Tee-Ball and Coach Pitch RULES
(Updated for 2017 season)
The following rulings shall apply to both
TEE BALL and COACH PITCH except
as shown in bold type.
TB and CP ELIGIBILITY
A player’s age on December 31 in the just
completed season is the player’s age for the
upcoming season
SEASON
The TB and CP Leagues will consist
of at least 8 games plus a tournament
after the regular season.
EQUIPMENT
1. TEE BALL shall use 11” FLEX style softball
2. COACH PITCH shall use 11” FLEX style softball.
3. Softball fast pitch bats shall be used
stamped ASA or USSSA.
4. Each team shall supply their own batting tee.
SCOREKEEPER:
scorekeepers should confer with the opposing scorekeeper
after each inning.
UMPIRES:
Metro Sports will handle the officiating for
both the TB and CP leagues.
RULES:
Rules shall be as in GSLJC with the following exceptions:
A. COACHES
1. A team shall have a head coach and any
number of assistant coaches as determined by
the head coach.
Coaches are restricted from moving down
foul lines to provide instructions. With the
exception of a “high five”, base coaches shall
not touch, push or pull their runners as players
run the bases.
2. TEE BALL LEAGUE
During the regular season games, no more
than two coaches may take the field with
their team and provide defensive
instructions from the outfield positions.
3. COACH PITCH LEAGUE
During defensive play, the offensive pitcher-coach
shall take the field to pitch to his/her own players.
The pitcher-coach may communicate with their
batters without leaving the pitching circle. Such
communication shall be held at a minimum to
avoid delay of game.
4. Only the head coach, (or in his absence, the
designated head coach), has authority to protest
an umpire’s call.
5. Home teams for the regular season games will be
be assigned on the schedule. For tournament
games, the coach winning the coin toss at the start of the
game has the option of his team batting first or last.
B. TEAM
1. Teams shall not have more than 15 players on
their official roster unless approved by the Board.
2. All players of a given team, present for a game,
shall take part in the entire game unless prevented
from doing so by illness, injury or bathroom break.
The player may re-enter the game at any time and
must resume the player's original place in the
batting order without penalty.
3. All players of a given team go into the field on
defense each inning. The number of defensive
players in the infield will be limited to pitcher
(fielding only), catcher, 1st baseman, 2nd baseman,
3rd third baseman and shortstop. The defense may
include a short fielder who must play behind 2nd base
until the ball is hit. The remainder of players must
remain in the outfield at least 10 feet behind an
imaginary line connecting the bases until the ball is hit.
4. The batting order must include all players
participating in the game, i.e., 9, 10, 11, etc.
5. At least 8 players of each team (both defensively
and offensively) must be present at game time or it
will be a forfeit for the team with less than 8 players.
6. If a player arrives after the game has started,
that player must bat in the last position of the
batting order.
7. Each batter is required to wear a batting helmet
and to continue wearing it as long as the player
remains on the playing field.
8. It is mandatory that all catchers will wear full
gear which is: face mask with helmet, shin
guards, chest protector and throat protector.
C. PLAYING FIELD
1. Playing field will be as follows:
a. bases shall be 50 feet apart
b. pitching rubber distance is 27 feet
c. a circle with 8-foot radius is centered about
the midpoint of the pitching rubber. This is
to confine the movement of the pitcher-
fielder until the ball is hit by the batter.
d. an arc of 8 feet, from the back point of home
plate extends between the foul lines. A
batted ball must travel to this line or beyond
to be in play. Exception: See Rule G.2.
e. a chalk line shall be placed halfway between
1st and 2nd bases, halfway between 2nd and 3rd
bases and halfway between 3rd base and home.
D. GAMES
Games will be 1 hour and 15 minutes and will
be concluded after 4 complete innings or during
the inning when the 1 hour and 15-minute time
limit is reached. In such cases, the entire inning
shall be completed and the game declared official
(unless time has expired and the home team trails
by 11 or more runs.) In the case of a tie, there is
no tie breaker. In case of unfavorable field
conditions, 1 inning constitutes a full game.
E. PITCHING
TEE BALL LEAGUE – there will be no
pitching by coaches or players.
COACH PITCH LEAGUE – pitching will be inside the
pitching circle with the coach’s entire body staying
in the front half of the pitching circle by the coach.
1. A coach, or someone designated, shall
pitch underhand to his/her own players.
2. If the coach-pitcher is struck with a hit
ball, the ball is dead. All runners on base
return to their bases. Replay the pitch.
3. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the
coach-pitcher intentionally interferes
with a batted or thrown ball, the batter
shall be called out and runners returned
to their original bases.
4. The pitcher-youth must play even with
or behind the coach-pitcher who will not
interfere with defensive play. The pitcher-
youth must have both feet within the pitching
circle until the ball is hit.
5. Quick pitches shall not be allowed. The
coach-pitcher shall signify beginning
of play by raising the ball with an out-
stretched arm before each pitch. If, in
the judgment of the umpire, a quick
pitch is made, a “dead ball” shall be called
immediately and play restarted.
6. Coach-pitchers may communicate with
their batters without leaving the pitching
circle, however, should keep it at a minimum
to avoid delay of the game.
F. BATTING
1. The home plate umpire will set-up, adjust
and place the ball on the tee (if necessary).
There will be no coach at home plate.
2. TEE BALL LEAGUE
A batting tee is set up at home plate and the
batter is allowed 5 swings (and only 5 swings
regardless of how/if/and/or/where) to hit the
ball into fair territory or the batter is retired.
3. COACH PITCH LEAGUE
A maximum of 3 pitches will be pitched to a
batter. If the ball is not hit into play, a batting
tee is set at home plate and the batter is
allowed 3 swings to hit the ball into fair
territory. If the ball is not hit into fair territory
from the tee, the batter is out and retired.
Upon hitting the ball into fair territory from
the tee, the batter is allowed first base only.
Runners on base may advance 1 base only
in case of an overthrow.
4. When the 10th batter hits off the tee, that player
is allowed to advance to 1st base only. Base
runners on 1st and 2nd would advance 1 base only.
A base runner occupying 3rd base would advance
and score unless tagged or forced out at home.
5. Bunting is not permitted. If, in the judgment of the
umpire, the batter attempts to bunt the ball, the
batter will be charged with a swing.
6. Sliding is permitted.
7. A batter throwing the bat intentionally or unintentionally
shall be called out. At the pre-game conference,
umpires will inform coaches of this ruling which
will be the only warning.
8. Maintaining proper batter order is the responsibility
of the head coach and assistants. Recognizing the
excitement and eagerness of young players, the
handling a situation in which a player bats out of
order will be to recall the batter, return all runners to
their original bases and replay from the point of error.
9. At Bat Clarification (10th batter). A team shall remain
at bat until 10 batters have batted.
a) In the case of the 10th batter, play will continue
until the third out or the ball is controlled by the
catcher at home plate.
1) After each set of 3 outs, the bases will
be cleared and the batting order resumed
and scoring continued.
2) A run will be scored for each player crossing
home plate without being put out, except
when a third out occurs.
3) In the case of the 10th batter in Coach Pitch,
the half inning will be complete when:
1) The 10th batter hits from coach-pitcher
with play continuing until a third out or the
ball is controlled by catcher at home plate or
2) 10th batter hits from the tee as outlined in F4
b) The lead-off batter of the next inning will be the
batter following the 10th batter of the previous inning.
c) The scorekeeper/coach of the team at bat is
responsible for informing the home plate umpire
that the 10th batter is at the plate. If the “at bat”
team fails to notify the umpire of the 10th batter
and the outcome of the play is affected, the play
will be nullified, all runners returned to bases, and
the 10th batter will hit again.
G. FIELDING
1. The umpire shall call the ball dead (upraised hand) when
the ball is returned to the pitcher, within the pitching
circle. Accordingly, each runner attains the base to
which she was advancing at the time of the possession
by the pitcher, if she is over halfway to the next base.
2. If a player, including the catcher, touches the moving
ball before the ball reaches the 8-foot arc, the umpire
shall declare the ball live and is played out accordingly.
3. An overthrow to first or third base which rolls out of the
field of play, or any other wayward throw which results
in the ball leaving the field of play, shall be deemed a
dead ball. Each runner shall receive the base to which
she was advancing at the time the throw was made plus
one additional base. A base runner standing on their
achieved base shall not advance unless forced.
4. The field of play is defined as: “The area between the
imaginary lines extending from the backstop parallel
to the foul lines, and continuing through the outfield.”
5. The infield fly rule will not apply.
6. Once the ball is called “dead”, no further play can
be made prior to next pitch (i.e. if ball is dead,
pitcher makes a throw to a base to make an out…
ball is still dead), runner returns to base or
receives base (if over half way). Runner may not
advance further as a result of thrown ball. Ball is
not considered “back in play” until hit by batter.
H. BASE RUNNING
1. Runners may not lead off from a base. At least
one foot of the runner shall remain in contact with
the bases until the ball is struck by the batter.
There is no base stealing.
2. If a runner is not on her own base at the time the
ball is hit, the umpire will immediately call the ball
dead. The runner will be called out and all other
runners will return to their original bases. Since
the play was effectively dead before the ball was
hit, no pitch will be charged to the batter.
3. An injury to a player shall result in the immediate
stoppage of play with the base runners achieving
only the base to which they were advancing. The
umpire is responsible for signaling the cessation
of play based upon an injury.
4. A base runner hit by a batted ball prior to it being
touched by a defensive player will be called out.
The ball is “dead”, other runners return to bases;
if last pitch, batter is awarded 1st base. In the case
of the 10th batter, the ball is “dead”, no runs will score
and the inning is complete.
5. Runners may not advance an extra base on any throw
to any base by any infielder or short fielder who has
played a batted ball.
6. When a ball is fielded by an outfielder, the following
rules shall apply:
a. Runners may advance until the kid-pitcher
controls the ball securely in her glove or
hand and is standing in the pitching circle.
b. Runners who are less than halfway to the
next base must return to the previous base
once the kid-pitcher controls the ball.
c. Runners who are at least halfway to the next
base once the ball is controlled by the
kid-pitcher may continue to the next base.
d. Once the ball is called “dead”, no further play
can be made prior to the next pitch (i.e. if ball
is dead and pitcher makes a throw to a base
to make an out, ball is still dead), runner returns
to the base or receives base (if over halfway).
Runner may not advance further as a result of
thrown ball. Ball is not considered “back in play”
until hit by batter.
I. UMPIRES
1. Umpires will be assigned to games by
Metro Sports Assn. Should no umpire/s
arrive at game time, coaches shall recruit
parents (1 from each team) to umpire.
2. The umpire behind home plate shall be the umpire
in charge.
3. The home plate umpire will set-up and adjust the
tee (as necessary) for each batter.
4. The home plate umpire will put the ball into play
by showing it to the fielding team, announcing,
“Play ball” and placing the ball on the tee
for each batter. (Tee-Ball only)
5. The home plate umpire will be responsible for
removing the batting tee from the home plate area
after a batted ball.
6. The home plate umpire shall call the ball dead
promptly. This is to avoid the unnecessary
continuation of play and confusion.
7. Umpire/s shall have complete control of games at all
times. Umpire/s have the authority to warn coaches,
assistant coaches and/or parents who exhibit
unsportsmanlike behavior or behave inappropriately
during the game and to declare a forfeit and recommend
further action be taken against the offending party.
