ARTICLE I - NAME

Section 1 - This Organization shall be known by name, style, and title as SOUTHERN LEHIGH YOUTH BASEBALL, hereinafter referred to as the League.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES

Section 1 - The purpose of this organization is to provide youth with an opportunity to participate in organized baseball under the guidance and training of responsible adults.

Section 2 - Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball will provide a positive and enjoyable learning experience for the area’s youth, teaching sportsmanship, teamwork, work ethic, fair play, dedication and proficiency in the game of baseball. The Organization was formed and is operated in the best interests of the players and that any and all efforts undertaken by the Organization will support the following as its one and only priority...The Kids Come First!

Section 3 - The objectives of the Organization are to teach fundamental skills and knowledge of baseball, develop pride through dedication to individual and team effort, teach good sportsmanship, and ensure safety through proper training, rules and equipment.

Section 4 - To achieve this objective, Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball will provide a supervised program under the Rules and Regulations of Little League Baseball, Incorporated. All Directors, Officers and Members shall bear in mind that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill or the winning of games is secondary, and the molding of future citizens is of prime importance. In accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code, the League shall operate exclusively as a non-profit educational organization providing a supervised program of competitive baseball games. No part of the net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual; no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and which does not participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 – Eligibility. Any person sincerely interested in active participation to further the objective of this League may apply to become a Member.

Section 2 - Player Members. Any player meeting the requirements contained within these Bylaws and who resides within the authorized boundaries shall be eligible to participate, but shall have no rights, duties, or obligations in the management or in the property of Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball.

Section 3 - Regular Member. Any person 18 years of age or older actively interested in furthering the objectives of Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball may become a regular member as hereinafter provided. All coaches, parents, or legal guardians of player members shall automatically become regular members upon acceptance of their child’s registration. Any other interested person, living within the authorized boundaries, may become a regular member upon approval of the majority of the Board of Directors in attendance at a regular meeting. Membership will run for one (1) year from the date of the final spring registration. As used hereinafter, the word “Member” shall mean a Regular Member unless otherwise stated.

Section 4 - Members with Voting Rights. Members with Voting Rights are members who are active participants with the organization. An active participant includes but is not limited to members who regularly participate by volunteering, coaching, preparing fields, and/or maintaining buildings and grounds and have attended at least 50% of the regularly scheduled meetings in the preceding six months. Exceptions may be provided for excused absences at the discretion of the President. The Secretary shall maintain a complete list of the members entitled to vote at the meeting which shall be open for examination by any member at the meeting. The list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any member who is present.

Section 5 - Other Affiliations.

1. Members, whether Regular or Player, shall not be required to be affiliated with another organization or group to qualify as members of the League.
2. Regular Members should not be actively engaged in the promotion and/or operation of any other baseball program.

Section 6 - Suspension or Termination.  Membership may be terminated by resignation or action of the Board of Directors as follows.

1. The Board of Directors, by a two-thirds vote of those present at any duly constituted Board meeting, shall have the authority to discipline, suspend, or terminate the membership of any Member of any class, including managers and coaches, when the conduct of such person is considered detrimental to the best interests of Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball and/or Little League Baseball. The Member involved shall be notified of such meeting, informed of the general nature of the charges and given an opportunity to appear at the meeting to answer such charges.
2. The Board of Directors shall, in case of a Player Member, give notice to the manager of the team for which the player is a Player Member. Said manager shall appear, in the capacity of an adviser, with the player before the Board of Directors or a duly appointed committee of the Board of Directors. The player’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may also be present. The Board of Directors shall have full power to suspend or revoke such player's right to future participation by two-thirds vote of those present at any duly constituted meeting (quorum is required).

Article IV – GOVERNANCE

Section 1 - The control and management of the affairs, property, and funds of the organization shall be vested in a Board of Directors.

Section 2 - The Board of Directors shall consist of all Executive Board members, Division Directors, Summer Tournament Team Managers, and At-Large Directors. All officers, board members, committee members, managers, and any other elected or appointed official(s) must be active Members.

Section 3 - The Executive Board shall consist of members who are the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Player Agent, Safety Officer, & Coaching Coordinator. Executive board members shall be elected by the Members with Voting Rights or if a vacancy exists, appointed by the Board of Directors until the next election year.

Section 4 - The Division Directors shall consist of the Legion Director, Seniors Director, Majors Director, Minors Director, Machine Pitch Director, and Coach/Pitch Director. These Directors shall be elected by the Members with Voting Rights or if a vacancy exists, appointed by the Board of Directors until the next election year.

Section 5 - The Summer Tournament Team Managers shall consist of Managers of the 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, & 12U teams. These managers shall be appointed by the Executive Board after proper application.

Section 6 – At-Large Directors may be appointed by the Executive Board on an as needed basis.

Section 7 - The Board of Directors, at their discretion, may also choose to designate any past president still serving on the Board as President Emeritus and a member of the Executive Board. Such appointment shall be to facilitate Organization operations and help to ensure the continuity of the organization’s operations and traditions.

Section 8 - Nominations for the Executive Board and Division Directors shall occur at the regular meeting in September of each year. The annual elections shall occur at the regular meeting in October of each year, unless a different date is agreed upon by the Board of Directors. If a different date is selected, the membership shall be notified at least 30 days prior to the meeting date. All Members with Voting Rights shall be entitled to vote in the election.

Section 9 - If at any time a position is vacant by death, resignation, or otherwise, it may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining Board of Directors in attendance at any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose for the unexpired portion of the term. In the event the President is unable to fulfill his/her term of office, the Vice President will fulfill the term of President. A current Board of Directors member will then be elected by the remaining Board of Directors in attendance to fill the Vice President position. In the event the Vice President is unable to fulfill the President’s position for any reason, a member of the Board of Directors will then be elected to fill the vacancy left by the President.

Section 10 - The terms for office shall run from November 1st through October 31st of the following year. The term for an Executive Board member shall be two years, with the President, Secretary, and Safety Officer elected in odd numbered years and the Vice President, Treasurer, Player Agent, and Coaching Coordinator elected in even numbered years. The term for an appointed or elected member to a vacated position may take effect immediately.

Section 11 - Any member running for the office of President or Vice President must have served on the Board for at least one year before becoming eligible for the position.

Section 12 - All Officers and Board members serve on a voluntary basis. However, each board member must attend at least 50% of the regularly scheduled meetings in the preceding six months. Failure to do so will place the Board member in an “inactive” status, therefore forfeiting their voting privileges on the Board.

Section 13 - A limit of one member, per household, may serve on the Board of Directors in any given year.

Section 14 - The President shall have the authority to appoint a committee and to delegate such powers to them as he shall deem advisable and which it may properly delegate.

Article V - DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1 - President. The President shall be the executive officer of the Organization and shall preside over all meetings of the membership and the board. S/he sustains the powers to maintain order, therein, take the opinions on all motions when legally made, and will be the organization’s arbitrator. S/he thus shall be responsible for the interpretation of the Organization’s Constitution and Bylaws. The President shall preside over monthly Board Meetings and at any times and at the request of a majority of board members, may call special meetings of the organization. The President does not vote, except in the case of a tie, where he/she has the authority to break the vote. The President shall be responsible to conduct the affairs of the Organization and execute the policies established by the Board of Directors, shall be responsible for the conduct of the Organization in strict conformity to the policies, principles, rules, and regulations as agreed by the organization, shall investigate complaints, irregularities, and conditions detrimental to the organization, and report thereon to the Board or committee as circumstances warrant.

Section 2 - Vice President. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence. The Vice President will preside over the Division Directors, coordinate coach’s applications and clearances, maintain the league website, and will convene a disciplinary meeting in response to any reported violation of the Organization’s Code of Ethics or other actions not consistent with the organization’s values. If the Vice President is implicated in a reported violation or is the object of a violation, the President will convene the disciplinary committee.

Section 3 - Secretary. The Secretary shall coordinate communications, correspondence, sponsorships, and keep a record of all proceedings. S/he shall maintain appropriate files, mailing lists, and necessary records and shall have all requisite papers needed for said meetings. These duties include but are not limited to keeping meeting minutes, maintaining a list of all regular members and members with voting rights, and providing notice to members of all meetings.

Section 4 - Treasurer. The Treasurer shall provide a faithful performance of trust, as he/she will have charge of all the monies belonging to the organization. The Treasurer will receive all monies and securities, and deposit same in a depository approved by the Board of Directors. S/he shall maintain a detailed record of all transactions and will submit a financial report at each monthly meeting. Financial records will be available for auditing at all times at the request of the Board of Directors. The Treasurer and another member of the Executive Board or designee will sign all orders of the Organization (checks).

Section 5 – Player Agent.  The player agent conducts annual tryouts, is in charge of player selection, assists the president in checking birth records and eligibility of players and generally supervises and coordinates the transfer of players to or from the Minor Leagues according to provisions of the regulations of Little League Baseball. Separate player agents may also be selected to oversee individual divisions within the league. The player agent must not manage, coach or umpire in the division over which he/she has authority, unless the local league has received explicit written permission to allow this from Little League International.

Section 6 – Safety Officer.  The safety officer coordinates all safety activities including supervision of ASAP (A Safety Awareness Program), ensures safety in player training, ensures safe playing conditions, coordinates reporting and prevention of injuries, solicits suggestions for making conditions safer, and reports suggestions to Little League International through the ASAP system.

Section 7 – Coaching Coordinator.  Represents coaches/managers in league; presents a coach/manager training budget to the board; gains the support and funds necessary to implement a league-wide training program; orders and distributes training materials to players, coaches, and managers; coordinates mini-clinics as necessary; helps implement www.LittleLeagueU.org as the manager-coach education program for the league.

ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS

Section 1 - Definition. A General Membership Meeting is any meeting of the membership of the league (including Special General Membership Meetings). A minimum of one per year (Annual Meeting) is required.

Section 2 - Notice of Meeting. Notice of each General Membership Meeting shall be delivered personally, electronically or by mail to each Member at the last recorded address at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting, setting forth the place, time and purpose of the meeting. In lieu of the above methods, notice may be given in such form as may be authorized by the Members, from time to time, at a regularly convened General Membership Meeting.

Section 3 - Annual Meeting of the Members. The Annual Meeting of the Members of the League shall be held in October of each year for the purpose of electing new Members, electing the Board of Directors, receiving reports, reviewing the Constitution, appointing committees, and for the transaction of such business as may properly come before the meeting.

1. The Membership shall receive at the Annual Meeting of the Members a report, verified by the President and Treasurer, or by a majority of the Directors, showing:
2. The condition of the League, to be presented by the President or his/her designate;
3. A general summary of funds received and expended by the league for the previous year, the amount of funds currently in possession of the league, and the name of the financial institution in which such funds are maintained;
4. The whole amount of real and personal property owned by the League, where located, and where and how invested;
5. For the year immediately preceding, the amount and nature of the property acquired, with the date of the report and the manner of the acquisition, the amount applied, appropriated or expended, and the purposes, objects or persons to or for which such applications, appropriations or expenditures have been made;
6. The names of the persons who have been admitted to regular membership in the League during such year. This report shall be filed with the records of the League and entered in the minutes of the proceedings of the Annual Meeting. A copy of such report shall be forwarded to Little League Headquarters.
7. At the Annual Meeting, the Members shall determine the number of Directors to be elected for the ensuing year and shall elect such number of Directors. The number of Directors elected shall be not less than six (6).
8. After the election, the Board of Directors shall assume the performance of its duties on November 1st. The Board’s term of office shall continue until its successors are elected and qualified under this section.

Section 4 – General Membership Meetings will occur on the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 PM, unless specified otherwise.

Section 5 - Special Meetings. Special meetings of the membership may be called by the majority of the Board of Directors, Executive Board, President, or upon the written request of at least 20 regular members to consider a specific subject. No business other than that specified in the notice of the meeting shall be transacted at any special meeting of the Members. Notice of at least three (3) days of any special meeting and its purpose must be provided to the membership.

Section 6 - Executive Sessions. Executive sessions are special meetings of the Board of Directors only. Executive sessions may be called by the Board of Directors, Executive Board, or the President. These sessions may take place in person, electronically, or otherwise in order to deal with a specific issue which needs to be addressed in a timely fashion.

Section 7 - The subject matter and decision rendered at any Special Meeting or Executive Session will be provided to the membership at the next regular meeting and added to that meeting’s monthly minutes.

Section 8 - Quorum. A majority of the Board of Directors must be present for a vote on any issue. A majority is defined as five members including the President.

Section 9 - Voting. Each Member with Voting Rights shall be entitled to only one vote even though they may hold multiple positions within the organization. (e.g., even though you are the vice-president, majors division director, and a coach, you only get 1 vote, not 3). A majority of the votes properly cast upon any question other than an election to an office shall decide the question. In elections, votes may be cast by secret ballot. In the event that a secret ballot is requested, the ballots will be counted by continuing Board members who are not up for re-election. Otherwise voting will be by show of hands.

Section 10 - Absentee Ballot. For the expressed purpose of accommodating a Regular Member in good standing who cannot be in attendance at the Annual Meeting, or any General Membership Meeting at which new Board members will be elected, an absentee ballot may be requested and obtained from the Secretary of the League. The absentee ballot shall be properly completed, signed and returned in a sealed envelope to the Secretary prior to the date of the election. The Secretary shall present all absentee ballots to the Election Chairman (appointed at the meeting) on the date of the meeting, prior to the voting portion of the election process.

Section 11 - An agenda, set by the President, will be followed at every meeting. The agenda may include a President’s list for emergency business. Members of the Board of Directors wanting an item on the agenda shall make the request to the President at least one week prior to the meeting. The proposed agenda is always subject to change.

Section 12 - Order of Business. The order of business, except in special meetings when the subject of the meeting shall be first attended to, shall be as follows:

1. Call to Order and Roll Call (Attendance sheet)
2. Approval of minutes
3. Approval of Treasurer’s Reports
4. Committee Reports
5. Old Business
6. New Business
7. Good of the Order
8. Adjournment

Section 13 - Rules of Order

1. The President will call the meeting to order.
2. The order of business may be changed by a decision of the majority vote of the Board of Directors present at the meeting, such as when an urgent matter takes precedence.
3. When a question or motion is under consideration, no other motion shall be in order except for a previous question to propose, to lie upon the table, to amend, to refer to committee, or for permission to speak upon the subject or motion.
4. Motions may only be made by a Member with Voting Rights.
5. Motions to postpone, to lie upon the table, or for the previous question shall take precedence over all others. They shall stand on equal footing and neither shall be made while the other is pending.
6. A ten (10) minute discussion period will be allotted on topics that appear to be long-winded. The President will enforce, or may extend the discussion period at his or her discretion.
7. Unless otherwise noted, all motions may pass by a simple majority vote of the Members with Voting Rights present during a meeting.
8. If a member of the Board of Directors is unable to attend a meeting s/he may communicate their vote in advance for any anticipated motion. This “proxy” vote must be documented in the form of a memo or email and distributed to the President prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE VII - FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING

Section 1 - Fiscal year. The fiscal year of the League shall begin on January 1^st and shall end on December 31^st.

Section 2 - The Board of Directors must approve all expenditures over $500.00, with the exception of normal business expenses to operate the snack stand. At least three members of the Executive Board must approve any expenditure between $100.00 and $499.99. One Executive Board member may approve an expenditure under $100.00.

Section 3 - No reimbursements will be made without receipts and prior authorization.

Section 4 - The Board of Directors shall decide all matters pertaining to the finances of the Organization and they shall place all income in a common Organization treasury, directing the expenditure of same in such manner as will give no individual or team an advantage over those in competition with such individual or team.

Section 5 - The Board of Directors shall not permit the contribution of funds or property to individual teams but shall solicit for the common treasury of the Organization, thereby to discourage favoritism among teams and to endeavor to equalize the benefits of the Organization.

Section 6 - The Board of Directors shall not permit the solicitation of funds in the name of any organization other than Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball or Southern Lehigh Little League.

Section 7 - The Board of Directors shall not permit the disbursement of funds for other than the conduct of Organization activities in accordance with the rules and policies of Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball.

Section 8 - No Director, Officer, or Member shall receive, whether directly or indirectly, any salary, compensation, or emolument from the Organization for services rendered as a Director, Officer, or Member.

Section 9 - Any member with voting rights who has a direct or indirect financial interest may possibly have a conflict of interest. The member must disclose the existence of any financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the members considering the proposed transaction or arrangement. After disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, he/she shall leave the governing board or committee meeting while the determination of a conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists. After exercising due diligence, the members shall determine whether the Organization can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest. If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the members shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested members whether the transaction or arrangement is in the Organization's best interest, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. In conformity with the above determination, the members shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement. If a member has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, the Board of Directors shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action, including but not limited to loss of voting rights, loss of position, suspension, or termination from the league.

Section 10 - The Organization shall indemnify its Directors and Officers against all expenses and liabilities, including fees, reasonably incurred by or imposed upon him/her in connection with any proceeding to which he/she may be made a party by reason of being or having been a Director or Officer of the Organization.

Section 11 - All monies received shall be deposited to the credit of Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball in an institution so designated by the Executive Board, and all disbursement shall be made by check. All checks will require two signatures. The Treasurer will sign all orders of the Organization (checks) along with and another member of the Executive Board or designee.

Section 12 - Upon dissolution of the Organization and after all outstanding debts and claims have been satisfied, the Board of Directors shall direct the remaining property of the Organization to another entity which maintains the same objectives as set forth herein, which are or may be entitled to exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or any future corresponding provision.

ARTICLE VIII - DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Section 1 - Discipline for any infraction of Organization or Division rules, or of these Bylaws may result in discipline up to and including termination from the Organization. Discipline can include a verbal warning, written warning, suspension, or termination by the Executive Board after due process. The subject of the discipline may make appeal to the Board of Directors following the grievance procedure outlined below.

Section 2 - Grievances apply to rules violations or disputes regarding the Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball Organization rules and/or by-laws. All regular members are eligible to file a grievance.

1. Members shall alert the division director in writing of any grievance or dispute within five days of the occurrence. The Division Director will try to resolve all disputes first. The Executive Board may overrule the decision of a division director in cases where there is a violation of the Constitution & Bylaws and/or Organizational Rules.
2. If a grievant is not satisfied with the decision of the division director, the grievant may make an appeal to the Executive Board within 48 hours of the Division Director’s decision.
3. If a grievant is not satisfied with the decision of the Executive Board, s/he may submit a formal grievance in writing in the form of a letter, signed by the originator, along with a $25.00 non-refundable grievance fee to a member of the Executive Board within 48 hours of the Executive Board’s decision.
4. The President will call and chair the committee for all coach’s grievances.
5. The Vice President will call and chair the committee for all player grievances.
6. The grievance committee shall consist of the chairperson and at least four other members of the Board of Directors who were not previously involved in the process. The chairperson does not vote, except to break a tie.
7. All parties noted in the grievance will be required to be present at the grievance hearing. If the concerned parties do not attend the meeting, it will still be held.
8. The person(s) filing the grievance will be given fifteen (15) minutes to present a case. The party being filed upon will be given fifteen (15) minutes in rebuttal. A fifteen (15) minute discussion, in an executive session, will follow by the grievance committee.
9. The grievance committee will render a decision once all facts have been submitted. The decision of the grievance committee is final.
10. Any discussions of grievances on any public social network prior to or after any hearing may cause possible disqualification of grievance or other sanction if so deemed by the Executive Board.
11. The recording of grievance hearings shall not be permitted.

ARTICLE IX – AFFILIATION WITH LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL, INCORPORATED

SECTION 1 - Charter. The League shall annually apply for a charter from Little League Baseball, Incorporated, and shall do all things necessary to obtain and maintain such charter. The League shall devote its entire energies to the activities authorized by such charter and it shall not be affiliated with any other program or organization or operate any other program.

SECTION 2 - Rules and Regulations. The Official Playing Rules and Regulations as published by Little League Baseball, Incorporated, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, shall be binding on this League.

SECTION 3 - Local Rules, Ground Rules and/or Bylaws. The local rules, ground rules and/or bylaws of this League shall be adopted by the Board of Directors at a meeting to be held not less than one month previous to the first scheduled game of the season, but shall in no way conflict with the Rules, Regulations and Policies of Little League Baseball, Incorporated, nor shall they conflict with this Constitution. The local rules, ground rules and/or bylaws of this League shall expire at the end of each fiscal year, and are not considered part of this Constitution.

ARTICLE X - AGES AND DIVISIONS

Section 1 - Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball follows the Little League Baseball age for each player.

1. The “Tee Ball” division is for 4 ½, 5 and 6 year olds
2. The "Machine Pitch" division is for 7 & 8 year olds
3. The “Minors” division is for 9 & 10 year olds
4. The “Majors” division is for 11 & 12 year olds
5. The “Juniors” division is for 13 & 14 year olds
6. The “Seniors” division is for 14, 15, & 16 year olds

Section 2 – Each team in a division shall have a maximum of 13 players on the roster. Each team in the division shall have the same number of players on their roster as agreed upon by the Team Managers and Division Director. In order to fulfill rosters of the older divisions, second year players in the immediate younger division may declare for the older division’s draft. If drafted, that player may play in the older division. All players from the divisions age group must be selected. By way of example, an 8 year old may declare for the “Minors” draft and if selected by a “Minors” manager, will play in the “Minors” division. A 10 year old may declare for the “Majors” draft and if selected by a “Majors” manager, will play in the “Majors” division. A 12 year old may declare for the “Juniors” draft and if selected by a “Juniors” manager, will play in the “Juniors” division.  A 6 year old may play in either the Coach/Pitch or Machine Pitch division. 7 year olds are not permitted to declare for “Minors”. 9 year olds are not permitted to declare for “Majors”. 11 year olds are not permitted to declare for “Juniors”.

Section 3 - Players may be moved up or down one division in the interest of safety for the player(s) upon approval of a majority vote of at least 5 members of the Board of Directors.

Section 4 - Division rules shall be formulated by the Director of each Division and approved by a majority of the Managers in the Division. This can be either a formal or informal process at the Director’s discretion. Rules adopted by a Division shall be included as an attachment to these Bylaws. Teams in all Divisions should complete the Pledge of Allegiance and Little League Pledge prior to each game. Little League Pledge: I trust in God, I love my country and will respect its laws, I will play fair and strive to win, but win or lose, I will always do my best.

Section 5 - Team Managers shall be selected by the division director and approved by the Executive Board. Team managers will select their assistant coaches. The number of assistant coaches a manager may select will be determined by the team managers and division directors. The Board of Directors shall approve all managers/coaches. All coaches (head and assistants) must complete all league safety requirements and background checks prior to performing any coaching duties including but not limited to player drafts, practices, communication, and games.  In order to be a manager/coach in this organization, the following must occur:

1. An application must be submitted to the Executive Board acknowledging your will to coach
2. You must provide a copy of your clearances as required by the Pennsylvania Child Protective Service Law (Pa Title 23, Section 6344.2)
3. Must be approved and assigned to a team by the Executive Board

ARTICLE XI – SUMMERS TOURNAMENT TEAMS

Section 1 - The Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball summer tournament team program provides its players an opportunity to play a more competitive style of baseball against other organizations.

Section 2 - The Organization hopes to field at least one team at each of the following ages: 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, & 12U. The organization may also incorporate extracurricular teams for additional age levels as determined by the Executive Board.  These teams shall follow the same guidelines as the youth summer tournament teams for team selection and player eligibility unless governed specifically by an external organization. Secondary teams may be formed for each age bracket if there is enough interest, however in order for a secondary “B” team to be formed under affiliation with this organization, those players must have attended a clinic or player evaluation. If those players did not attend, the Board of Directors may or may not approve the formation of a secondary team.

Section 3 - Participation is a privilege and as such eligibility must be maintained throughout the season. Players must be in good standing with the Organization with no conduct issues, have played in the current spring season, and attended 60% of scheduled games. Any issues pertaining to a player’s eligibility will be reviewed by the Board of Directors.  Players must reside within the boundaries of Southern Lehigh School District or attend a school located within the boundaries of Southern Lehigh School District.  Exceptions may be permitted upon approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 4 - Players interested in participating on a tournament team must participate in a series of clinics or player evaluations. Players will be evaluated by at least 3 members of the Board of Directors or members of the Southern Lehigh High School baseball coaching staff or other baseball affiliate as approved by the Executive Board.

Section 5 - Players must try out for their specific age group. Players whose birthdays are between May 1st and August 31st may also try out for the younger age level as long as that team is entering tournaments with the April 30th age deadline. A player's school grade level is an exception to this rule. In the event of an exceptional player in the organization, he/she shall be permitted to play up to the next level following a tryout and upon final approval of at least 5 members of the Board of Directors. The organization strongly discourages playing outside of a player’s age group and believes that playing within the player’s correct age group creates the best experience for everyone. Parents should be cautioned that moving their players to an older or younger level may not be beneficial and could result in less playing time and to a different position than if they were playing within their age group.  The Executive Board reserves the right to place players on teams in the best interest of the organization.

Section 6 - Each board member attending the clinic or player evaluation will rank the top twelve (12) players based on the player’s performance as well as their on-field knowledge of the player. The top ten (10) players will make the team. If a coaching staff chooses to have thirteen (13) players on the roster, then the top eleven (11) players will make the team. If a coaching staff chooses to have fourteen (14) players on the roster, then the top twelve (12) players will make the team. In addition, the coaches of the team shall have two discretionary picks. These picks may represent the next two players in the ranking process or they may be selected to fulfill specific roles on the team. There shall not be more than 14 players on a team unless approval is granted by the Executive Board.

Section 7 – Summer Tournament Team managers from an older age level may invite younger players to participate with their team in games where their team will have ten or less players. Players from a younger team are permitted to miss practice in order to play in a game with the older team, however are not permitted to miss a game with their own team in order to play in a game with the older team, except if agreed upon by both team managers. Players may also not miss practice with their own team in order to practice with the older team. The penalty for this violation is a one game suspension at the older age level that the player must attend prior to being eligible to play again at either level. Players who are not on a summer tournament team will not be eligible unless all players from the younger levels have been asked first, with the obvious exception being 8U who has no younger level to draw from.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS

Section 1 - Proposed amendments or alterations may be proposed by any member of the Board of Directors.

Section 2 - Once an amendment or alteration has been proposed, the amendment or alteration must be read at two consecutive regular monthly meetings.

Section 3 - If there are changes to the proposed amendment or alteration, no further action will take place until the next regular monthly meeting, as this will again be considered the first reading.

Section 4 - If there are no further changes or alterations following the second reading, a vote shall take place by the Members with Voting Rights in attendance. If two-thirds of the Members with Voting Rights are in favor of the change, the change shall take effect immediately.

Approved by the Board of Directors of Southern Lehigh Youth Baseball on February 16, 2016

Revised August 2, 2016 (Article II Section 2; Article IX Section 1, Article IX Section 2 added, Article IX Section 5)

Revised February 9, 2017 (Article VII Section 8)

Revised February 6, 2018 (Added Article II Section 4, Article III Sections 1, 5, & 6, Article V Sections 5, 6, & 7, Article VI Section 1, Article IX Sections 1, 2, & 3.  Amended Article IV Section 3)

Revised September 4, 2019 (Amended Article X, Section 1 & 2; Article XI, Sections 2 & 4)

Revised February 2, 2021 (Amended Article X, Section 2)

Revised April 6, 2021 (Amended Article XI, Section 5)

Revised November 7, 2023 (Amended Article XI, Section 3)

Revised February 6, 2024 (Amended Article X, Sections 1 & 5)