Rep Guidelines

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Rules, Guidelines and Policies of the CMSA Rep Program

TEAM FORMATION

1. The earliest age for forming a rep team is the first year of U11R.

 

2. Ideally our Rep teams will be comprised of players of the same age within that division year. The purpose of this is to avoid situations where teams may be disbanded due to lack of players as they move from division to division, and to avoid players being removed from a team simply because an older player is more physically and emotionally matured.

 

3. While every effort will be made to form teams with players of the same birth year, a mixed age team may be necessary if the same birth year players are insufficient to form a whole team.  If Rep coaches agree on a mixed age team, then there shall be no preference given for one age group or the other.

 

4. If a player does not wish to play for a particular team and/or coach, a letter stating the reasons must be submitted to the rep coordinator or executive. The rep coordinator and executive will examine the reason for the player’s concerns and make whatever decision is deemed appropriate. Any coach of a team found to be using this rule to their personal advantage may be suspended from the CMSA and reported to Softball B.C.

 

5. In certain cases players may request or be asked by the rep coordinator to play in a classification above their current age group (i.e. U13 player asked to play on a U15 team). Such situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the executive in consultation with the coaches, player, and parents or legal guardians. See Section 4.6 for the procedure for parents/players requesting to be moved up.

 

COACH SELECTION

 

1. The CMSA Softball Executive is responsible for notifying all existing coaches in the CMSA of the intent to form a new rep team so that all coaches have an opportunity to apply.

 

2. Coaching applications for all rep teams will be posted after all Provincials are over unless a need arises before-hand. Applicants may be asked to submit to an interview by the Committee. All coaches must be a member in good standing with the CMSA and Softball B.C. (which includes, but is not limited to, having a valid Softball B.C. Membership number and the completion of a Criminal Record Check with no adverse entries).

 

3. The Rep Coordinator will decide whether a coach is approved prior to Player Tryouts.

 

4. The Rep Coordinator will select the number of coaches for each category that will be deemed necessary.

 

5. A final list of the approved coaches must be submitted for review and final approval by the CMSA Executive.

 

6. Each applicant for each rep coach shall be familiar with the Rep Rules, Guidelines, and Policies document, and upon being selected to a coaching position shall agree to abide by it. Failure to do so could result in the coach being removed as a rep coach, and other examples of grounds for removal are the following (which is not exhaustive): a. Not finalizing the team roster by a specific date b. Failure to adhere to “player disqualifications” c. Severe breach of the Coaches Code of Conduct d. Tampering; any member of a coaching staff contacting or recruiting players for a specific team prior to fall try-outs. e. Raiding- any member of a coaching staff contacting or recruiting players from another team’s winter work out list without prior consent of the player’s present coach.

 

7. When selecting the head coaches the rep coordinator should take into account the applicants National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) credentials, experience coaching rep softball, experience coaching softball, softball experience, experience coaching and organizing in other sports, etc. Teams are encouraged to have a minimum of three coaches. Only One Person can be named Head Coach this is a Softball BC requirement for disciplinary action as a named individual for each team.

 

8. It is highly recommended that the coach meet with the parents at the first opportunity after tryouts and designate at a minimum a team manager and a team treasurer. Other volunteer spots can be filled as needed.

 

9. After tryouts coaches have the discretion to offer confirmed spots to certain numbers of players, with the option of carrying alternates. Player selection subject to review and approval by the Rep Coordinator.

 

10. All coaches are encouraged to attend a National Coaching Certification Program for the various levels of coaching. CMSA will reimburse 100% of the course fees to one coach per team per year upon successful completion of the course and the presentation of a valid receipt showing that the course was paid for.

 

TEAM TRYOUTS

1. All eligible players residing in District 6 (including Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Burnaby, and New Westminster) must be given a fair and open opportunity to try out for each team. Open tryouts will normally occur in September/October.

 

2. Prior to each tryout session, the rep coaches must review with the players and parents the unique characteristics of rep ball, including: additional time commitment, additional costs, how much playing time is allocated and any other matters unique to rep ball.

 

3. It is the responsibility of the rep coaches to ensure that all players attending the tryout are eligible. This will be accomplished by the players signing into each tryout session and recording their name, telephone number, e-mail, home association, and birth date (player profile form). These sheets must be provided to the Softball President on demand. Rep Coordinators to have copies of all rep player profile forms.

 

4. Ineligible players are to be removed from the tryout sessions by the rep coaches.

 

5. Players attending the tryouts must be graded and evaluated in a consistent and fair manner. The individuals assessing the players must submit a written grading assessment to coaches at the end of tryouts.

 

6. Players requesting to be ‘moved up’ to a level above the one identified for their birth year must attend tryouts within their age group/level. The CMSA will not entertain any requests to ‘play up’ until the tryouts have been completed and then only if:
   1. There are enough players to fill the team in the players age group OR there is no team in the players age group AND
   2. The team at the higher level needs a player in order to be able to fill their team (no other suitable players are available) AND
   3. The player can prove in an evaluation conducted by the association that they are capable of playing at the level requested

 

7. All grading forms from all players participating at tryouts are to be retained by the head coach for 1 calendar year and be available to be provided to the CMSA President on demand.

 

PLAYER SELECTION

1. After tryouts are completed, the rep coaches will work together to determine rosters.

 

2. All rep teams must submit a preliminary team list to the Rep Coordinator and Executive by October 15th of each year. All players who intend to play rep ball must be registered with the association by October 31st.

 

3. Players must be prepared to attend the district play downs (‘B’ only) as well as Provincial Championships or any other Western or Canadian championships they may be eligible for.

 

TEAM FINANCES

 

1. The association will cover the cost of umpires for all scheduled games.The association may also cover the tournament fees at the Provincial and National level as agreed by the CMSA executive.

 

2. Each rep team is responsible for all other expenses relating to the team.

 

3. It is highly recommended that coaches and team parents are clear at tryouts about the overalls costs per player to play rep ball and the ‘B’ or ‘A’ level. This needs to take into account the number of travel tournaments including possibly Provincials, Westerns, and Nationals at higher levels.

 

4. Each rep team is to prepare a team budget at the beginning of each season which must be approved by the team’s players and parents.

 

5. The team budget for the season will be submitted, on, or before, January 15^th to the rep coordinator for review with the executive.

 

6. The team budget to be approved by the team parents and/or players.

 

7. Each team is to appoint a Team Treasurer and second signatory, both whom are independent of the team coaches, for each season. The treasurer is required to have a current criminal record check on file.

 

8. An accounting of all cash receipts, cash expenditures and all non-monetary donations must be maintained by each team. Accounting records must be kept up to date as team parents and/or the Exec is permitted to view them at any time.

 

9. All fundraising activities including the solicitation of donations and sponsorships must be pre-approved by the CMSA Executive to ensure that such activities do not conflict with the CMSA objectives, which are designed to benefit all members.

 

10. No fundraising should be done until a team has been approved for the season.
    1. All monies not spent by the team shall become the property of the CMSA in the event that a team is discontinued. Team bank accounts should be at a zero or $1.00 balance on September 1st.
    2. A final statement of funds and account activity may be requested by CMSA exec at end of season.

EQUIPMENT & UNIFORMS

 

1. All rep teams are supplied with standard equipment bag and start-up equipment as determined by the CMSA.

 

2. Teams are to donate/return excess equipment to the CMSA for general use.

 

3. In the event that a rep team is disbanded, all equipment supplied by the league, or replaced by funds contributed by the league, donations from sponsors, parents and/or fundraising shall become the property of CMSA.

 

4. U11 teams will be provided the approved jerseys. There will be a refundable uniform deposit payable to the CMSA that must be provided prior to the issuance of uniforms and will be destroyed when the uniforms are returned at the end of the season.

 

5. No unapproved logos or sponsorships or names on any uniforms. No altering of uniforms without the permission from the uniform manager or the CMSA executive.

 

6. For ‘A’ teams and B teams U13 and up: Teams are responsible for purchasing their own uniforms from an approved CMSA team store. The colours, lettering, and numbers must follow the CMSA's uniform guidelines and must be approved by the CMSA uniform coordinator.

 

GYM RENTALS & BATTING CAGE USE

 

1. On a year by year basis the CMSA will review the need to acquire gymnasium time for rep team practices for the period inclusive of November to March and if desirable will negotiate with SD43 or others to acquire appropriate space. These may include individual team times and shared pitcher/catcher sessions as appropriate.

 

2. Rep coaches will be notified of the available times and locations and will submit their requests to the designated individual. If there is a conflict, the Rep coordinator will resolve.

 

3. CMSA pays the cost of facility rentals for open tryouts and open pitching clinics. The cost of gyms used for private or restricted pitching clinics, batting clinics, or catching clinics must be paid by the users.

 

4. Batting Cage time may be booked through the Batting Cage on the CMSA website. Coaches are asked not to book recurring cage times. Coaches’ website logins will be provided to the coaches on request and may be revoked if the booking rules are misused.

 

CODE OF CONDUCT

 

1. The purpose of our rep program shall be to promote participation and to instill in the children of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty and courage so that they grow to be responsible, healthy adults.

 

2. These purposes will be achieved by providing a safe learning environment through competitive softball games. The people in authority shall bear in mind that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill or the winning of games is secondary to the concept of molding future adults. All activities and conduct of rep coaches, players and parents must be consistent with these ideals

 

3. All rep coaches, players and parents must adhere to the Codes of Conduct.

 

4. Coaches are expected to be good teachers. No one learns by being on the bench. Rep Coaches are expected to develop and play their players equally during league play. The governing body recognizes that priorities change from league play to tournament play to Provincials.

 

5. Coaches must meet with the players and parents at least annually to outline their coaching philosophy, explain team goals and priorities, budgets and fundraising requirements, playing and practice times, other expectations; and to listen to the players and parent’s concerns and comments.

 

6. Coaches should be dressed alike and in team colors’ during all games (no jeans or sandals).

 

7. No player on any rep team may participate in any team activity if they are not duly registered with CMSA for the current year. Failure of the coach to comply with this rule will result in immediate removal as a rep coach. No exceptions.

 

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

 

1. Coaches or any other members of the CMSA may be subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the association executive where reasonably warranted.

 

2. Refer to Article 6.2 - Disciplinary Action of Softball B.C. Operating Rules and Constitution handbook which states:

 

6.2 - An authorized Association/League shall have the right to take disciplinary action when reasonably warranted against a member who participates in Association/League activities. Such action shall only affect a member’s eligibility to participate in games against other teams belonging to the Association/League.

 

Furthermore:

 

6.3 - Suspensions issued by Association/Leagues shall not exceed one year in duration.

 

3. A report and details of any suspension issued in excess of 30 days must be submitted in writing to the Softball B.C. office.

 

DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE

1. The purpose of the Discipline committee is to recommend or prescribe any disciplinary action or intervention for any coach, player, parent, and/ or team issues that may occur during the course of the season assuming that:
   1. All other avenues of investigation have been exhausted (see 1.3 below)
   2. All documentation related to the issue in question has been properly presented to the committee
2. It is of utmost importance that the Discipline committee works without bias and in co-operation with the rep or house coordinators as well as coaches and managers in all divisions. If there is any potential ‘conflict of interest’ on an issue pertaining to a member of the committee, that person must step down as a voting member, for that particular issue.
3. Prior to escalation the order of attention should be:
   1. Issue addressed at the team level. This can involve discussions between the coaches, parent, players as necessary
   2. If the issue cannot be resolved at the ‘team’ level the appropriate coordinator, house or rep can be brought in to facilitate. If the coordinator is unable to come up with a suitable outcome then the issue would be escalated in writing to the Discipline committee
4. The composition of the Discipline committee should include the Association vice-president and two other unbiased executive members.
5. The Discipline committee would review all of the documentation provided and would render a verdict within the Softball BC guidelines for disciplinary action (see Section 11.2).
6. If the plaintiff decides to appeal the ruling of the Discipline committee then the President of the association would review the case and would determine whether the ruling of the Discipline committee should stand or be overturned. If overturned then the Discipline committee would be asked to reconsider its verdict and come up with an alternative based on the recommendations of the president. If the appeal is denied then no further appeals can be made within the LSO (local sports organization). The next level of appeal would be to the appropriate Softball BC District coordinator. All materials related to the case would then be turned over to the Softball BC District coordinator for review.
7. Appeals must be submitted within 14 days of receipt of any disciplinary action and/ or suspension. During the appeal, the disciplinary action will be in force until a ruling from the association president regarding the appeal has occurred. The appeal process will not take longer than 14 days after filing.