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GUIDELINES FOR GAME DIRECTORS AND TEAMS ENTERING THE DIVISION I REGIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

1. Regional Softball semi-finals will be May 12 and finals May 14. The sectional games will be Friday, May 16. Schools may mutually agree to play regional semi-finals, regional finals, or sectionals earlier than the scheduled date. The sectional winners shall advance to the central tournament site, May 20-23, at the Murfreesboro Sports Complex and McKnight Fields, in Murfreesboro, TN.

   Teams participating in the state tournament will be able to pick up their team packets from 12:00 PM CST Monday, May 19, until 6:00 PM CST Monday, May 19, at the BlueCross SpringFling Headquarters. The BlueCross SpringFling Headquarters will be located at the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame Building on the campus of MTSU. The Kennon Sports Hall of Fame Building is located behind Murphy Center and can be accessed through the Greenland Drive Parking Lot. After 6:00 PM CST on Monday, May 19, team packets must be picked up the gate of where the team's first game is to be played. The team packets contain credentials for players, managers, coaches, and the team party which will allow them into all events at the BlueCross SpringFling.

2. Please refer to the "Tournament Softball Regulations" in your 2007-08 TSSAA Official Handbook. A regional bracket can be copied which shows which teams will be the host team and which teams will travel.

3. Please make a copy of the list of schools participating in softball. If your team qualifies to host a regional tournament game, contact the assigning officer listed next to your district. Complete addresses and phone numbers can be found here. Be sure to give the assigning officer the date, site, time, and directions to the game.
   In the sectional games and in the championship series, the umpires shall be assigned by the state office.

4. In the regional semi-finals, regional finals, and sectional, it shall be the responsibility of the host school to set the time of the game. It is the responsibility of the host school to notify the visiting team of the game time and game site.
   NOTE: When the established starting time of a playoff contest between two schools conflicts with the previously scheduled Commencement Exercises of one of the schools, and that school has Senior roster player(s), then at the request of the affected school, the contest will be rescheduled for a mutually agreed upon time and site that falls within the playoff timeline established by TSSAA. In the event the two schools do not agree on a rescheduled time and site, the TSSAA office will designate a starting game time and site.

5. Tournament squads are limited to a maximum of 18 people. Players in uniform, coaches, and bat girls are admitted free.

6. In regional semi-finals, finals, and the sectional, the host team shall also be the home team.

7. Coaches should have their line-up written out and ready to be given to the scorer and to the umpire when going over ground rules.

8. TSSAA receives 18% of the gross gate receipts in the district and region softball tournaments. This must be submitted to the TSSAA office immediately following the tournaments. After TSSAA's 18%, game expenses, and team mileage have been paid in both regional semi-final and championship game, the net receipts shall be divided between the participating teams. Teams within the county where the game is being played shall receive no expense allowance. Teams traveling from outside the county to the game site shall receive 40¢ per mile round trip.
   All checks for district, regional, and sectional tournaments and playoffs must be distributed within 10 business days of the completion of the tournament or game. Failure to do so will result in a $100.00 late fee to be paid to TSSAA and is to be used in the A.F. Bridges sportsmanship program to go to schools or students receiving awards. Failure to distribute funds within 20 business days will result in an additional $200 late fee (total $300.00). Failure to distribute funds within 40 business days will result in an additional $200.00 late fee (total $500.00). The school may not host any tournament or playoff until the principal or athletic director appears before the Board of Control to explain their reasons for not distributing the checks within the required time frame. The Board would then determine whether the school can host tournaments or playoffs in the future.

9. The plaque for the regional winner will be given to the District Coordinator in your area. Please contact them in order to receive the plaque.

10. Video taping or filming is permitted as long as the taping or filming is for private use or use by the two schools involved and not for public or commercial use. Video taping of filming must be done from the individual's seat. Individuals will not be allowed to use tripods. A school taping or filming its own game may use a tripod. A school will not be allowed to tape or film a game unless its team is involved in the game. All taping or filming by the school may be approved by the local Game Director, and the Game Director shall assign space, when available, from which to tape or film.

11. Games throughout the tournament series are scheduled to be completed by certain dates. It is imperative that we keep the tournaments on schedule. With a more compact schedule this spring, this responsibility is even greater.

    Suspended games during the tournament are to be picked up from the point of suspension, at the next earliest opportunity to play. Tournament games do not have to go the full 7 innings. Coaches, plus the umpire-in-chief, can mutually agree to terminate a game early and a winner declared. Coaches must also mutually agree to the 10 run rule after 4½ innings (with the home team leading) or 5 innings.

12. The principal of the host school shall be the Game Director. If additional facilities are secured other than those of the host team, the Game Director must be approved by the TSSAA state office. It shall be the duty of the Game Director to handle all financial arrangements for the game and to make financial reports to the state office and participating team.