Ramapo Little League By-Laws
Ramapo Little League By-Laws
Ramapo Little League, Inc.
By-Laws 2005-2006
ARTICLE I NAME AND INCORPORATION
This organization shall be known as the Ramapo Little League, Inc., hereinafter referred to as
"Local League". The Ramapo Little League, Inc. was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation
by Certification of Incorporation, dated 08/31/90.
ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVE
Section I
The objective of the Ramapo Little League, Inc. shall be to implant firmly in the children of the
community the ideals of good sportsmanship, teamwork, honesty, loyalty, courage, and respect
for authority, so that they may be well adjusted, stronger and happier children and will grow to
be good, decent, healthy and trustworthy citizens.
Section II
To achieve this objective, the Local League, Inc. will provide a supervised baseball program
under the Rules and Regulations of Little League Baseball, Incorporated. All Directors, Officers,
and Members shall bear in mind that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill and winning
games is secondary, and the molding of future citizens is of prime importance.
In accordance with Section 501-(c)-(3) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code, the Ramapo Little
League, Inc. shall operate exclusively as a non-profit educational organization providing a
supervised program of competitive baseball games. No part of the net earnings shall inure to
the benefit of any member or individual; no substantial part of the League’s activities shall
involve carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation; and the League
shall not participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for
public office.
ARTICLE III - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Ramapo Little League Board of Directors consists of the following voting positions:
President, Vice -President, Secretary, Treasurer, Player Agent; Safety Officer; Umpire-in-Chief;
Senior/Junior Division Commissioner; Major Division Commissioner; Minor Division
Commissioner; Rookie Division Commissioner; Pony Division Commissioner; T-Ball Division
Commissioner; and Lifetime Members (District 18 Advisor and League Advisors). The Board of
Directors may also consist of various non-voting volunteers.
Deleted: 2004 – 2005
ARTICLE IV - BUDGET
The Board of Directors of the Ramapo Little League shall hold a minimum of $4,000.00 of its
budget at the end of its fiscal year for the next Board of Directors to operate with at the start of
the new fiscal year.
ARTICLE V - LEAGUE STRUCTURE
The League shall consist of the following Divisions:
- Senior Division - Players that are baseball age 15 and 16.
- Junior Division - Players that are baseball age 13 and 14.
- Major Division - Players that are baseball age 10 through 12.
- Minor Division - Players that are baseball age 10 through 12.
- Rookie Division - Players that are baseball age 8 and 9.
- Pony Division - Players that are baseball age 7 and players that are baseball age 6 and played at least one year of T-Ball.
- T-Ball Division - Players that are baseball age 5 and players that are baseball age 6 who neverplayed T-Ball.
Baseball age is as is defined by Little League of America.
ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES
The Board of Directors may appoint the following committees, which shall be chaired by any
regular member. A member can chair more than one committee. If so created, the Board of
Directors shall appoint all Chairs and Members. The list of committees in this Article are in
addition to the list of committees that are enumerated in the Ramapo Little League Constitution.
Tournament/All Star Committee . The Board of Directors shall appoint a Tournament/All Star
Committee consisting of the following: the President, the Player Agent and the appropriate
division commissioners (Senior/Junior/Major/Minor).
The Committee shall have the responsibility of organizing the All-Star game and tournament
teams and shall represent the Local League at all meetings relating to interleague tournaments.
This committee has the authority to determine if Ramapo Little League will participate in any
sanctioned All-Star/Tournament activity.
The tournament committee shall be subdivided into two subcommittees:
A) The Administrative Sub -Committee: shall consist of the Player Agent and the President.
This Sub -Committee shall be responsible for obtaining and submitting all required
paperwork for All-Star and Tournament competition. This Sub-Committee shall attend (or
designate other board members to attend) any required All -Star/Tournament meetings.
B) The Player/Coach Selection Sub -committee shall consist of the appropriate Division
Commissioner (Senior/Junior/Major/Minor), the Player Agent and the President. This Sub-
Committee shall oversee all player selections to all All -Star/Tournament Teams that
Ramapo Little League, Inc. fields for competition. This Sub-Committee shall als o review and
approve all nominations for Tournament Team Managers. See Article IV for details on the
player and manager selections for All -Star and Tournament competition.
The Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee shall set the dates for the All-Star/
Tournament Team Selection Meetings by the May meeting and before the June
meeting.
Concession Sales Committee. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Concession Sales
Committee consisting of a Chair and other Regular members as Committee members.
This Committee shall have the responsibility of organizing and conducting concession sales
during the playing season.
Protest Committee. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Protest Committee consisting of the
President, Player Agent, Umpire -in-Chief, Division Commissioner of division involved and an
Honorary Lifetime Member. The committee shall review all protest requests and provide a final
ruling to the requestor as well as the other team’s manager.
In the event that a protest involves either (a) the child of a board member on the protest
committee or (b) a team in the division that a board member on the Protest Committee has a
child competing in, the affected board member(s) shall recuse themselves from that particular
protest ruling. If necessary, the recused board member(s) can be replaced on the protest
committee for that particular protest decision by a lifetime member for the purpose of achieving
a quorum. Sections (a) and (b) above apply to the lifetime member as well.
All protests must be submitted in writing to the President and the appropriate Division
Commissioner or the Umpire-in -Chief within 24 hours of the occurrence. All properly received
protests shall be acted upon within 1 week. Notification of the final decision shall be conveyed
by the Protest Committee Chairperson to both managers involved, as well as, to the Board
Secretary.
Constitution and By-Laws Review Committee
The Board of Directors has the ability to name a Constitution and By-Laws Review Committee
during the then current calendar year to accept proposed modifications to the Constitution
and/or By-Laws from any member in good standing. The Committee shall then prepare the modified document(s) for a full board review and vote in advance of the General Membership
meeting that is designated to present the amended document(s) for a review and vote by the
General Membership.
ARTICLE VII – Decisions Concerning Playing a Game
Failure to Field a Complete Team
Failure to field a complete team (i.e. at least 9 players) by 15 minute s after the official start time
of the game shall not constitute an automatic forfeit. The game shall not be played and the
decision on the outcome of the game shall be referred to the Board of Directors.
The Umpire’s Rule
Any game for which an umpire fails to appear within 30 minutes after the scheduled game time,
and the managers cannot agree on a substitute umpire, shall be postponed and the game shall
not be played at that time.
If a game is not played due to the failure of an umpire to appear, it is the responsibility of both
managers to notify the Player Agent and/or the appropriate Division Commissioner and/or the
League President of such activity.
The Umpire’s Rule shall not apply to the Pony and T-Ball divisions.
ARTICLE VIII - ALL-STAR/TOURNAMENT TEAM/MANAGER SELECTION PROCESS
SENIOR AND JUNIOR DIVISION:
The number of players for the All-Star and Tournament teams shall be 12.
All Star and Tournament team players shall be selected in the following manner:
ALL-STAR Player Selection
The managers of the junior teams shall nominate players for All-Star and Tournament Team
play. Each manager can submit up to 12 nominations to create a pool of players. The Junior
Division Commissioner and Player Agent shall hold a rating/selection meeting where each
nominee shall be rated in order to develop a listing of players rated from 1 st through last. The
top 12 rated players shall form the All -Star team for the Junior Division. In the event that one or
more of the top 12 players is not available, the Player Agent and Junior Division Commissioner
shall then fill out the 12 person roster with the next highest rated player(s) until they achieve a
full roster.
ALL-STAR Manager Selection
The position of manager for the Junior Division All-Star Team shall be offered to the manager of
the Junior Division Team that has the best season record. In the event that the winning manager declines to manage the Junior Division All -Star Team, the position of manager shall be
offered to the manager of the team that finished with the second best record. This process shall
continue in order of finish until all of the managers of the Junior Division teams have declined to
accept. If all of the managers of Junior Division Teams decline, the Player/Coach Selection
Sub-Committee shall accept requests from the pool of available Junior Division Coaches and
appoint the manager of the Junior Division All-Star Team.
Tournament Team Player Selection
Currently, the Tournament team that represents Ramapo Little League is comprised solely of 13
year old children. The selection process for the Junior Division Tournament Team shall be as
follows:
The 13 -year-old members of the Junior Division ALL-STAR team shall automatically receive a
berth on the Junior Division Tournament Team. The Junior Division Commissioner and the
Player Agent shall meet and fill out the 12-person roster by selecting the next highest, not
previously selected, 13 year old. In the event that this selection process exhausts the
aforementioned pool of rated players, the Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee shall use
their best judgement to fill out the roster for the Junior Division Tournament Team.
The Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee has the authority to increase the number of players
on the Tournament Team based upon the rules of the Tournament.
Tournament Team Manager Selection
The position of manager for the Junior Division Tournament Team shall be filled by the manager
of the Junior Division All-Star Team. If the manager of the Junior Division All-Star Team
declines or is unable to accept being the manager of the Junior Division Tournament Team, the
Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall accept requests from the pool of available Junior
Division Managers and appoint the manager of the Junior Division Tournament Team.
The Player/Coach Selection Committee shall have the authority to deviate from the above
manager / coach selection procedures if they deem it in the best interests of the league.
MAJOR DIVISION:
The number of players for the All-Star team shall be 12 players
The Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee shall have the ability to alter the size of the
roster to comply with local Tournament rules.
All Star and Tournament team players shall be selected in the following manner:
ALL-STAR Player Selection
The Major Division players shall choose nine (9) players and Major Division managers shall
choose three (3) players. When the managers pick, they will have to wait until after the players
pick their nine (9) to determine the rem aining available pool. The managers shall follow the procedure below labeled “Major Division Manager’s Selection of 3 All Star/Tournament Team
Roster Spots” with respect to player selection once the available pool is known. The Player
Agent shall be responsible for ensuring that the process is followed.
ALL-STAR Player Selection by the Major Division Players
The players of the major league teams shall nominate players for All-Star and Tournament
Team play. Each player shall submit no more than twelve (12) nominations to form a pool of
available players. The Major Division Commissioner and Player Agent shall hold a
ranking/selection meeting where each nominee shall be listed in order to develop a listing of
players rated from 1st through last. The top 9 players shall be placed on the All-Star team for
the Major Division.
Major Division Manager’s Selection of 3 All Star/Tournament Team Roster Spots
Each manager of a Major Division team shall be provided with the list of the nine (9) players
chosen by the Major Division players. The managers shall then rank the remaining Major
Division players. The All-Star manager shall then fill the remaining three (3) spots on the All-
Star team by selecting three (3) out of the top 12 ranked players as ranked b y the managers.
If a player who was one of the nine (9) chosen by the players cannot participate, his/her
replacement must be the next rated player as rated by the players. If a player who was one of
the three (3) players chosen by the All-Star manager, using the method listed above, cannot
participate, his/her replacement must be selected by the All-Star manager from the remaining
players (out of the original top twelve) as ranked by the Major Division managers.
ALL-STAR Manager Selection
The position of manager for the Major Division All -Star Team shall be offered to the manager of
the Major Division Team that wins the regular season. In the event that the winning manager
declines to manage the Major Division All-Star Team, the position of manager shall be offered to
the manager of the team that finished in second place in the regular season. This process shall
continue in order of finish until all of the managers of the Major Division teams in the regular
season have declined to accept. If all of the managers of Major Division Teams in the regular
season decline to accept, the Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall accept applications
from the pool of available Major Division coaches and appoint the manager of the Major Division
All-Star Team .
Tournament Team Player Selection
Currently, the Tournament Team that represents Ramapo Little League is comprised of the
Major Division All-Star Team. In the event that members of the Major Division All -Star Team will
not be available (or become inju red and thus unable to play), the Major Division Commissioner
and the Player Agent shall meet and fill out the 12 person roster by selecting the next highest
player or players. The method for selection depends on whether the player that needs to be
replaced is a player selected by the players or if it’s a player selected by the managers. If the
player to be replaced is a player that was chosen by the players then the replacement shall be
the next highest ranked player on the players list. If the player to be replaced is a player that
was selected by the managers then the managers shall select the replacement by the same
method stated above. In the event that this selection process exhausts the aforementioned pool of ranked players or the players selected by the managers, the Player/Coach Selection Sub-
Committee shall use their best judgement to fill out the roster for the Major Division Tournament Team.
The Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee has the authority to increase the number of
players on the Tournament Team based upon the rules of the Tournament.
Tournament Team Manager Selection:
The position of manager for the Major Division Tournament Team shall be filled by the manager
of the Major Division All-Star Team. If the manager of the Major Division All-Star Team declines
or is unable to accept being the manager of the Major Division Tournament Team, the
Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall accept requests from the pool of available Major
Division managers and appoint the manager of the Major Division Tournament Team.
The Player/Coach Selection Committee shall have the authority to deviate from the above
manager/coach selection procedures if they deem it in the best interests of the league.
MAJOR and Minor Divisions:
ALL-STAR Player Selection (11 year old team)
The managers of the Major Division Teams and Minor Division Teams shall meet to select the
11 year old All-Star team. The list off 11 year olds nominated but not selected to the 11-12 All
Star team shall form the first part of the “pool of players.” The Minor League Managers shall
nominate up to 2 players for All-Star Team play. This second group of players shall form the
second part of the “pool of players.”
The Major and Minor Division Commissioners and Player Agent shall hold a ranking/selection
meeting where each nominee from the Major Division (first pool) shall be ranked in order to
develop a listing of players rated from 1 through X and the Minor Division nominees (second
pool) shall be ranked in order to develop a listi ng of players rated from 1 through X. The top 12
rated players shall form the All-Star team for the 11 year old All-Star team. The players from the
Major Division pool shall be selected first; in the event that there are more “slots” to be filled,
then they shall be filled from the Minor Division nominees in the order of their ranking.
In the event that one or more of the top 12 players is not available, the Player Agent and the
Major and Minor Division Commissioners shall then fill out the 12 player ros ter with the next
highest rated player(s) until a full roster is achieved.
ALL-STAR Manager Selection
The position of manager for the 11 Year Old All-Star Team shall be offered to any manager in
the Major Division. This process shall continue in order of finish until all of the managers of the
Major Division teams have declined to accept. If all of the managers of Major Division Teams
have declined to accept, the Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee shall accept applications
from the pool of available Minor Division Managers and appoint the manager of the 11 Year Old
All-Star Team.
Minor and Rookie Divisions
The number of players for the Tournament teams shall be 12 players.
All Star and Tournament team players shall be selected in the following manner:
ALL-STAR Player Selection (9/10 year old team)
The managers of the Minor Division Teams and Rookie Division Teams shall nominate players
for All-Star and Tournament Team play. Each manager shall submit no more than twelve (12)
nominations to form a pool of players. The Minor Division Commissioner, Rookie Division
Commissioner and Player Agent shall hold a ranking/selection meeting where each nominee
shall be ranked in order to develop a listing of players rated from 1 through 50. The top 12 rated
players (ages 9 – 10) shall form the All-Star team for the Minor Division. In the event that one or
more of the top 12 (ages 9 – 10) players is not available, the Player Agent, Minor Division
Commissioner and Rookie Division Commissioner shall then fill out the 12 player roster with the
next highest rated player(s) (ages 9 – 10) until a full roster is achieved.
Special Note: Any 10 year old in the Major Division shall automatically be added to the pool of
available players for All-Star/Tournament Team Player Selection.
ALL-STAR Manager Selection
The position of manager for the Minor Division All -Star Team shall be offered to the manager of
the Minor Division Team that wins the regular season. In the event that the winning manager
declines to manage the Minor Division All-Star Team, the position of manager shall be offered to
the manager of the team that finished in second place in the regular season. This process shall
continue in order of finish until all of the managers of the Minor Division teams have declined to
accept. If all of the managers of Minor Division Teams have declined to accept, the
Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee shall accept applications from the pool of available
Minor Division and Rookie Division Coaches and appoint the manager of the Minor Division All-
Star Team.
Tournament Team Player Selection (10 and 11 year olds)
Currently, the Tournament team that represents Ramapo Little League is comprised of 10 year
olds (that were not selected as ALL -Stars) and 11 year olds. The selection process for the
Minor Division Tournament Team shall be as follows:
The Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall meet and fill out the 12-person roster by
selecting remaining players from the pool of available players. The normal selection process for
the 10 and 11 year old tournament team shall be:
1. The next highest rated 11 year old player from the Major Division All-Star rankings, who was
not selected as a Major Division All-Star shall be selected.
2. Once the pool of 11 year olds from the Major Divisions is exhausted, the next 11 year old
shall be selected from the Minor Division.
3. Once the pool of available 11 year olds is exhausted, the Player/Coach Selection Sub-
Committee shall apply rules 1 and 2 above to complete the roster with 10 year old players.
The Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee shall have the authority to deviate from the
above manager/coach selection procedures if they deem it in the best interests of the
league.
In the event that this selection process exhausts the aforementioned pool of 50 rated players,
the Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall use their best judgement to fill out the roster
for the Minor Division Tournament Team.
NOTE: There shall be no “sharing” of players between different teams; i.e. a 10 year old may
not play on the 10 - 11 year old tournament team and the 9-10 All-Star team. However, in the
preceding example, if the 9-10 All-Star team has been eliminated from play and the 10 -11 year
old tournament team is still playing and needs a replacement player due to illness or injury or
other valid reason, the Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall have the authority to add
that player to the other team’s roster.
Tournament Team Player Selection (9 year olds)
The 9 year old Tournament team that represents Ramapo Little League is comprised of 9 year
old children that were not selected as ALL-Stars. The selection process for the Minor Division
Tournament Team shall be as follows:
The Rookie Division Commissioner and the Player Agent shall meet and fill out the 12-person
roster by selecting the next highest, not previously selected 9 year old. Once the pool of 9 year
old nominees is exhausted, the Player/Coach Selection Sub-Committee shall use their best
judgement to fill out the roster for the Mino r Division 9 Year Old Tournament Team.
Tournament Team Manager Selection (Both 10/11 and 9 year old Tournament Teams)
The position of manager for the 10 and 11 Tournament Team shall be filled by the Player/Coach
Selection Sub-Committee from applications submitted by Minor Division managers. If no Minor
Division manager is available or selected, the Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall
appoint the manager of the 10 and 11 year old Tournament Team using their best judgment.
The position of manager for the 9 year old tournament team shall be filled by the Player/Coach
Selection Sub -Committee from applications submitted by Rookie Division managers. If no
Rookie Division manager is available or selected, the Player/Coach Selection Committee shall
appoint the manager of the 9 year old Tournament Team using their best judgment.
The Player/Coach Selection Committee shall have the authority to deviate from the above
manager/coach selection procedures if they deem it in the best interests of the league.
NOTE: There shall be no “sharing” of players between different teams; i.e. a 9 year old may not
play on the 9 year old tournament team and the 9-10 All-Star team. However, in the preceding
example, if the 9-10 All-Star team has been eliminated from play and the 9 year old tournament
team is still playing and needs a replacement player due to illness or injury or other valid
reason, the Player/Coach Selection Sub -Committee shall have the authority to add that player
to the other team’s roster.
The preceding rule and scenario shall apply to all AllStar and Tournament teams that Ramapo
fields in the post-season.
NOTE 2: In the event that Ramapo Little League is asked to participate in other tournaments
that have not been planned for at the start of the regular season, the Player/Coach Selection
Sub-Committee shall have the authority to determine:
1. If Ramapo Little League will participate in the tournament.
2. The number of and make-up of the team(s) that will represent Ramapo.
3. The manager and coaches for the teams defined in #2.
Managers of post season teams, upon contacting their players, must report to the Player Agent
any player who advises that he/she will not be available for every game of the post season. Any
player who expects to miss 2 or more post season games within the first two (2) weeks must be
removed from the roster and the next player shall be chosen based upon the selection process
detailed above for that specific All-Star/Tournament team. Failure to comply with this
requirement may result in removal of the manager by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX – Post Season Playoffs / Tournament of Champions
Ramapo Little League will hold Post Season Playoffs for the Major, Minor and Rookie Divisions.
District 18 sets the Post Season schedule and format for the Junior/Senior Divisions. There are
no playoffs for the T-Ball and Pony divisions.
The post season playoff structure shall be as stated in “Appendix 1 – Post Season Playoff
Formats”, which is attached at the end of this document.
Note: The final playoff structure shall be established and published by the Player Agent and
Division Commissioner once the number of teams for the season has been set. The format and
schedule shall be posted at the Rella Fieldhouse and distributed by the Player Agent to ensure
that all managers and Board members are notified in a timely manner.
Tournament of Champions – the winner of the Major Division and Minor Division Regular
Season will be the Ramapo Little League representatives to the Tournament of Champions
competitions. In the event that the team needs to add players due to injury, illness or
unavailability of players, they may do so based upon the Tournament of Champions rules.
Special Note: In the event that number of teams in the Major or Minor Divisions increase or
decrease, the respective Division Commissioner and the Player Agent shall meet to discuss
changes to the number of teams/playoff format, if required.
In the event of inclement weather, lack of field availability or any other event that the board deems as
valid, the Player Agent and appropriate Division Commissioner shall meet and develop a modified play -
off structure. The modified play -off structure shall be reviewed and approved by the board of directors.
ARTICLE X – Safety Policy
All injuries, accidents and/or safety related incidents must be reported by the team manager of
the injured/affected player to the Ramapo Little League Safety Officer and/or Division
Commissioner on the league incident report form within 48 hours of the incident. Managers
must also report, on the league incident report form, any injury, incident and/or safety related
incidents involving spectators.
Article XI – Honorary Life Member of the Board of Directors
To qualify for consideration for the position of Honorary Life Member of the Board of Directors of
Ramapo Little League, a member must:
1. Be an active member of the Ramapo Little League for not less than ten (10) continuous
years.
2. Demonstrate the principles of Little League in general.
3. Demonstrate support of the Ramapo Little League through participation in activities.
4. Demonstrate responsibility and service to the youth of Ramapo and the Ramapo Little
League.
5. Be recognized as having contributed to ensuring that the Ramapo Little League has
continued to be a meaningful family and community activity.
This position shall be a voting position on the Board of Directors.
The following shall be the procedure whereby a member of the Ramapo Little League shall be
nominated to become an Honorary Life Member of the Board of Directors of the Ramapo Little
League:
1. The nominee shall be recommended by an existing member of the Ramapo Little League
Board of Directors.
2. The nominee must receive a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the existing Board of
Directors of the Ramapo Little League.
3. There may be no more than one (1) Honorary Life Member elected in any twelve (12) month
period.
Article XII – Salaries
The Board of Directors shall hire and fix the compensation of any and all employees and
contract agencies, which they, in their discretion, may determine to be necessary in the conduct
of business of the organization.
No officer shall for reasons of his/her office be entitled to receive any salary or other
compensation, but nothing herein shall be construed to prevent an Officer from receiving any
compensation from the organization for duties performed in any capacity other than that as an
Officer or Director.
Article XIII – Drafts and Player Selection
The following are the methodologies used to determine player selection in each of the following
divisions: Senior/Junior/Major/Minor/Rookie/Pony and T-Ball.
T-Ball Division
For the T-Ball division, each registered player shall go into a pool of available payers to be
assigned to a team. The Player Agent shall provide the T-Ball Division Commissioner with the
list (pool) of registered players by such date that the Player Agent and T-Ball Division
Commissioner shall agree to. The Division Commissioner and the Player Agent shall then form
the number of teams required based upon the number of available players (pool.) Every effort
shall be made to accommodate requests noted on the registration forms, where reasonably
possible.
Pony Division
For the Pony Division, each registered player shall go into a pool of available players to be
assigned to a team. The Player Agent shall provide the Pony Division Commissioner with the
list (pool) of registered players by such date that the Player Agent and Pony Division
Commissioner shall agree to. The Pony Division Commissioner and the Player Agent shall then
form the number of teams required based upon the number of available players (pool.) Every
effort shall be made to accommodate requests noted on the registration forms, where
reasonably possible.
Minor Division and Rookie Division
For the Minor Division and Rookie Division, all players who are age eligible shall go into a pool
of available players to be drafted. This includes any player who is new to the league, any player
moving up from a lower division or any player returning to the same division. The Player Agent
shall provide the Minor Division and Rookie Division Commissioner with the list (pool) of eligible,
to-be-drafted players by such date that the Player Agent and Minor Division Commissioner and
the Player Agent and Rookie Division Commissioner shall agree to. All returning players from
the Minor Division and players moving up from the Rookie Division and all returning players
from the Rookie Division or players moving up from the Pony Division shall have a rating (from 1
– 5, with 5 being the highest value). The Minor Division Commissioner and the Rookie Division
Commissioner along with the Player Agent shall determine the number of teams that will play in
the Minor Division and the Rookie Division that year based on the number of players in the pool.
The Minor Division Commissioner and the Player Agent and the Rookie Division Commissioner
and the Player Agent shall then hold separate “draft sessions” where each Minor Division
manager and Rookie Division each manager will select players from the pool in the prescribed
order to fill out his/her team’s full roster. The number of players comprising a full roster in the
Minor Division and the Rookie Division shall be determined by the Minor Division Commissioner
and the Player Agent and the Rookie Division Commissioner and the Player Agent separately,
prior to the “draft sessions.” If the number of returning and eligible to-be-drafted players
necessitates an increase or decrease in the number of teams in the Minor Division or the
Rookie Division, the Player Agent and the appropriate Division Commissioner shall consult the
Little League Operating Manual to determine the methodology to be used to increase or
decrease the number of teams in the Minor Division or the Rookie Division.
.The order of the draft shall be determined by picking numbers in a lottery. The draft shall
proceed from the lowest number to the highest number with the managers making their pick.
When the highest number is reached, the order shall start over in reverse (starting at the highest
number and continuing to the lowest number). This alternating sequence shall be repeated in
that fashion (lowest number to highest number and then highest number to lowest number) until
the entire list of players is exhausted. Example: In a 5 team division – 1st round the order of
drafting shall be as follows: lowest lottery pick (i.e. #1) gets draft pick #1; the highest lottery pick
(i.e. #5) shall get the 5th pick; in the second round, the lottery pick #5 shall receive the 6th draft
pick (i.e., 1st pick in the 2nd Round); lottery pick #1 shall get the 10th draft pick. The full
sequence for a 60-player draft shall be:
- Lottery Pick #1 – draft picks 1, 10, 11, 20, 21, 30, 31, 40, 41, 50, 51, 60
- Lottery Pick #2 – draft picks 2, 9, 12, 19, 22, 29, 32, 39, 42, 49, 52, 59
- Lottery Pick #3 – draft picks 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33, 38, 43, 48, 53, 58
- Lottery Pick #4 – draft picks 4, 7, 14, 17, 24, 27, 34, 37, 44, 47, 54, 57
- Lottery Pick #5 – draft picks 5, 6, 15, 16, 25, 26, 35, 36, 45, 46, 55, 56
Major Division
For the Major Division, any Ramapo Little League player who has reached the league age of 10
and who has completed the registration process shall attend a tryout to be eligible for inclusion
into th e Major Division Draft. Tryouts shall be held to provide the Managers/Coaches of the
Major Division teams with an assessment of the player’s ability. The schedule of the Major
Division Tryouts shall be set by the Board of Directors of the Ramapo Little League.
Any player that is remaining in the Major Division shall remain with the team he/she was on the
prior year. Any returning Major Division player that wishes to be removed from the team he/she
is on must participate in the Major Division Tryouts. The Player Agent shall provide the Major
Division Commissioner with the list (pool) of eligible, to-be-drafted players by such date that the
Player Agent and Major Division Commissioner shall agree to.
The Major Division Commissioner and the Player Agent shall then hold a “draft session” where
each Major Division Manager will select players from the pool in the prescribed order to fill out
his/her team’s full roster. The number of players comprising a full roster in the Major Division
shall be determined by the Major Division Commissioner and the Player Agent prior to the “draft
session.” Participation in the Major Division tryouts does not guarantee a spot on a Major
Division team. If the number of returning and to -be-drafted players necessitates an increase or
decrease in the number of teams in the Major Division, the Player Agent and the Division
Commissioner shall consult the Little League Operating Manual to determine the methodology
to be used to increase or decrease the number of teams in the Major Division.
Player Selection Methodology: the methodology used to draft the players in the Major Division
Draft is found in the Little League Operating Manual, pages 64- 66. (This section will be
modified each year as the Operating Manual is updated and page numbers may change.) All
rules pertaining to coach’s sons/daughters and coaches shall be adhered to.
Article XIV – Draft Policy on 12 Year Old Players
Players who have reached the Little League age of 12 as defined in the Little League Operating
Manual and who have participated in the Major Division Tryouts shall be entered in the Major
Division Draft with all other players, ages 10 and 11, who have participated in the Major Division
Draft.
Article XV – Coaches
All prospective managers/coaches must attend a league approved health clinic and a League
approved skills clinic in order to be eligible to participate as a manager or coach in Ramapo
Little League. The League will provide a health clinic and skills clinic at a time and place to be
determined by the Board of Directors. If a prospective manager/coach does not attend a
League provided health or skills clinic he/she must attend a similar clinic that is approved by the
League at his/her own expense. If a manager/coach does not meet the requirements of
attending a health clinic and a skills clinic by the start of the Spring season he/she may not
coach in Ramapo Little League.
Prospective managers for the divisions holding tryouts (Senior, Junior and Major) must attend
all of the tryouts for the division in which they have applied to manage in if they are to be
considered by the Board of Directors for approval as a manager in that division. Excused
absences can only be given by the Player/Coaches Selection Sub-Committee for that division,
which will consist of the President, Player Agent and Division Commissioner. Excused
absences will only be given for compelling reasons. Failure to attend any of the tryouts without
an excused absence will result in a rejection of the manager’s application to manage in that
division.
Article XVI – Time Limits on Games
The following are the rules of the Ramapo Little League with respect to Time Limits in
Games:
1. T-Ball Games shall be limited to 1.5 hours from the start of the game.
2. Pony and Rookie Divi sion games shall be limited to 2 hours from the start of the
game. If 4 full innings (3 and ½ if the home team is winning) have not been
completed by the 2 hour time limit, the LL rules governing rainouts shall apply.
3. Minor and Major Division games shall only have a 2 hour time limit if there is
another game immediately following their game. If 4 full innings (3 and ½ if the
home team is winning) have not been completed by the 2 hour time limit, the LL
rules governing rainouts shall apply.
Article XVII – Fall Baseball
Ramapo Little League will provide a Fall Baseball program for the children of the Ramapo Little
League between the ages of 9 and 15. The Fall Baseball program shall consist of 4 divisions
who will play in a program that will include other Little Leagues in Rockland County:
- Junior Division – shall consist of players, age 12 and 13.
- Senior Division – shall consist of players, age 14 and 15.
- Division “A” for ages 9 thru 11 – a division for which players must be drafted onto a team.
- Division “B” for ages 9 thru 11 – a division for players not selected in Division “A.” In this division players are also placed on teams by way of a draft.
The Fall Baseball program shall provide a mix of instruction and competitive inter-league games
that foster the attainment of basic and advanced baseball skills.
All Little League rules regarding eligibility, manager/coach appointment and playing rules shall
apply. Regular season rules, as prescribed in the Little League Rulebook, shall appl y to Fall
Ball.
The Board of Directors shall appoint “coordinators” who are responsible, with the Player Agent,
for the coordination of the team(s) in their level. The coordinators shall determine the number of
teams in each division based on the number of players who sign up to participate in the Fall Ball
program
The Player Agent shall meet with each “level coordinators” to determine the method of player
draft/assignment to each team in each division.
In the event that Ramapo Little League decides to play in an organized fall baseball
league/tournament, the Board of Directors shall meet to determine if changes to the preceding
structure are required in order to be in compliance with the league/tournament rules.
Article XVII – Umpiring
All managers and coaches that are appointed by the Ramapo Little League Board of Directors
shall be required to volunteer their time to serve as an umpire in at least 2 Little League games.
A schedule will be created to assign each manager and coach to games in the Rookie, Minor
and Major Division games. Each manager and coach is responsible for securing a replacement
from the authorized list of managers and coaches if he/she cannot appear at their scheduled
date and time. Any manager/coach who fails to umpire their scheduled game, and does not find
a replacement, will be suspended for 2 games. If a manager/coach fails to umpire more than
one of his/her scheduled game he/she will be referred to the League Board of Directors to
determine what action is to be taken and may result in suspension from active participation in
managing or coaching in Ramapo Little League.
Control of the Game
Once a game starts, the home plate umpire shall have sole control of the game. If in the home
plate umpire’s sole opinion, a manager, coach or fan is behaving improperly (being abusive to a
team, the fans or the umpire), the home plate umpire has the authority to warn the offending
manager/coach/fan of the fact that if the improper behavior continues, the game will be
suspended. If the offending manager/coach/fan does not change their behavior, the home plate
umpire has the ability to suspend the game. If, in the home plate umpire’s judgement, the
solution is to have the offending manager/coach/fan removed from the field, the gam e can
continue once that has occurred to the home plate umpire’s satisfaction. If, in the home plate
umpire’s judgement, there is no solution to the issue at hand, the home plate umpire has the
authority to suspend the game and refer the decision to the Board of Director’s for a final
judgement.
The umpire must note the exact situation - i.e. number or outs, baserunners, score, pitch count,
etc. and provide them to the umpire-in-chief for any game that is stopped in progress due to
weather, darkness, unruly fans or other situation that requires the stoppage of play.
Appendix A – Post Season Playoff Formats
Ramapo Little League will hold Post Season Playoffs for the Major, Minor and Rookie Divisions.
District 18 sets the Post Season schedule and format for the Junior/Senior Divisions. There are
no playoff games for the Pony and T-Ball Divisions.
The post season playoff structure for the Major, Minor and Rookie Divisions is as follows:
For A 12 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 5th place team shall play the 12th place team; the 6th place team shall play the
11th place team; the 7th place team shall play the 10 th place team; and the 8th place team shall
play the 9th place team. The 1 st place team through the 4 th place team will get a bye.
In Round 2 the 1st place team shall play the lowest remaining seed; the 2 nd place team shall play
the 2nd lowest remaining seed; the 3 rd place team shall play the 3 rd lowest remaining seed; and
the 4th place team shall play the 4 th lowest remaining seed.
In Round 3 the highest remaining seed shall play the lowest remaining seed; and the 2nd highest
remaining seed shall play the 2 nd lowest remaining seed.
In Round 4 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play each other in a best 2 out
of 3 series for the Division Championship.
For An 11 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 6th place team shall play the 11th place team; the 7th place team shall play the
10th place team; and the 8th place team shall play the 9th place team. The 1st place team
through 5 th place team will get a bye.
In Round 2 the 1st place team shall play the lowest remaining seed; the 2 nd place team shall play
the 2nd lowest remaining seed; the 3 rd place team shall play the 3 rd lowest remaining seed; and
the 4th place team shall play the 5 th place team.
In Round 3 the highest remaining seed shall play the lowest remaining seed; and the 2nd highest
remaining seed shall play the 2 nd lowest remaining seed.
In Round 4 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play each other in a best 2 out
of 3 series for the Division Championship.
For A 10 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 7 th place team shall play the10th place team; the 8th place team shall play the 9 th
place team. The 1st place team through the 6th place team get a bye.
In Round 2 the 1st place team shall play the lowest remaining seed; the 2 nd place team shall play
the 2nd lowest remaining seed; the 3 rd place team shall play the 6th place team; and the 4th place
team shall play the 5th place team.
In Round 3 the highest remaining seed shall play the lowest remaining seed; and the 2nd
highest remaining seed shall play the 3 rd highest remaining seed.
In Round 4 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play each other in a best 2 out
of 3 series for the Division Championship.
For A 9 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 8 th place team shall play the 9th place team. The 1st place team through the 7th
place team get a bye.
In Round 2 the 1st place team shall play the winner of Round 1; the 2nd place team shall play the
7th place team; the 3 rd place team shall play the 6th place team; and the 4th place team shall play
the 5th place team.
In Round 3 the highest remaining seed shall play the lowest remaining seed; and the 2nd highest
remaining seed shall play the 3 rd highest remaining seed.
In Round 4 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play each other in a best 2 out
of 3 series for the Division Championship.
FOR A 8 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 1st place team shall play the 8th place team; the 2 nd place team shall play the 7th
place team; the 3rd place team shall play the 6th place team; and the 4th place team shall play
the 5th place team.
In Round 2 the highest remaining seed shall play the lowest remaining seed; and the 2nd highest
remaining seed shall play the 3 rd highest remaining seed.
In Round 3 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play a best 2 out of 3 series for
the Division Championship.
For A 7 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 2 nd place team shall play the 7th place team; the 3rd place team shall play the 6th
place team; the 4th place team shall play the 5 th place team. The 1st place team gets a bye.
In Round 2 the 1st place team shall play the lowest remaining seed; the 2nd highest remaining
seed shall play the 3rd highest remaining seed.
In Round 3 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play a best 2 out of 3 series for
the Division Championship.
For A 6 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 3rd place team shall play the 6th place team; and the 4th place team shall play the
5th place team. The 1st and 2 nd place teams get a bye.
In Round 2 the 1 st place team shall play the lowest remaining seed; and the 2 nd place plays the
2nd lowest remaining seed.
In Round 3 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play a best 2 out of 3 series for
the Division Championship.
For A 5 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 4 th place team shall play the 5 th place team. The 1st, 2nd and 3 rd place teams get
a bye.
In Round 2 the 1st place team shall play the winner of Round 1; and the 2 nd place team plays the
3rd place team.
In Round 3 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play a best 2 out of 3 series for
the Division Championship.
For A 4 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 1st place team shall play the 4th place team; and the 2 nd place team shall play the
3rd place team.
In Round 2 (Championship Round) the 2 remaining teams shall play a best 2 out of 3 series for
the Division Championship.
For A 3 Team Division:
In Round 1 the 2nd place team shall play the 3 rd place team. The 1st place team gets a bye.
In Round 2 (Championship Round) the 1 st place team shall play the winner of Round 1 in a best
2 out of 3 series for the Division Championship.
In each playoff game the team with the higher seed shall be the home team. In the
Championship Round the higher seeded team shall be the home team in Games 1 and 3 and
the lower seeded team shall be the home team in Game 2.