Little League Rulebook
Bylaws
Constitution

• Uniform Numbers:
  • Majors uniform numbers are not guaranteed
  • all other divisions are assigned uniform numbers at random
• Teammate & Coach preferences:
  • teammate & coach requests are not guaranteed
  • coaches may not have the ability to keep their kids from season to season
  • we do our best to keep siblings together unless expressly notified by the family that they would like to be separated
• Draft
  
  • Major and Minor draft procedures are given in our Bylaws and are used in conjunction with the Little League Rulebook
    
  • If a player is drafted to a team and they refuse to play on that team, they can not play on another team in the same division and would be relegated to the next lower division if allowed by rule

The Player Agent is a great resource for families when problems arise.  The Player Agent is a families intermediary between families and coaches and/or families and the league.  

To avoid spam and malicious email, we don't post contact information on our website.  The associated account for each player will receive league contact information at the start of the season.

The following shall constitute the sole procedure by which Managers, Coaches, Players and their Legal Guardians/Parents and/or Adults shall make grievances.

i. The first step in the process should always be to try to solve the issue directly, in a calm manner, with the person(s) involved. In the event the parent or player involved in the situation is unable to solve the issue directly with the person(s) involved, a FNLL incident report shall be completed by the complainant and submitted directly to the appropriate Player Agent, appropriate Division Director, Board Member on Duty, and/or FNLL President. If the person(s) involved with the subject complaint refuses to complete the FNLL Incident Report, the appropriate Player Agent, appropriate Division Director, Board Member on Duty, and/or FNLL President can submit the FNLL Incident Report on their behalf (as long as they are willing to address or to follow-up their concerns with FNLL).

ii.All Incident reports will be reviewed by the appropriate Division Director and/or the FNLL President. The appropriate Player Agent will be brought into the discussion, if said incident directly involves a Player.

iii.Once the incident is reviewed and if the incident is deemed a potential violation of the FNLL Code of Conduct, all parties involved will be invited to address FNLL regarding their version of the incident/issue.

iv.Once the collection of information is complete (to the satisfaction of the FNLL President), the FNLL President has the sole discretion to share information and request advice from the FNLL Board and District 2 Administrator before making any final disciplinary decisions. The decision by the FNLL President shall be final and reserves the right to report said person(s) behavior to the local police if deemed necessary.

v.Grievances may only be made in accordance with this procedure. All FNLL board members shall refer players or parents who wish to file a grievance to the procedures set forth in these rules.

Frederick National Little League Code of Conduct: No board member, manager, coach, player or spectator shall, at any time:

1. Lay a hand upon, push, shove, strike, or threaten to strike an official.

2. Be guilty of heaping personal verbal or physical abuse upon any official for any real or imaginary belief of a wrong decision or judgment.

3. Be guilty of an objectionable demonstration of dissent at an official’s decision by throwing of gloves, helmets, hats, bats, balls, or any other forceful unsportsmanlike action.

4. Be guilty of using unnecessarily rough tactics in the play of a game against the body of an opposing player.

5. Be guilty of a physical attack upon any board member, official manager, coach, player or spectator.

6. Be guilty of the use of profane, obscene or vulgar language in any manner at any time.

7. Appear on the field of play, stands, or anywhere on the Little League complex while in an intoxicated state. Intoxicated will be defined as an odor or behavior issue.

8. Be guilty of gambling upon any play or outcome of any game with anyone at any time.

9. Smoke, and/or tobacco or alcoholic beverage in the proximity of the field, dugouts or benches. A violation of this by a player, manager, coach, umpire or official is subject to Board of Directors' action under the provisions of Regulation XIV. It is considered a violation if any participant leaves the field for the explicit purpose of using tobacco in any form or consuming an alcoholic beverage. Anyone doing this is to be removed for the rest of the game. Spectators are not allowed to use tobacco or alcoholic beverages anywhere on FNLL property or within 200 ft. of playing fields and are to be asked to stop smoking or leave the premises immediately. Exception to this rule will be if you are on private property adjacent to playing fields

10. Be guilty of publicly discussing with spectators in a derogatory or abusive manner any play, decision or a personal opinion on any players during the game.

11. Speak disrespectfully to any manager, coach, official or representative of the league.

12. Be guilty of tampering or manipulating any league rosters, schedules, draft positions or selections, official score books, rankings, financial records or procedures.

13. Challenge an umpire’s authority. The umpires shall have the authority and discretion during a game to penalize the offender according to the infraction up to and including expulsion from the game.

The Board of Directors will review all infractions of the Code of Conduct. Depending on the seriousness or frequency, the board may assess additional disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the league.

Unsportsmanlike conduct is something you will run into playing any sport.  It can tarnish the game and get imbedded in the culture of a team or league if it isn't addressed.  When properly addressed, these are growth opportunities for our players.  

There are things that can be done to help us insure a safe and fun playing environment for all.  Below is a suggested course of actions.  Coaches, parents, players, and bystanders can:

1. Follow the Grievance Policy above so that the league has a written record on file
2. Use the rulebook
   
   1. respectfully ask the umpire to consider using rule 9.01d to address the incident
      • We suggest the umpire take the following actions 
      1. 1st incident: warn the player or have a discussion with the coach and/or player
      2. 2nd incident: clear the field or the bench(es) to diffuse the situation and shine a light on the severity of the issue
      3. eject any parties that continue to contribute to unsportsmanlike acts
   2. all conversations with an umpire should get channeled through a coach
   3. umpires and coaches are not to engage fans

   For fan interaction or should any incident get out of hand, please contact the Game Director.  If a Game Director isn't assigned, contact our league president Gerry Stephens at 717-329-7094.

City field closures are announced by 2PM on weekdays and 8AM weekends.  You must sign up for notifications through the City of Frederick for information about field closures at the bottom of https://bit.ly/frederickfield under the ‘News Flash’ section. 

We own Staley Stadium therefore we make our own decisions at that field.  The Field Manager has the right to close the field.  However, it's his policy that the coaches make the call.

In addition, we recommend making accommodations or cancelling in the following conditions:

• Wind Chill Temperature is below 36℉

• Heat Index is over 90℉

• Sustained winds greater than 25MPH

• Lightning

  • If lightning or thunder is observed immediately suspend the game/practice

  • If lightning is determined to be w/in 10 miles, clear the field, dugouts and any structures that could attract lightning.  Direct everyone present to seek shelter in their vehicle. 

  • If you hear thunder, then the storm is generally w/in 10 miles.  You can also determine distance by counting the seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder.  Anything less than 50 seconds is w/in 10 miles.  Weatherbug and My Lightning Tracker are apps that can help with this by providing push notifications of lightning strikes in the area.

  •  Wait 30 minutes from the last lightning strike w/in 10 miles to resume play/practice