Adult Softball FAQ

When is adult softball offered?
In both the summer and fall. Leagues offered.

What fields do you play on? How do I reserve a field for practice?
Fields and reservation policy.

How old do you have to be to play?
Players must be at least 16 years old. Ages 16 and 17 must have a parent or legal guardian sign the player cards as well (two signatures on both sides).

How do I register my team or players for my team?
Delta Township takes registrations by the team. Information on leagues. Dates you can register. Once the team is registered, individual players for that team will need to register by filling out one of these cards prior to playing their first game. Cards not completely filled out and signed by the player will not be accepted. There is no registration deadline or limit to the number of players per team for our leagues. Limits do apply for state tournaments. You must fill out a new card for each team.

How do I join a team?
If you are an individual wanting to play, we do maintain a player waiting list throughout the season that managers can ask for if they are short players. Please call 323-8555 to be placed on this list or email us with your name, phone number, and if you're interested in men, women, or coed.

Can I play on more than one team?
Yes, but not within the same league. You will need to register for each team individually.

What if a player needs to drop out?
Players wishing to move from one team to another may fill out a Player Release card and pay a $10 fee. Both the old and new managers must sign the card. Managers may drop a player without any fees if the player is not transferring teams. No refunds of player fees are issued after that team has played the first game of the season. Registration fees may also be transferred to a new player prior to the first game.

Does my team need to sign a roster?
No, unless you are going on to a tournament (other than our league tournament). We use individual player contracts instead. Should you need a roster, we have blank ones you can take or we'd be happy to print one out for you with all your registered players typed in. Just give us a call ahead of time so we can make sure all of your team's cards have been entered into the computer (managers only please).

Where can I obtain a current schedule?
Schedules for each season are not released until the Managers' Meeting. At that meeting the manager will claim a packet containing enough schedules to hand out to the team. Schedules will also be made available online. The online schedule will be updated daily to reflect current standings and any schedule changes. Check here for rainout reschedules.

How do I find out if a game has been cancelled due to weather?
Call 323-8550 to listen to the rain-out line. This recording will be updated by 4:30 p.m. If you call after 4:30 p.m. and the message is generic, games are still on as normal. Rescheduled game details will be made available online. We will not give out cancellation information at our normal office number. There are several reasons for this: 1) We get so many calls as is, if we got in the habit of doing this we would simply be flooded with calls. 2) Sometimes games are called by someone not even in the office that day and we may truly not know the answer before 4:30 p.m. without listening to the recording ourselves. 3) This guarantees you will not be given any misinformation.

When weather is questionable we will likely leave the decision up to each umpire at each field. Once a game on a particular field has been cancelled, all additional games scheduled for that field are cancelled as well. Teams will still need to show up at their game time as there is no method of notification. If there is no umpire then the game is cancelled.

How do I know what bats are legal?
View the information on the bylaws page.

What softballs do you use?
Men: 12" Worth Blue Dot .47 core 525 compression
Women: 11" Worth Green Dot .47 core 525 compression
Coed: Both 11" and 12" as above
You may also want to view the information meeting agenda (if posted) for current information. Delta provides all the softballs. One new ball is provided each game (two for coed). Used balls are available for purchase in the office for $10 for a dozen balls.

Who keeps score?
In the summer leagues, scorekeepers are provided. Check your bylaws for which team will be responsible for keeping score should there not be an official scorekeeper present. In the fall, the umpires will fill out the scorecards. Both managers are required to check for accuracy and sign the card. If you are interested in becoming a scorekeeper please contact Kathy. PDF scoresheet for summer. PDF score card for fall.

Who are the umpires?
All of our umpires are MASA registered. If you are interested in becoming an umpire, please contact the Parks and Recreation office at 323-8555.

How are the umpire fees paid?
Umpires need to be paid in cash (exact change) at the field prior to each game. If you have a sponsor that is covering these fees and needs a receipt, you would have them make the check out to us, we'd cash it, and then cut a check back to the manager so they would have the funds to pay in cash at the field. It will take a week or two to receive the refund.

What if I need to forfeit?
If there is no way you can field a team, including getting new players registered by 5 p.m. with our office, you would need to call us as soon as possible. Calls placed enough in advance will not be assessed a forfeit fee. We will attempt to contact the other team's manager or assistant manager. If you forfeit at the field, you will be required to replenish the forfeit fee that was paid as part of your team sponsor fee. Forfeit fees not used will be refunded to the manager once all leagues have completed play.

Do I pay for the league tournament?
Nope! An early season or post season league tournament is offered free of charge. You simply need to sign up by the deadline to participate. Teams from all leagues will be joined together to form separate men's, women's, and coed tournaments. You do not need to pay for the umpires.

What do we do if there is an injury at the game?
Delta Township does not provide first aid supplies. It is recommended that each team carry their own. There are some guidelines on the bylaws page. Details of any injury should be noted on the scoresheet.

Do we have to wear team uniforms?
No, you may wear street clothes. However, if you move on to state tournaments there will be uniform requirements.

What do we get if we place first or second in our league?
Congratulations! View the champions page.

What happens if there's a tie for first place?
There will be a playoff game scheduled for a future date (normally the next week out on your normal league night). This game cannot end in a tie and will determine the champion. Teams do not need to pay the umpires for playoff games.

What happens if there's a tie for second place?
A head-to-head comparison of your previous wins and losses with the tied team will be conducted. Should this again result in a tie, your actual scores for those games will be added up and the team with the highest total score will be the winner.

Can we drink alcohol at the park?
You may drink at the park with a permit only, but not during games. View the Codes of Conduct for details. Permits can be obtained in person at our office. The team may obtain a permit for the whole season.

Where do I find information on qualifier and state tournaments?
www.masasoftball.org

How do I get a roster signed for tournament play?
Rosters can be signed by Dick Benkert in our office, or Troy Stowell with the City of Lansing. Please call before stopping by to make sure someone will be here to sign it. For Delta teams, Dick can sign in the Commissioner/League Director spaces. For other teams within district 11, you will need to have your League Director sign it first before coming here.