A- GENERAL RULES All US teams must be PONY registered. Rules are from the Canadian Amateur Softball Association. However, in case of litigation, the following specific rules will prevail. B- AGE CUT-OFF DATES Players in the Pee-wee (14U) category must be born on or after January 1st 1995 (PONY) Players in the Bantam (16U) category must be born on or after January 1st 1993 (PONY-COLT) Players in the Midget (18U) category must be born on or after January 1st 1991 (PONY-Palomino) C- ALL CATEGORIES 1. If a team decides to back out of the tournament after June 1 2010, there will be no refund issued to that team. Before that date, a refund of $475 CAD will be issued. 2. Each team must send a list of their participating athletes in the tournament and a team picture before June 1 2010. The official list of players can be modified at time of registration on June 30 at the coaches meeting, before the team's first game. This list will remain the same for the entire tournament. 3. A minimum of nine (9) players ready to play is required for each game. 4. A maximum of twenty (20) players per team will be accepted. 5. If a team uses all their substitutes and an injury happens, the injured player can be replaced with a player/substitute that has already been once in the game. BLOOD RULE If a player is injured or sick, a team can finish the game at 8 players with no penalty. 6. Each team, including all players, must be present at the park 30 minutes before the scheduled time of the game. If the game cannot start at the umpire's call, the incomplete team will lose the game by default. The tournament director may give a delay if she judges it to be right. 7. During the qualification round, a loss by default will give a 7-0 win to the legitimate team ready to play. This includes teams deciding to abandon the tournament. 8. The tournament director can change the schedule of the games in case of bad weather or too many delays. In that case, there might be games played on additional fields, and the teams must remain available. 9. No practice will be allowed on the diamond before the team's game. 10. All players or coaches ejected from the game by an umpire will be suspended for the current game and the following game of the infraction. The tournament director has the right to extend the suspension. 11. If a protest occurs, an amount of $50 CAD or US will be needed for guarantee. The game will be stopped and a decision will be taken by the protest committee of the tournament. The game will go on according to the final decision taken without possibility of further appeal. 12. Balls used during the tournament are twelve (12) inches for all categories: Dudley Model 4C-184FY - Thunder Advance, Multi-Layer Composite Cover, Raised Seam, Cor.47, 12", Optic 13. Pitching distance is forty-tree (43) feet for the 18U, forty (40) feet for the 14U and 16U and distance between bases is sixty (60) feet for all categories. 14. The Re-entry is allowed. 15. In case of delay, some speed-up rules will be in application. For example, 3 warm up pitches, no huddles, etc. D- UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT 1. The rule of the uniforms, which states that all players must be wearing uniforms of the same colour, form, and style, must be followed. 2. The helmet is mandatory for the batter, batter on-deck, and the on-base runners. 3. Medal cleats are not allowed. 4. The following equipment is mandatory for the catchers: * helmet, mask and throat-protector * chest protector * shin-guards * athletic support 5. The catcher or the person acting as a catcher must wear the helmet, the mask and the throat-protector during the pitcher's warm-up. 6. The legal bats for the tournament will be the ones with 1.20 BPF or less. All bats have to be stamped ISF approved. Please see International Softball Federation WEB site for listing of all legal bats. 7. Coaches do not have to wear the team's uniforms or colours, and male coaches do not have to wear caps as per the Canadian rule. E- THE GAMES QUALIFICATION ROUND 1. All games are seven (7) innings games but do not have to be finished if the home team is winning the game after six and a half (6 ½) innings. 2. A difference of seven (7) runs after four and a half (4 ½) innings if the home team is ahead or five (5) innings if the visitor team is ahead will end the game. 3. A difference of fifteen (15) runs after two and a half (2 ½) innings if the home team is ahead or three (3) innings if the visitor team is ahead will end the game. 4. If there is a tie after the seventh (7th) inning, only one additional inning will be played with the International Tie Breaker rule. If the score is still tied after the additional inning, the game will be over. The additional inning will not have to be completed if the home team makes the victory run. The final result will count as a win, loss, or tie, but the runs for/against will be calculated from the score after seven (7) innings of play for the general standing. 5. Each team has a minimum of six (6) games in the qualification round and will host and visit three times. FINAL ROUND ON SUNDAY - CHAMPIONSHIP AND CUP DIVISIONS (1/8 of finals through finals) 1. International Tie Breaker rule will apply starting on the eighth (8th) inning. 2. A difference of seven (7) runs after four and a half (4 ½) innings if the home team is ahead or five (5) innings if the visitor team is ahead will end the game. 3. A difference of fifteen (15) runs after two and a half (2 ½) innings if the home team is ahead or three (3) innings if the visitor team is ahead will end the game. F- CLASSIFICATION AND TIE BREAKER The general standing of the round robin will be determined with the highest number of points. A win gives two (2) points, a tie one (1) point and a loss none. If there is a tie in the standings, the final standing will be determined as follow: 1- the highest number of wins 2- the runs against 3- the difference between the runs for and against (max of +7 or -7 per game) 4- the runs for If there is still a tie after these 4 rules, a 3 innings tie-breaker game will be played on Sunday morning at 7am. Once the general standing has been established, the following will happen for the final round: CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION The top 8 teams of each category will compete on Sunday for the Championship title. For the 1/4 of finals, the 8h position will visit the 1st position, the 7th position will visit the 2nd position, etc. From that point in time, only the winners of these games will advance to the next round. The toss of the coin will be in effect when there is a "*" on the schedule. No bronze medal game will be played. CUP DIVISION - 16U and 18U ONLY Teams placed from position 9 to 16 in the 16U and 9 to 12 in the 18U will compete on Sunday for the Cup title. For the 16U 1/4 of finals, the 16h position (shown as Cup #8 team on the schedule) will visit the 9th position (shown as Cup #1 team on the schedule), the 15th position will visit the 10th position, etc. For the 18U CUP title semi-final, the 12th position (shown as Cup #4 team on the schedule) will visit the 9th position (shown as Cup #1 on the schedule), the 11th position will visit the 10th position. G- NOTES 1. The tournament's officials will not be responsible for any incident that may occur during the tournament. 2. Each team must get its own insurance. 3. The tournament's official will take the final decisions, which will be without appeal on any litigation or unwritten and unexpected situations. H- CODE OF CONDUCT The Montreal Challenge primary objective is to permit to young players to play high level of softball in a friendly environment and to bring the family together in this activity. The organization promotes intense competition carried out with the highest degree of sportsmanship and respect for team-mates, opponents, and officials. The highest standards of sporting behaviour and conduct are expected of players, coaches and others associated with the game. 1- Coaches are expected to be leaders by complying with the following principles and Code of Conduct: - Respect the decisions of the umpires and confine discussions with game officials to the interpretation of the rules and not constantly challenge umpire decisions involving judgement. - Be an example and leader in respecting the dignity of the game, opponents, officials, and spectators, and prohibit team personal from using profanity or making personal or malicious remarks toward opponents, officials and spectators. - Be courteous and display a dignified attitude toward the game and its participants. - Refrain from any personal action that might arouse players or spectators to unsporting behaviour. - Be in control of their players at all times in order to prevent any unsporting act toward opponents, officials or spectators. Actions: Any act of unprofessional behaviour that discredits the team or the sport will not be tolerated. This includes: - Removal of the team from the field - Refusal to continue to play - Verbal or physical abuse of game official (e.g., any threat of physical intimidation or harm to include pushing, shoving, kicking, throwing at or attempting to make physical contact). - Verbal or physical abuse of opponents or own player (e.g., any physical abuse of opposing or own players and coaches, including attempting to strike with the arms, hands, legs feet or equipment in a combative manner). Effects: The coach shall be ejected and an incident report should be given by the umpires to the Umpire-In-Chief or to a member of the organizing committee for immediate action, if any is needed. After the game, a written incident report will be written and signed by the umpires and given to the Administration for further action, if any is needed. 2- Any other member of the team (players, spectators, manager or other) must follow the same sportsmanship rules as stipulated before. In case of violation these rules, these measures will be taken: The umpires shall issue a warning to the offending individual and notify the coach. Subsequent violation by the same individual shall result in ejection. If the umpire judges the act to be flagrant, the offender shall be ejected without warning. Note: In case of serious misconduct, the organizing committee reserve the rights to suspend the team from participating to the present tournament or to the following years of an incident.