Our little league district http://www.littleleaguedistrict8.com/ has as their first rule:
• All Divisions will play according to the 2003 Little League Rulebook – no exceptions.

The rulebook states that a team must field 9 players or forfeit. This season our team (13-14 year old Juniors) has won by a forfeit and lost by forfeit.

The coach of the team we beat by forfeit, protested the game and the district ruled that a team could have 8 players and take the automatic out. In fact all games will be played if 8 players can take the field.

However, we did not protest our loss. I decided that the team would learn to read the schedule properly. We have 9 or more at each game (our team now has 14 players). The other team forfeited to us when their players went to a diamond with a similar name as the scheduled diamond and did not arrive until 30 minutes past game time.

How do I tell the boys that the game they won has been taken back and must be played again, when the rules said "no exceptions"? Yet tell them the game they lost will not be replayed because I did not appeal the forfeit in a timely manner.

Also, how do I face the other coach, this coming Monday, without using actions or language that are unbecoming an adult or doing something to embarass my team and family?


Right now the way I feel, I am coaching my final few games and leaving little league FOREVER.

Simply cite to your players examples of some of the myriad legal cases in which judges have ignored the law and ruled simply to obtain an outcome they thought desirable.

Your players can witness, as proof, the coming decision of Judge Jack Weinstein in a federal case involving liability of firearms manufacturers.

" All Divisions will play according to the 2003 Little League Rulebook – no exceptions.

"The rulebook states that a team must field 9 players or forfeit."


Actually, the rule book says failure to field 9 players shall NOT be grounds for an automatic forfeit, but that it shall be referred to the BoD for a decision. See 4.16 and 4.17.

The protest of an automatic forfeit was thus valid.

The District (BoD) decision to allow play with 8 is not supported by rule.

forefeit rule
 

Rich:
You are correct in the fact that failing to field 9 players is not an automatic forefeit. However, the rule does state that a game shall not start with less than 9 players on a team. The game is referred to the BOD for the possibility of rescheduling, not whether or not they can play with 8. If the game cannot be rescheduled so both teams can field 9 players, it is then a forfeit. The BOD should not change rules in mid-season, which they did by allowing games to start with less than 8. Come tournament time, those games may not count as official LL games if they allowed the games to start with 8 and take an automatic out. I think this coach has grounds to ask these games be reviewed by the district for validity. He is teaching his players responsibility and is following the rules as stated at the beginning of the season. He should not be penalized by having other teams allowed to break the rules.

Just what part of <i>"The District (BoD) decision to allow play with 8 is not supported by rule"</i> did you not understand?

As for escalating to district - they are the ones who made the decision. Regional won't fix anything, but may send a note that says nine are required.

<b>Right now the way I feel, I am coaching my final few games and leaving little league FOREVER.</b>


Many others have made that decision and have found comfortable surroundings in other leagues such as PONY, Babe Ruth, Dixie, etc. LL has been the most commercially successful youth league, but their brand of ball and politics does not suit everyone. Look around.

Good luck.