Norcalfastpitch Team and Player Classifications

2008 Spring /Summer Age and Class Definitions

Starting January 1, we will be using the following for our Spring / Summer tournaments season until July 31

Age of Oldest Player	2008 Spring / Summer Season January 1 - July 31
10U	10's will play combined A/B - 35' pitching distance with 11" ball. Rankings and Power Ratings will be used to determine A or B status for World Series.
11U	Separate 11U division or will play up in 12B
12B	Separate 12B division or combine with 11U
12A	Separate 12A division but can play up in older "A" division
13U	Separate 13U division or combine with 14B
14B	Separate 14B division or combine with 13U
14A	Separate 14A division but can play up in 16's or 18's
15U	Separate 15U division or combine with 16U
16U	16U will be "Open" combined A and B.  Rankings and Power Ratings will be used to determine A or B status for World Series.
18U	18U will be "Open" combined A and B.  Rankings and Power Ratings will be used to determine A or B status for World Series.

The tournament director for a particular event will determine if there are enough odd age teams to split off.

"A" teams can play up in an older "A" division.  But they cannot pick up any older players or they will be reclassified.
12A and 14A teams cannot play up in odd age divisions but can be reclassified as an odd age team.

Odd Age and B teams that win multiple tournaments and/or exhibit a high power rating are subject to
reclassification by the State Director.

Additional guidelines are listed below

Teams

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Unlike other national organizations with their strict methods of determining which teams should be classified as a “B” team, USSSA has only 2 sets of criteria for determining whether a team should be classified “A” of “B”. 

1)                  A “B” team may not have any college players.

2)                  A “B” team typically consists of league players or players not able by ability to play on “A” teams.  It doesn’t matter if they come from multiple leagues or jurisdictions, these are the basic criteria.

Unfortunately, too many teams have tried to take advantage of this flexibility and have been playing “B” when they should be playing “A”.  Therefore, Norcalfastpitch has established some criteria to help determine who is “A” and who is “B” when the team doesn’t properly classify during the year.

Guidelines For “B” Teams Moving to “A”

§         Teams classified “A” in any given year, and bringing forward 6 players from the previous year’s roster may be considered “A” in the new year.  This is not a hard and fast rule, but the State Director will review each situation, leaning toward the team playing “A”.

§         Top 3 teams in each age from the Nor Cal State Championships may be reclassified to “A” unless moving up in age.  A reclassified team is allowed to carry their “B” classification to the World Series, and will be reclassified at the end of that event.

§         Top 3 teams in each age from the World Series will be reclassified to “A” whether moving up in age or not. 

§         1^st place team from Fall Ball Championships (Team can play “B” in the next calendar year if 9 or more of the players are different on the team roster.

§         During qualifying events, teams who win a tournament consisting of 4 or more teams without a defeat may be reclassified to “A”.  Once playing in 2 additional tournaments, the team may petition to be moved back to “B”. (see guidelines for “A” teams moving to “B”)

***Note:  All reclassified teams must play the State and World Series Championships at the NEW level

§         During qualifying events, teams who win 2 tournaments consisting of 4 or more teams may be reclassified to “A”.  Once playing in 2 additional tournaments, the team may petition to be moved back to “B”. (see guidelines for “A” teams moving to “B”)

***Note:  All reclassified teams must play the State and World Series Championships at the NEW level

§         Team found playing in any other associations “A” program will be reclassified to “A”.  Norcalfastpitch feels if a team is capable of participating in another organization’s “A” program, then they can compete in ours.

***Note:  All reclassified teams must play the State and World Series Championships at the NEW level

§         Any team can at any time request to be reclassified to “A”.  They may only request reclassification once per year under this guideline.

Guidelines For “A” TEAMS Moving to “B”

§         Once per year any team has the right to petition to be reclassified from “A” to “B”.  The requesting team must have played a minimum of 8 games in USSSA events.  The requesting team’s listed coach must provide an email or letter of request to the State office no later than 10 days before their next scheduled tournament, providing at the very least the team names and scores of all games played qualifying them for the request.  The State Director will review each request and communicate the decision and reason back to the coach requesting the new classification.

§         If the State Director feels after a few tournaments that the team is not competing at the “A” level, the team can be reclassified.  The listed coach will be notified by email.

Guidelines For Teams Playing Up in Age/Class

§         Any “A” team may play up in age classification at any time.  Teams are awarded double points for playing up in age, however, the double points will not be included when bracketing for the World Series.  “B” teams can play up in class, but not up in age.

***The team may not pick up any players who otherwise would make the team age ineligible at the sanctioned age.

§         Teams may play up in Class, but are immediately and permanently reclassified to the higher class and may not then play at the lower class.

****Exception – 10U teams can play 12B. 10u teams or players playing up in 12A will not be allowed to participate at the 10u level for the remainder of the year.

Odd Age Teams (11u, 13u, 15u)

Odd age teams will always be  "Open".  Odd age teams will play in an odd age bracket or up one age, ie 11u will play 12B, 13u will play 14B, and 15u will play 16B.  This will be determined by the Tournament Director. Once a team qualifies for a World Series, the team has the option of playing the World Series as an odd age team or even age.  An odd age team that goes undefeated in one tournament or wins two tournaments will be reclassified at the higher age in the "A" division.  IE:  13u team wins a tournament with no defeats will be reclassified to 14A.  As long as this team remains age eligible to play 13u, a choice can be made to play in the World Series as 13u or 14A.

Players

§         The classification of a player is determined to be the highest class of team played in a given calendar year.  Once a player is added to an “A” team roster, that player at a minimum remains “A” for the remainder of the calendar year.  It doesn’t matter if the player road the bench, the player is still classified “A”.  The State Director has the option to classify each player as an “A” player in subsequent years, as well.

§         Individual players may not petition to be reclassified to “B”.  If the entire team is reclassified to “B”, then all players are reclassified to “B”.

§         An individual player who has been classified “A” may not be added to a “B” team roster at any time.

§         An individual player who has been rostered with a “12A” team may not play 10U even if age eligible.

§         An individual player who has been rostered with a “12B” team may play 10u, but is not able to pitch at the 10u level even if age eligible.