2023 AFSL Softball Program Rules
All Forces Softball:
1. The All Forces Men’s and Women’s Programs shall feature two divisions each for Men's and Women's: All Forces Gold and All Forces Bronze.
2. A Men’s and Women’s All Forces Team may consists of any number of AFSL eligible players. Teams do not need to be comprised of individuals from one specific group of athletes.
3. Players may only compete in one division of play during a tournament weekend. Specialty Divisions included during the World and National Championship weekends, are exempt from this rule and players may play in the specialty divisions along with their normal tournament team.
4. Teams:
A. Roster Eligibility: A Men’s or Women’s Gold All Forces roster may include athletes from two states and those two states MUST border each other. A team may include ONE (1) player from outside the two states as an exception. That player MUST be identified on the roster when turned in prior to the event. A Men’s or Women’s Bronze All Forces roster may include athletes from two counties and those two counties MUST border each other. A team may include ONE (1) player from outside the two counties. That player MUST be identified on the roster when turned in prior to the event. Players may be required to show proof of residency prior to the first pitch of an event and have proof of residence and eligibility on hand during play. Players MUST live or work in the State or County they are representing.
B. Roster Composition: A roster is limited to 15 players per event. Teams that qualify for a paid birth to the 2024 AFSL Softball National Championship or AFSL World Championship may replace NO MORE THAN FIVE (5) players from the roster used to qualify. A team can consist of any mix of eligible players. A retired Athlete may play for the state they are currently living in, working in, or the state in which they retired from. Proof of retirement must be provided when playing for a state you currently do not reside or work in.
C. Teams based OCONUS (Outside the Continental United States), in either the U.S. European Command or U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, will be comprised of no more than two countries inside the same major command. For players in U.S. Central Command and U.S. Southern Command, they will be eligible to play with any US based team with Florida as one of the two recognized states. For players in U.S. Africa Command, the will be eligible to play with any U.S. European Command team with Germany as one of the two recognized countries.
D. Teams from Hawaii may choose ONE (1) U.S. Indo-Pacific Command country to combine with or one US State on the West Coas (California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska). Teams from Alaska may combine with Hawaii or Washington (not both).
5. Players who competed on a Men’s or Women’s All Forces team but have been transferred to a state/base/unit that does not have a team may request a waiver from the AFSL National Office to play for their former team. Waivers for individuals that have been on location for over 365 days will be declined.
6. Tournaments: Gold and Bronze divisions will be combined for all events when there are less than 8 teams per division. For events that are combined, all teams will play by the Gold Division rules. There will be no equalizer rule unless specifically identified by the director. Events with more than 10 teams will split into Gold (Upper) and Silver (Lower) divisions based on pool play results and each division will have championship prizes. Prize packages will be established prior to the event.
7. Teams that cannot provide player eligibility documents will be removed from that event or placed in a higher division if that event has an OPEN division. Entry and other fees associated with the event may or may not be returned in the event a player is unable to produce proper documentation.
8. Pitching
A. Height will be 6’ from the ground to a maximum height of 10’ from the ground with fakes, pauses, and jukes. After assuming the pitching position on the pitcher’s plate, the pitcher must present the ball in front of his body (for at least one second) in either one or both hands before starting the delivery motions. Only a definite underhand motion is permitted in the delivery of the pitch. After the pitcher presents the ball, he may make any windup or arm motions desired, either in front of his body, above his head or behind his back, including stops and pauses in these motions. The pitcher must deliver the ball underhanded at a slow rate of speed. If the pitcher throws overhand, sidearm, or any type of pitch that is not a deliberate underhanded motion, the pitch will be called illegal and will be a ball if the batter does not swing at the pitch. If the batter swings at the pitch, it is a live ball. Once the pitcher begins his delivery motions; the umpire shall not give a call or signal for “time” unless something unusual occurs. The pitched ball must be released within 5 seconds from the time the pitcher has the ball and the batter has taken his position in the batter’s box.
B. Speed of the pitch and height of the pitched ball are left entirely to the judgment of the umpire. (NOTE: For sake of uniformity in decisions, any doubtful pitch should be ruled as an illegal pitch). The umpire shall warn a pitcher who delivers a pitch with EXCESSIVE SPEED that repeating such EXCESSIVE SPEED PITCH will cause the pitcher’s removal from the pitcher’s position for the remainder of the game. A pitch that does not arc the full 6 feet as required (flat level pitch) may not be an EXCESSIVE SPEED PITCH, but merely an illegal pitch and called a ball.
9. Home Run Rule:
Men’s All Forces Open Division – 10.
Men’s All Forces Gold Division – 8.
Men's All Forces Bronze Division - 4.
Women's All Forces - Unlimited
(Any additional home run hit will be recorded as an out if not previously stated in tournament specific rules.)
10. Mercy Run Rule
A. Qualifier, State, and NIT – 20 after 3, 15 after 4, 10 after 5
B. National or World Tournament – 25 after 3, 20 after 4, 15 after 5
11. Time Limits
A. A 55 minute time limit will be enforced in all pool play games.
B. A 75 minute time limit will be enforces for bracket games. Championship games will be played without time limit if park rules permit. Players will be encouraged to move quickly between innings. The head umpire may enforce a first batter out or award a first batter 1B if teams are taking too much time between innings. This is a judgment call of the on field umpire and cannot be appealed to the Tournament Director.
C. Time limits are subject to change at Directors discretion.
D. Under 2 minutes of play, ANY stoppage of the game outside of normal play the official game clock will stop until play resumes. For injuries that require a player to be removed from play or medical attention, the game clock will stop at any point of the game.
1) The clock will stop under 2 minutes for:
- Timeouts
- Pitching Changes
- Defensive player Substitutions
- Injuries where a player takes longer than normal to leave play.
- In general, any stoppage of the normal flow of play.
2) The clock will not stop under 2 minutes for:
- Foul Balls waiting to be returned for play
- A new ball to be put into play after HR or foul ball
- In general, any normal softball play
3) The umpire has the final say when the clock is stopped and restarted. If the umpire determines a team is intentionally trying to stall the natural flow of the game, the umpire has the authority to extend the game or stop the clock.
12. Altered or Unauthorized Equipment
A. Unauthorized equipment includes bats and balls that are not properly stamped. Altered bats or balls are unauthorized for use in any sanctioned event. If an altered bat is used, and identified by AFSL, the athlete that used the bat will be suspended for life from all AFSL Softball play. The coach will be suspended for the remainder of the season and must request in writing to be reinstated for the following season. All players on the team will be suspended for the remainder of the season and must request in writing to be reinstated for the following season.
B. Unauthorized Bat in play - once an official play has been started, that is the umpire has put the ball in play and the pitcher has stepped on the pitching rubber or in the pitching zone, when the umpire or opposing team identifies the unauthorized bat, that player and coach will be removed from play for the rest of that game and an out will be recorded. For example, a bat that does not have an appropriate sanction stamp. A ball does not have to be struck by the unauthorized bat.
C. Unauthorized Ball in play - balls provided for play must be presented to the Umpire for inspection prior to entering the game. If an unauthorized ball enters the game, and the umpire determines malicious intent, the umpire can forfeit the game and award a win to the opposing team or the umpire can eject the opposing coach. If it is determined that a simple mistake was made, the umpire can simply have the ball removed from play and request a properly stamped ball be returned to play.
13. All playing rules not specifically covered in this rule section shall be governed by the official playing rules of the partner sanction providing insurance.