AMIS Operating Rules 2022

1. Membership: Teams wishing to become members shall complete the application form and submit it to the Executive Committee with a bond of $200.00. (No interest will be paid on this deposit.) The bond will be held if there are outstanding fines.

All teams must have at least 75% of their members from Airdrie to be allowed in our league. 

All teams must have 65% of their roster from the previous year returning the next year to be allowed to stay in the league. If not, then they will be removed from the league and a new team that is on the wait list will be brought forward. 

If there is a change in the manager, the league must be notified in by email prior to the change, and it must be agreed upon by the existing team. Some extentuating circumstance may be applied: 6 players leave a team of 12 by losing jobs, relocating,etc.

Teams are considered a full member in good standing if the prescribed total fees are paid by deadline dates. Teams not submitting payments by deadline dates will be removed from the membership of the league with no refunds of any monies already paid. 

For teams who have been accepted by the league, and have been placed on the league contact list for that season, there will be no refunds of monies paid to the league in the form of deposits towards their total league fees. The date for final withdrawal will be January 31st.

Teams issuing an NSF cheque, for any reason, will be charged a service fee of thirty-five dollars ($35) in addition to the original amount of the cheque. All additional payments will be cash or certified cheque only. 

 Rosters: For playoffs only players on the team rosters filed with SPN will be allowed to play.  Players must have played 1/4 of the season of a 28 game schedule which is 7 games to be eligible for playoffs. In a situation with less games per season, the number is decreased.

BATS: AMIS bats must be tested and do require the current year sticker on them to be eligible to be in us.  As per 2016, a new rule is in effect of a fine and a loss if a team is found with an illegal bat in the batting area.

2. Executive committee:  The operations of the league will be handled by a committee consisting of a President, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer.   These positions will be elected at the annual meeting of the league. 

      Every member of the executive, including the three Division Reps, will receive an allowance of $100 per year. If a position becomes vacant for any reason, the executive committee may appoint a substitute to fill the position until the annual meeting, at which time the position will be open for election by members. 

                Terms of Office:                   President 2 years

                                                              Vice president 2 years

                                                              Secretary 1 year

                                                             Treasurer 2 years

                                                              Past President:1 year ( 1 year)

                                                              League Reps for A, B, C. 1 year Paid Position $100/season)

3. Duties of the executive committee: 

President – the president shall conduct the meeting of the executive committee, general meetings of the teams and the annual meeting of the league. The president shall be a signing authority of the bank accounts of the league. The president shall choose the persons to sit on protest or suspension hearing committees. The president shall, with the secretary, review the correspondence and form agendas’ or executive meetings, general meetings and annual meetings, the president shall, with the approval of the executive committee, form any committees required to carry out the projects of the league. Be available for all games for playoffs to assist.

Secretary – the secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the league, shall maintain up-to-date contact lists of the members teams. The secretary shall keep a file on the correspondence received or sent out. The secretary shall be responsible for the distribution of written materials to the member leagues such as meeting notices, agendas and meeting minutes. Be available for all games for playoffs to assist.

Treasurer – the treasurer shall, with the president, be a signing authority of the league bank accounts. The treasurer shall be responsible for collecting and depositing payments to the league and for preparing the accounts payable to the league. No accounts may be paid without presentation and approval of the executive. The treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining the budget and financial records of the league and preparing a financial statement and report for the annual meeting. A final statement should be presented at each meeting of the executive and the general meetings. The books of the league may be inspected by the members of the executive at any time with 24 hours’ notice, and by the member team reps up 48 hours request. Be available for all games of playoffs to assist.

Vice President – the vice president shall assist the president in the operations of the league. The vice president shall keep account of the league standings of their division, rain-outs and umpire no-shows. Shall fill and assist in any positions that are not filled through the election process to ensure the operations of the league.  The vice president will also be in charge of any accident or injury reports that need to be filled. Be available for all games of playoffs to assist.

Past President – the past president shall retain a position on the executive committee for a period of one (1) year to assist the new president during the transition period. During this period he (or she) shall not have a vote on or for the executive committee. He (or she) can, however, have voting privileges at a general meeting as a team representative. 

Reps for each league: 

Duties would be to collect SPN rosters, assist with raking at diamonds, and putting away mats after games.  Reps are also in charge of going to the diamonds in inclement weather to call games If necessary. All teams must be notified via email by no later than 5 pm. if during the week. Be available for all games of playoffs to assist.

4.    Meeting of the League: 

a.    Executive Meeting - the president may call a meeting of the executive at any time with seven days’ notice. An emergency meeting may be called with 24 hours’ notice with the agreement of three (3) members. Each member is entitled to one (1) vote and must be in attendance. The members must declare themselves in conflict in an item on the agenda concerns a team they play with and not vote on the matter. 

b.    General meeting – the president may call a meeting of the members of the league with 2 weeks’ notice. Each team will be notified by their respective league representatives. Each team will be allowed to carry two (2) votes.  The executive committee will carry one (1) vote at the general meeting. Members of the executive cannot carry the vote for their team. All voters must be in person, no proxy votes allowed. 

c.    Annual meeting – the annual meeting shall be held in spring, with the year-end of the league being December 31. Reports will be presented from the executive committee, the financial statement will be presented by the treasurer and elections of the executive committee will be held. The voting privilege is the same as 3(b). 

5.    The playing/operating rules and regulations shall be reviewed by the executive committee prior to the annual meeting with proposed changes in writing in advance of the annual meeting to member teams. Member teams may propose changes by submitting them to the executive committee (in writing) at the annual meeting. Proposed changes submitting by member teams at the annual meeting will be dealt with at the next meeting. 

6.    The league shall provide the following to member teams: 

a.    Team/executive committee contact list (available on website).

b.    Regular game and play-off schedule (available on website). 

c.    Make-up game schedule for teams (available on website). 

d.    Booking/permitting of diamonds. 

e.    14 new 12 inch balls and 6 new 11 inch balls. 

f.     Two scorebooks/team if playing a 28 game schedule

g.    Copy of operating and playing rules (available on website). 

7.    Membership fees will be assessed from year to year to ensure that the operating costs to the league are met. 

8.    Penalty schedule.

a.    NSF cheques $35.00 

b.    Forfeit FINE: 2023- $70.00 per team with a minimum of 12 hours notice given. $100 otherwise. All fines are payable immediately before your next playing game. Payable to amis.softball.gmail.com.  NOTE: If you forfeit a game before your played game or during the day of, and then at game time the game is cancelled due to weather, your forfeit fine still stands. All teams are to contact the president or vice president to let them know of the forfeit immediately. 

As well, if you show up at the diamonds and don't have mimimum 8 players, and 3 of these have to be women, it is a forfeit as well. For forfeits during playoffs please referr to the 2022 AMIS rules that are posted on the website under FORMS=Handouts.

c.    All other penalties/fines assessed by the executive committee to member teams.

9.    All decisions made at general meetings are final. Member teams must be in attendance to exercise their vote or live with the consequences. 

10.  Protests will only be accepted for hearing by a protest committee, where the interpretation of a rule or regulation of the league is in question. Judgment calls on other plays, i.e. ball or strike, fair or foul, safe or out, will not be accepted as a protest. A team protesting a game must declare immediately on the field to the plate umpire that the game is being played under protest. This must be noted on the score sheet with the signature of the team coach and umpire. 

A complete written explanation of the protest and the rule interpretation being protested, with a bond of twenty-five dollars ($25), must be in the hand of a league representative within 48 hours. 

The league will form a protest committee of not less than three (3) persons and not more than five (5) persons. No protest committee member may be a player/coach/or manager of the umpire(s) involved. The committee will meet within 7 days of the receipt of the protest materials to review the written material and hear a representative from all parties involved. A written decision will be given to all parties involved within 24 hours. Should the protest be lost, the $25 bond will not be refunded. The league president will chair the committee or appoint a chairman if he (or she) is ineligible, being part of the protest. The league secretary will attend and record the proceedings. 

11.Suspensions/fines of player/coaches/managers – suspensions/fines of varying degrees of time/money may be handed out to any of the above for the following conduct or actions that are deemed detrimental to the league, players, fans, associated groups and the sport of softball in general. 

a.    Use of foul language at the site of games, meetings of the league and other associated groups the league may be affiliated with. 

b.    Actions deemed to jeopardize the personal safety of any of the above plus fans at locations name in “A”. 

c.    Repeated disregard of the rules/regulations and operating procedures of the league or associated groups.

d.    Misappropriation of funds designated for the use of the league, league teams and associated groups. 

12.Officer and director indemnification – AMIS shall indemnify it’s directors and officers and former directors and officers and their heirs and legal representatives, against all costs, charges and expenses, including and amount paid to settle an action or satisfy a judgment, reasonably incurred by them in respect of any civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding to which they are made parties by reason of being directors or officers of the AMIS, including an action by or on behalf of AMIS. If – 

a.    They acted honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the league; and 

b.    In the case of a criminal or administrative action or proceeding that is enforced by a monetary penalty, they have reasonable grounds for believing the conduct was lawful or were acquitted; and 

c.    The gave notice to the league of the civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding immediately upon becoming aware of it and also cooperated with the league in the defense of the action or proceeding to such extent as may be reasonable in the circumstances. 

13.There will be carded umpires for the year-end playoff tournament for the A, B and C Division

14.Winning teams must enter their scores into the website within 14 days of the game date or they will lose their 2 points. For tie games, both teams must try to enter the score into the website within 14 days or neither team will receive their point. If the score is entered, the other will confirm the score is correct. 

Please note that three Division Reps are part of the executive. 

If you have any changes you want to make to these rules, please send a detailed email to the league with the rule you want to change and we will look at it and bringing it to the next annual meeting.

AMIS Executive

Please see web site for email addresses and phone number