Purpose of Policy

A.   To recognize a select group of players in each division of the Sierra Madre Girls Softball Association for having reached the status of “All-Star,” based on qualifications including, but not limited to: On-field performance, contribution to their teams, maintaining a positive attitude, adherence to the SMGSA “Code of Conduct,” and regular attendance.

General Policy

A.    Player Eligibility

• A player must be a registered and paid player during the current spring season.
• A player must meet USA tournament play eligibility requirements including but not limited to playing in 75% of her regular season games and not participating in any game, practice, try-out, scrimmage or work-out with a non-USA affiliated B or C level OR travel team after March 31st. 
• A player and her parents must agree to sign the All-Star Commitment Agreement before being considered for All-Star selection.  This agreement outlines time commitments, financial responsibilities and conduct expected from all-star players and their families.  
• A player who participated at a level higher than her correct USA-eligible division will be considered for all star selection in the division she competed in during the regular season unless she had competed in the higher level at the request of the league, in which case she would be eligible to play all-stars at in her correct USA-eligible age division. 
• A player who opts off of an all-star team for any reason will be considered ineligible to play all-stars for the remainder of that all-star season.

If special needs arise, and only with parent consent, the Competition Committee (CC) may request that a player be added to the all-star nominations list for a division higher than her correct USA-eligible division.  For example, the player in the situation above may be the only pitcher from the 12U division available for all-star selection.  In this instance, the competition committee may request that the player be placed on the 12U all-stars nominations list, though she may be age-eligible for 10U.

Once selected for all-stars in a given division, a player may only compete in that division for the remainder of the all-star season.  Once her all-star team has officially disbanded for the summer, a player is free to play for any team for which she is age-eligible.

B.    Preparation Schedule for the player selection process.    

• On the last Saturday in April, managers must submit a list of eligible all-star nominees from their teams to the Player Agent.  The nominees from each team will form the all-star ballot.  The CC reserves the right to add players to the all-star ballot. 
• It is the responsibility of each manager/coach to follow the performance of each team’s players throughout the spring season.  This will prepare them to make well-informed all-star player selection decisions.
• A player evaluation of all-star nominees may be conducted for each division no sooner than the last Sunday in April. This evaluation is to be deemed necessary or not by the managers of each division no later than the 1st week in April.  All-star evaluations are intended to provide managers an additional opportunity to observe the nominees’ skills, and are not intended to replace a manager’s responsibility to observe the performance of each team’s players throughout the season.  The all-star evaluation schedule can be published along with or after the league’s spring season schedule.  No games will be scheduled in conflict with the all-star evaluations.  The all-star evaluations will be run by the director of coaching and the player agent.  Managers and coaches in each division are required to assist in running the all-star evaluations (not for their own division).

The signed All-Star Commitment Agreement form must be provided to the All-Star Coordinator no later than this time or the player will be removed from the all-star nomination list and will not be evaluated.

A manager, coach, or designated representative from each team must attend and participate in the all-star evaluation.  Proof of attendance to be determined by use of a sign-up sheet. Teams not represented will forfeit the right to vote at the all-star selection meeting.

• The all-star player selection process will take place the first week in May.  This is to allow sufficient lead-time for ordering uniforms and scheduling practices.

All-Star Manager Selection Process

A.   Managers must inform the Player Agent of their interest in managing an all-star team by the second to last Sunday in April  The CC reserves the right to disqualify a managerial candidate from all-star consideration based on the best interests of the league and/or the requirements outlined below.

B.    Candidates must meet the following requirements to be nominated:

• They must have managed or coached a team with SMGSA sometime in the last two years.
• They must have met the requirements of the “Code of Conduct” in their role as manager or coach, as determined by the CC.
• They must obtain any coaching certification as required by the USA district that SMGSA is a member of prior to Championship play.

C.   If more than one manager requests to manage an all-star team in any division, the managers in that division will vote by means of a secret ballot.  The CC will break any tie by secret ballot.  If a member of the CC is also a manager in the division where there is a tie vote, an alternate CC member will replace the conflicted member.

D.   All-star managers will be selected no later than the last Friday in April.

E.   All-star managers are entitled to choose coaches to assist with all-star teams.  The CC reserves the right to disqualify a coach from all-star consideration based on the requirements listed for managers, above.

All-Star Player Selection Process

A.   Any member of the board of directors may attend all-star selection meetings.  In addition, the player agent, the CC and each regular season team managers must physically attend.  Only attending managers may vote.  If a team manager is unable to attend the all-star selection meeting, a coach or designated representative from his/her team may attend instead to provide input. Electronic means of voting are not permitted.

B.   No proxy voting is allowed.  A team must be properly represented in order to submit votes.

C.   Teams will be selected using the following procedure:

    1. At the beginning of the all-star selection meeting, team managers will be allowed a reasonable amount of time to discuss nominees from their teams.  In the event that a team is not represented, the player agent will ensure that affected players will have their abilities and qualifications presented.

    2. The only player performance material (statistics, scorebooks) allowed to be handed out before or during the all-star selection meeting is information supplied to the CC 24 hours prior to the selection. The CC will then distribute this material to the meeting attendees.

    3. Upon completion of the open discussion, the voting will commence by secret ballot.  Each manager will select six players from the nominations list.  The six players receiving the most votes will be placed on the all-star team.  In the event of a tie, a tiebreaker vote will be held.  From the list of tied players, managers will vote for a number that will bring the selected team member total to six.  For example, if five players are tied for the last two spots, each manager will vote for two of the five.  Further ties will be broken by the all-star manager for the division.

    4. After further discussion, managers will use the format from step 3 to select four additional players.

    5. The all-star manager must then decide whether he/she wishes to carry more than the standard 12 players on the all-star roster. Should the all-star manager wish to carry 13 or 14 players on the roster, he/she must present an argument to the CC on why the extra players are needed and how the players will be used when all show up for a tournament game. The CC will then make the binding decision on the team’s player count. 

    6. With teams that will carry 12 players, the all-star manager will select two additional players as his/her pocket picks. For teams that will carry 13 or 14 players, player selections will be handled by vote as outlined in point 3 above up until the time where only 2 player selections remain. The all-star manager would then select these final two players as his/her pocket picks. Pocket picks must be selected from the original nominee list. 

    7. Voting results should remain in confidence for 48 hours to allow the all-star manager time to notify the selected players.

Player Withdrawal

A player is considered to be an official member of an SMGSA all-star team when she has met all SMGSA and USA eligibility requirements, has been notified of selection and accepted placement on a team, and has either paid the required all-stars fee, or made a written arrangement to pay such a fee.

Unless unusual circumstances exist, no refund of fees will be issued to a player who chooses to permanently or temporarily abandon her all-star team prior to the disbanding of the team.   Unusual circumstances may include, but are not limited to, extended illness, injury, or family emergency.  The board of directors may choose to issue a partial or full refund in such situation.

Replacement Players

1. In the event of an injury prior to the district championship, an all-star nominee may be added until the injured player returns, if at all. 
2. Should an all star team qualify for tournaments beyond USA Softball’s District Championship, the opportunity to pick up replacement players would be available with CC approval. Replacement players may only be added to the team in the event the team’s available roster dipped below 12 players. Picking up rostered players is subject to the USA Softball Yellow Book guidelines and, with CC approval, would be selected as follows:

• Players from SMGSA’s same/lower division all star teams where the team has already been eliminated from championship play.
• Players from other district all star teams where the team has already been eliminated from championship play.

Any/all replacement players are financially responsible for any/all costs associated with joining the team seeking replacement players and the CC must approve them being added to the team.

Second “Silver” All-Star Teams

When enough talented players are available, SMGSA encourages the formation of a second all-star team in any age division. 

Decisions regarding a second team in a division will only be made following roster completion for the first team. 

A second team manager is selected by the CC at the conclusion of the Gold Team draft. Team rosters are selected using the same policy as first teams with the following exceptions:

First round of voting to select THREE  players

Second round of voting to select THREE  players

Third round (manager picks) to select SIX players

Past history has shown that the level of commitment for Second all-star teams in the 8U division is not at the same level as the other divisions.  The roster size of an 8U Second all-star team may be increased to 13 players at the manager's request.  The 13th roster spot would be added as a SEVENTH manager's pick.

Development Teams aka Bronze All-Star Teams

Occasionally when there are enough talented players and a manager willing to accept the responsibility, the CC may approve the formation of a developmental or Bronze All-Star team.  The purpose of a developmental or Bronze All-Star team is to allow players to continue to play softball and expose them to better competition.  The emphasis should be on playing “friendlies” and may include up to three tournaments.  Fees for these teams will be based on the team schedule and uniform costs.

Developmental or Bronze team selection and manager selection will be the same as for silver teams with exception of roster size exemptions. Roster sizes shall be 12 players.  Any exceptions to the roster size must be requested by the All Star Coordinator and approved by the CC.

Tournament Selection Guidelines

Gold teams will play in tournaments as designated by the All Star Coordinator and confirmed by the board.  In the event there are silver teams, the silver teams will play in separate “C” Tournaments or in tournaments with separate divisions.  In the event there are developmental teams, they will also play in separate tournaments from any SMGSA teams in the same age division.  The silver and developmental schedules will be arranged by the All Star Coordinator and the team manager with CC approval.  It is the intent of this policy to prevent SMGSA teams from competing with each other during all star play.