JAM rules for Softball - Slo-Pitch (Men's Officiated)


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Softball – Slo-Pitch (Men's)

There is only one format of Men’s Softball under JAM rules. It is described in its entirety below.

Click here for a score sheet (Adobe PDF version).  

 

JAM is for Everyone – Inclusion Statement

Our program offerings are designed to be inclusive for all members of the JAM community. Our goal is to create a welcoming gender policy that uplifts and supports each player where they are at. To ensure we can offer something for everyone, our programs may be offered in the following formats: Mixed-Gender, Women's, Men's, and Open.

Many of our league rules specify gender-based roster requirements, the goal of which is to ensure that each player has an equal opportunity to be included in gameplay.

Everyone participating in a JAM program is welcome to compete based on their gender identity and gender expression; regardless of their gender assigned at birth. Members whose gender identity does not align with the binary man/woman construct are welcome to play in all our mixed-gender and open programs.

Nonbinary, trans, genderqueer, and all other players who identify as a gender minority can count towards the roster minimums for either men or women in our mixed-gender leagues

 

Game Time

Games are seven innings in length with a time limit of 90 minutes. Please arrive early to ensure you get the full use of your allotted diamond time. Regardless of when your game begins your game will always end on time to allow the succeeding games to begin at their scheduled time. No new inning may be started after 80 minutes. There is a hard cap at 90 minutes.  If the home team is trailing in the game and the current inning is not completed by the 90-minute mark, the score of the game will be the score at the end of the previous completed inning.  If the score is tied, or the home team is ahead at the 90-minute mark, the score will be taken as is at the time of the 90-minute curfew.  The home team does not bat if they are ahead going into the bottom half of the final inning.  All games will be officiated by carded SPO/SPN Umpires.

Poor Weather Conditions: Games that are forced to be cut short due to dangerous playing conditions (i.e. weather), or are not complete in the 85 minute game time will end with the final score being the score at the end of the previous completed inning as long as 30 minutes or 3 innings have been played. 

Players

Teams are comprised of ten (10) players on the field. A team may play with 8 players if they are shorthanded but must supply their own catcher.

Defaults:  A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 15 minutes after the official start time. A team may play with 8 players if they are shorthanded but must supply their own catcher.

Eligible Players: During the regular season, team captains can use ANYONE as a player for their team as long as they are listed on a JAM team roster. This includes adding last minute players from games just completed prior to the start of your game. When adding players in this manner, it is good sportsmanship to let your opponents know. As well, it is also sportsmanlike to only add players of the same approximate skill level. i.e. please do not add superstars to your recreational team.  In compliance with the above player eligibility rule, players are able to play in multiple games on any given day (as full time or substitute players), but once a commitment is made to play for a specific team, for a specific game, that player must remain with that team for the duration of the game.  A player cannot move from one team to another during the course of a game.  Exception: if a team acquires a sub from another team to achieve the minimum number of players until their teammates arrive.  In this scenario, that player can return to their original team, once the team is able to field a full lineup.

 

Playing Area

All softball diamonds vary in size and there is no set standard for JAM Softball Surfaces, however, all bases must be set out to JAM standards. The on-site JAM Ambassador is responsible for setting up the bases. Please inform the Umpire or Ambassador if the field needs to be adjusted.  

 

Equipment/Set Up

Team captains are responsible for bringing three (3) softballs as well as copies of the field permits to all games (if necessary). It is the teams' responsibility to bring their own gloves and bats to all games as well as any extra softballs if the original three are lost. 

Softballs:

Base Distance:  

Bats:

 

Head Protection:

Cleats: 

 

Jewellery:

 

Uniforms

Teams are required to bring both light and coloured shirts to every game. Team colours are posted on the JAM website in your schedule. If two teams have the same colour the team captains should contact each other to ensure that each team knows what colour to wear.

Defaults: There is no default for players that don’t wear the right colour. However, that player must do everything they can to ensure it’s not confusing for the opposition. Whether this means wearing a pinny, a hat, a teammate’s shirt, etc. Under no circumstances can a player purposefully deceive the opposition.

 

Ground Rules

Captains should discuss with the umpire and decide prior to the start of the game if they are going to play any ground rules with regards to boundaries. Please make sure that both teams are aware of these rules so there is no confusion.

 

Softball 101

This league will be governed by the SPO Rules, with the following exceptions/highlights:

 

Regular Season Matches

All regular season matches can end in a tie.

 

Playoffs Eligibility and Tiebreak

There must be a winner in a playoff match. In the event that the match ends in a tie, teams will partake in the following tie-breaker until a winner is determined:

For playoffs, if a game is tied after 7 innings or 80 minutes, teams will utilize the following format:  The visiting team will start the inning by placing the last person to complete their at-bat from the previous inning on second base with one (1) out. Once 3 outs have been reached, the home team will then place their last person to complete their at-bat from the previous inning on second base, also with one (1) out, and proceed to bat until 3 outs is reached. Teams will take turns doing this until the score is settled upon the completion of a full inning. This format is continued until the tie is broken.

 

Rough Play

Any rough or physical play will result in immediate expulsion from further league play and may result in a lifetime league expulsion. Please see the JAM policy sheet for our official policy on this subject. It is recognized that incidental contact between players is inevitable; however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play.  This rule supersedes all others. 

Please note that on-site staff and referees have full autonomy when supervising games. Games may be stopped entirely, players may be asked to leave the playing area or be removed from the game entirely under their discretion.

 

Alcohol

There are absolutely no alcoholic beverages permitted on JAM property. Any offenders will be asked to leave the league without refund. No exceptions.