaison: Kris Scott
2024 Vanderhoof Slo-pitch Rules
If you don’t play by the rules, it is just a pickup game.
VASA Vision Statement
Our Vision as a league is to actively create, promote, and sustain an environment in which each participant and team is challenged and supported in pursuit of personal growth in the areas of sports, wellness, and recreation activities.
To fulfill the mission the VASA will:
Provide a diverse and equitable sport environment
Serve as a positive presence in the community
Foster personal growth and development
Play an integral and recurring role in the recruitment and retention of youth
Employ sound fiscal management practices
Provide powerful and meaningful experiences and activities, which forge enduring bonds with the community and its members
Comply with VASA rules and regulations
​
VASA Rules for play
1. Player Eligibility
1.1) Teams must have a complete roster on file with the Vanderhoof Adult Slo-Pitch Association.
1.2) Teams must have paid the full league fees by May 13, 2024.
1.3) All Players must sign the league waiver and release of liability. All Players under 19 years old must have a waiver signed by their parents or guardians. Underage Players must wear softball helmets while on the field. This applies to both defense and offense.
1.4) Players may only play for ONE team during the playoffs. If the team whose roster you are on is eliminated from the playoff you will not be able to play for another team.
1.5) During regular season play there are many times when teams are unable to field a team of players from their roster. It is acceptable to “pick up” players from another team or from the player call list. The players that are “picked up” must be registered to play in the league. Players that are not registered are not eligible to play. This is for insurance reasons.
​
2. Equipment
2.1) No metal cleats.
2.2) All bats must meet NSA Bay policy listed below.
NSA CANADA BAT POLICY FOR APPROVED PLAY
As of January 1st 2023, bats approved for play made by our approved manufactures must have one or all of the following logos and must pass the 220-compression standard. All 240 bats and or 220 bats with the approved logo are subject to the same testing standard. We will continue to allow all 2012 stamped bats for the foreseeable future subject to passing the 220lb compression test.
​
​
​
​
3. Umpires – Teams are to ump their own games. Rules below apply for playoffs
3.1) All teams are scheduled to umpire a game a week. It is expected that two umpires will be provided. Teams will be fined for missing umpire duty. (The league acknowledges that there are several people who can umpire alone)
3.2) If no umpires are at a game, please report this to the league by calling 250-570-1375 and leaving a message.
3.3) Abuse of umpires will not be tolerated.
3.4) Umpires have control and authority over the game. The umpire can remove players from the game for abusive or unsportsmanlike behaviour.
3.5) It is expected that teams provide umpires that are familiar with the rules of softball and the league.
3.6) Even though umpiring is an unpaid position in our league we expect umpires to do their best when calling a game.
4. Game time and duration
4.1) Games start on time. At 15 minutes after start time the umpire can call the game a forfeit if one team is unable to field a team. If both teams agree the game can be rescheduled. No umpires will be provided for rescheduled games.
4.2) All games are 7 innings in length. Time permitting.
4.3) A game played to 5 innings or more will constitute a complete game if weather or darkness prevent 7 innings from being completed safely. Umpires may call the game for the above reasons or some other unforeseen event.
5. Games
5.1) The home team will be decided by coin toss. Umpire will toss the coin. Playoff the Home team decided by the standings. Higher seed is the home team.
5.2) A 5 run maximum per inning is in effect except for the last inning of the game. The last inning of the game will be an open inning.
5.3) If a team is unable to field the necessary numbers of players for their scheduled game they must notify the opposing team’s coach and coordinate a make-up game within a week. Failure to play a make-up game within a week's time will result in a forfeit, which will then result in a loss for the forfeiting team and a win for the opposing team. Both teams involved must make every reasonable effort to schedule the make-up game.
6. Fielding and Batting
6.1) Every team must field with a minimum of three females. You may field two females and take an automatic out. A team may not have more than seven males in the field at any time.
6.2) a team can play with nine fielders but must take an automatic out for the tenth batter.
6.3) There is no limit to the number of batters or extra players a team may have on the line up. An extra player can rotate through the field at the team’s discretion. The gender of the extra players does not matter as long as there are no more than three male batters in a row at any time in the batting order.
6.4) All out fielders shall remain outside the defined infield until the ball crosses home plate.
6.5) Tipped balls which are caught are considered “live” and the batter is out.
6.5.1 Tagging up are permitted on foul balls that are caught
6.6) Infield fly rule:
The batter is out if they hit an infield fly with less than two outs and there are runners on first and second, or first, second, and third. An infield fly is a fair ball which can be caught with ordinary effort by an infielder. Runners may advance at their own risk as the ball is live.
This is solely the umpire’s call. They do not need any help.
6.7) Female batters are permitted to bunt. Male batters are not.
6.8) A male batter who is followed by a female batter earns a double on four straight balls with no strikes thrown. The female batter must bat.
6.9) There may not be more than three male batters in a row in the batting order.
6.10) NO CHOPPING OF THE BALL IS PERMITTED. BATTER IS OUT.
6.12) The team that hits a home run or foul ball out of the ball diamond must throw in the replacement ball.
7. Base running
7.1) No lead offs from any base. The ball must hit the ground or mat before a runner can commence running. Runners who lead off are out.
7.2) A commitment line will be placed between 3rd base and home plate. Once a runner touches or crosses the commitment line they must proceed to home.
7.3) The runner is safe at home if they break the plane of the home plate line. Because the runner is unable to touch home plate, for safety reasons, the runner is not required to touch the ground across the line or on the line.
The catcher needs to touch home plate while in control of the ball before the runner breaks the plane for the runner to be called out. The runner must not be tagged after the commitment line.
7.4) No sliding or diving at home plate or at first base or the runner is called out.
7.5) Base Stealing is permitted once the pitched ball hits the Ground after the pitcher has made a pitching motion towards home plate.
NEW - If one team is up by 5 runs then stealing is not permitted.
Stealing home is not permitted unless the ball is thrown into play (e.g. the catcher is trying to throw out a runner attempting to steal second base).
Runners who stop forward motion are no longer eligible to steal the base.
Runners attempting to steal must be tagged to be called out.
8.0 Strikes and balls
8.1) A strike is called when a portion of a pitched ball hits any part of the mat or home plate.
A pitched ball is live if it hits home plate or the mat and bounces back towards the infield.
8.2) A strike is called if the batter swings across the plate and misses the ball or hits a foul ball.
8.3) If a batter has two strikes the batter is out on strikes if a foul ball is hit.
9. Pitching
9.1) There is a large ball that male or female batters can use. There is a small ball available for female batters to use. They must request the small ball prior to the first pitch of the at bat being thrown.
10. Home runs
10.1) All fair hits over any fence are home runs. Balls knocked over the fence by the fielder are considered (four bags) for the purposes of rule 10.2
10.2) A team can not have more than two home runs over the opposing team at any one time
For Example Team A = 3 home runs
Team B = 1 home run
Team A can not hit another home run until Team B hits at least one more home run. Team B is eligible to hit 4 home runs.
NEW- A player who hits a fair ball over the fence when their team already has a two home run lead will be considered a strike. If that same player hits another home run during the same at bat then that player will be OUT. Home Runs hit by female batters do not count towards the teams home run total.
10.3) Players already on base do not advance.
10.4) Batters have the option to “Walk Off” if they hit a home run. This means that they don’t have to run the bases. This is to speed up the game.
11. Miscellaneous
11.1) Injury Substitutions:
In the case of an injury to a player where all other players have previously entered the game, re-entry of a player previously removed from the game will be allowed
11.2) Normal Softball rules apply where not covered by the above rules.
11.3) Any Matter not covered by the above will be referred to the league executive for clarification or interpretation.
11.4) Protests during the games are to be made known to the umpire(playoffs) and both team captains (coaches) prior to the next pitch being thrown.
Serious protests need to be forwarded to the league executive via phone or in writing.
