South St. Paul Girls Fastpitch Association Parent and Player Handbook - 2008
The purpose of this document is to answer most of the questions you may have about the South St. Paul
Girls Fastpitch Association, hereafter known as SSPGFA, and its programs. It contains policies that affect
all players, Coaches, parents, and fans.
In this handbook, Board refers to the Board of Directors of the SSPGFA. The current membership of the
Board is listed on our website www.sspgfa.com. The website has been established to relay information. In
addition to Board information, you can find maps, rosters, upcoming events, and registration forms.
If you have any questions about this handbook, please contact a Board member.
The SSPGFA is committed to supporting each individual girl in her aspirations for softball, whether it is to
strengthen skills already learned or to venture into new positions with new skills to learn. This Association
wants to make an environment where all players can have a positive learning experience, learn good
sportsmanship, promote physical and mental development, and encourage good character and citizenship.
The Board expects everyone to remember that the players are the reason all of us are involved. Everyone
is expected to contribute to an environment that is fun, respectful, and supportive. Our expectations of
players, Coaches, and parents involved in SSPGFA are as follows:
Player Expectations:
• Players’ first responsibility is to the team. You should be committed to your team and your
teammates. Fastpitch softball is a traveling sport. Missing games or practices for reasons other than
illness, family, school, or religion is strongly discouraged. We expect players to inform their Coaches, in a
timely manner, if they will miss a game or practice.
• Treat Coaches, teammates, opponents, spectators, and umpires respectfully. Demonstrate support
for everyone at every practice or game. SSPGFA will not tolerate abusive or otherwise inappropriate
language or actions during any SSPGFA sponsored event or events where SSPGFA is a participant.
• Communicate openly and honestly with your Coaches.
• Be on time for practices and games and have your equipment with you in game-ready condition.
• Help carry the team equipment, every practice and every game.
• As representatives of South St. Paul sports, players are expected to clear and clean the bench area
when finished playing. Respect the property and equipment at any sports facility, both home and away.
• There will be zero tolerance for use of tobacco, alcohol, and/or drugs. Any player found under the
influence, at any time, on or off the field, may be dismissed from the program to be determined on a case-
by-case basis by the Board. Board decisions will be final.
Coach Expectations:
• Coach’s first responsibility is to the players. Treat all players respectfully and create an environment
that is fun and promotes skill development that makes it possible for the team to compete at its highest level.
• Contribute to building a competitive program. Coaches may emphasize specific positions for players
based on their skills and the needs of the team.
• Communicate through parent meetings, e-mail and telephone to parents and provide timely
information for practices, games and tournaments.
• Treat parents, opponents, Coaches, spectators, and umpires respectfully. SSPGFA will not tolerate
abusive or otherwise inappropriate language or actions by Coaches.
Parent Expectations:
• Your primary role is to positively support your daughter and her team. Support the Coaches in their
decisions regarding practices, games, player positioning, and the amount of playing time received by your
daughter(s).
• Assist your daughter(s) in fulfilling their commitments to their team. (i.e., getting them to
practice/games on time, picking them up on time, arranging for transportation, etc.) Support the Coaches
that require the players to meet these commitments. Encourage good sportsmanship.
• Provide any required equipment in good condition.
• Be respectful of the Coaches’ ability to instruct the team and realize that ALL on-field instruction
should come ONLY from coaching staff.
• Playing field and dugout is strictly limited to Coaches and players. Be respectful of the boundaries.
• Treat players, Coaches, opponents, spectators, and umpires with respect. SSPGFA will not tolerate
abusive language or actions at any time.
Age Level Participation:
Participant will play in one of 3 age brackets (12U, 14U, & 16U) depending on her age on January 1. All
players will play at their age-appropriate levels. Any exceptions will be made at the Board’s discretion.
(One example of ‘exceptions’ is to fill out rosters to maintain the interests of the program.) Board decisions
will be final.
Registration Fees:
Registration fees for 2008 Summer League will be $125.00 for each player. Daughter(s) of Coaches,
Board members, and sponsors will pay regular registration fees. All players must provide registration fee,
volunteer fee of $75.00 on a separate check (see below for volunteer policy), a signed registration form, a
current picture, and a copy of their birth certificate or they are not fully registered. In addition, a signed
commitment form (attached and will be discussed at the Parent/Coach meeting) will be due before the
player is allowed to practice or play.
Fees will be reviewed annually and are non-refundable unless a player is cut because there are more
players than can be accommodated. The fees should not be a barrier to participation. Any parent claiming
financial hardship should contact the President and offer their situation in writing for review. The President
may agree to reduce the fee, waive the fee, or deny the request based on a review of the facts. All Board
decisions are final and will be kept confidential.
Registration fees pay for league fee, fields, first aid kits, city participation fee, umpires, equipment,
tournament registration fees, and uniforms. SSPGFA will provide uniform top, shorts, & socks to each
player. New players will receive a helmet. Helmets will be replaced by SSPGFA as needed. The uniform &
helmet will remain the property of the player. Players are expected to provide their own glove, slider,
spikes, and white sliding shorts. The official uniform will consist of the helmet, top, shorts, sliding shorts,
black slider, maroon socks, and, if desired, a white shirt under the uniform top.
Registrations will be accepted starting 1/15/08 through 2/28/08. Players must be fully registered by March
31st or they may risk not being placed on a roster. Fully registered means players must be properly
registered with fees paid to be eligible to be put on an SSPGFA roster. Late registrations and/or fee
payments may require a Board decision to be placed on a roster. Board decisions will be final.
Coach Selection
The Board will select Coaches by an application process. The Coaches are chosen based on qualifications
and experience. The applicant will be subject to a criminal background check. SSPGFA does not allow
instruction/Coaching by any unapproved person(s).
Player Selection
Based on the number of registrations, it is a possibility that tryouts will be held. Members of an outside
fastpitch organization will conduct this evaluation process. Roster size is limited to thirteen (13) players per
team for 12U and twelve (12) players per team for 14U and 16U. Expansion of these rosters must be
approved by the Coach and the Board. Board decisions will be final.
Players are not required to live in South St. Paul. SSPGFA will accept players from other communities. If
warranted, some girls may be allowed to “play up” a level to help fill out a roster. In this case, tryouts may
be held using outside evaluators. Once a player has moved up they MAY be allowed to stay with that age
group. The Board will evaluate all of these situations on a case-by-case basis. Decisions by the Board are
final.
Summer League Play
League nights are Tuesday and Thursday for 14U and Monday and Wednesday for 12U and 16U. Teams
are scheduled to play timed, double-headers on each league night. Home games are usually played at
Harmon Field or McMorrow Fields.
Conflict Management
SSPGFA Coaches are volunteers. They are not expected to tolerate disruptive or disrespectful behavior,
profanity, verbal abuse, or physical abuse by players, parents, or fans. Discipline for detrimental behavior
during any practice, game, or fastpitch event is the responsibility of the head Coach. The Board grants its
Coaches the right to dismiss a player from a practice or a game for conduct deemed detrimental to the
team as interpreted by the Coach. Depending on the severity of the violation, the Coach could (with Board
approval) dismiss player from the program.
Grievance Procedures
While SSPGFA works diligently to address issues before they become problems, we recognize that parents
and players need to know how to proceed should they wish to seek resolution to an unresolved problem.
Submitting a concern to the Board should only be considered when all other means of resolving the
complaint or issue have failed. If there is a complaint, the following steps should be taken:
A. Whenever possible parents & players are encouraged to work with Coaches to resolve their
differences. Parents and players should wait to address their concerns until they can approach the Coach
in a private setting where other parents and players are not around.
B. Issues not resolved between Coach and Player will be directed to the President. The complainant
will be required to present a formal complaint, in writing, to the President. The President will decide if a
special meeting is necessary and will then present the issue to the Board, along with the complainant. Any
Board members with ties to the particular team in question will be exempt from voting on the particular
matter. All parties will be heard from prior to the Board rendering any decision.
C. Should the President also be a coach in the organization, the Vice President would be the point of
contact for any issues regarding that particular team. The Vice President would administrate the issue per
our Board guidelines and the President would not be involved in that process.
D. All grievance procedures will remain confidential. Decisions by the Board are final.
Fundraising
SSPGFA will conduct several fundraisers during the year. All parents, players, and Coaches are expected
to help at Association fundraising events. Refer to the attached volunteer policy for volunteering
expectations.
Because the SSPGFA strives to provide everything necessary for our teams, individual fundraising by
parents, players, Coaches, and/or teams will not be allowed (e.g. to pay for additional or special
equipment). The only exception to this rule is raising monies for any team that might qualify for a National
tournament.
Hold Harmless
Everyone participating in softball through the SSPGFA shall act in a responsible and appropriate manner.
In the event of a loss, damage to property, or causes of action resulting in injury of any person, it shall be
the policy of the SSPGFA that all officials involved in the action, whether Board members or volunteers
assisting, shall be held harmless provided the action taken was made with usual judgment and care, under
circumstances which people with good sense, judgment, and intelligence use in their own dealings.
SSPGFA VOLUNTEER POLICY
NOTE: This policy is for 12U and up and does not include the 10U in-house rosters.
Background:
In the interest of creating a more fair and equitable situation for all our members, the SSPGFA has
determined that a Volunteer policy needs to be established for its travel teams’ members. We have in the
past had a small group of members doing the large majority of the volunteering. This creates an unfair
circumstance, and at times has made it very difficult to get enough volunteers for a particular event. Thus,
we have researched what several other youth associations are doing in terms of their volunteering and
created our own policy.
Volunteer Policy:
Our association is dedicated to providing the lowest possible cost to players, while at the same time
continuing to provide excellent equipment/uniforms, clinics, and free weekly PAC instruction. We have
established a very good fundraising capability to meet those expensive goals, but need all members help in
carrying out those fundraising opportunities. Therefore, we will begin implementing the below requirements:
Each family will pay a separate check for $75 as a volunteer fee.
One family member of the travel player will be required to volunteer for a minimum of 2 fundraisers
per year which will, in general, be 2-3 hours per time. (Players are always expected to volunteer as this is
THEIR association.)
Those not meeting this requirement will forfeit the $75 volunteer fee. How this policy will work is
detailed below.
Every year we will have several opportunities to meet this requirement. We generally conduct 3-4
fundraisers per year. We are also are required by the VFW to assist with one fish fry on a Fri night. We
may also have other needs. Lastly, we need volunteers for our Parent Volunteer Committee which
oversees the organizing and planning of the fundraisers. Members on this committee will have met one of
their required “events” and only need to volunteer at one additional fundraiser. All this information will be
provided on our website.
Administration of the Policy:
Our Fundraising chairperson will organize, delegate and monitor all volunteering. In order for it to count
towards your yearly requirement, IT MUST BE PRE-ARRANGED through the Chairperson (currently, Jacci
Hvidhyld). This can all be done through the website. A member of our Parent Volunteer Committee may
also call you. The policy will be administered as follows:
Upon player registration, all players will be required to submit a separate check for $75 for their
volunteer fee. This check WILL NOT be cashed initially.
At this time you will also sign a volunteer form.
All fundraising events needing volunteers will be posted on our website, www.sspgfa.com, under the
“volunteer” tab.
This tab will list the different duties the event entails and time slots available.
To volunteer for an event, look for the link "Volunteers Needed".
The duties and time slots will vary depending on the fundraiser.
Slots will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
You can also email or call the fundraising coordinator to volunteer.
Our Fundraising chairperson will monitor each event, the volunteers who participated and the number of
hours worked. Upon the completion of our last fundraiser for the year, any member who has met their
yearly obligation will have their uncashed check returned to them. Those not meeting the obligation will
have their checks cashed at that time.
Additional Incentive:
To show the appreciation that the Softball Association has for those families who volunteer more than the
required hours, we will be having a drawing for (2) $50.00 gift certificates at the end of the year. Your
name will be entered once for each time you volunteer over the required hours. Also, anyone serving on
our Parent Volunteer Committee will be entered into a separate drawing for a $50 gift certificate.
Parent and Player Commitment Form
I have read, fully understand, and agree to abide by the guidelines of the SSPGFA Parent and
Player Handbook and will review these rules with my daughter. The signature of one parent
acknowledges agreement by the entire household.
__________________________________ ______________________________ ___________
Print Parent/Guardian Name Print Player Name Date
_______________________________ _________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Player Signature