EmptyMessage board »Message Board home »Sign-in or register to get started
Online now: 0 members ; 7 anonymousDiscussion: TEAM RATINGS - Guidelines & Procedures
| Posted | Discussion |
| March 16 SSUSA Staff 3505 posts | TEAM RATINGS - Guidelines & ProceduresSenior Softball-USA Ratings GuidelinesThe foundation of the National Senior Softball Rating System is that separating teams by age and skill level will result in safer play and more competitive games. Therefore, the senior competitive divisions are separated into 5-year increments (50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, and 80) and into four skill levels (AA, AAA, Major and Major-Plus). As a result of these separations, Senior Softball is the safest division of softball in America. Team Ratings and appeals are reviewed ONLY four (4) times per year: March, June, August and November. IF A TEAM WANTS ITS RATING REVIEWED IT MUST SUBMIT AN APPEAL FORMAppeal forms are available at www.seniorsoftball.com under the FORMS tab.WE WILL NOT REVIEW RATINGS OF TEAMS BASED ON E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS OR LETTERSA team MUST file a formal appeal to be consideredHere are the guidelines used by the National Ratings Committee in changing a team’s rating: • The National Senior Softball Ratings Committee’s First Priority is to protect teams in the lower division. That means if a team is losing by large margins in it’s own division, but beating teams in the lower division by large margins, then the team should remain in its original division in order to protect the lower division. • Over three (3) tournaments, is the team beating or losing to its opponents in the same age and skill level by an average of five (5) runs or more? • For AA Teams: are they producing double-digits runs consistently (one of the key indicators of AA teams is that they are inconsistent in run production) • Here are the guidelines for teams winning the largest National Championships of any of the National Summit Organizations (Only the largest tournament of each association results in the following): 1. Teams winning in a division of 6 or more teams and may not appeal their rating increase in 2010. 2. Teams winning in a division of 3-5 teams and may appeal their rating increase in 2010 after playing in three (3) tournaments. 3. Teams winning in a division of 2 teams will not be moved up. 4. SSUSA reserves the right NOT to move a team up if there is a preponderance of information showing the team should remain in the original skill level. 5. The rating of a new team is determined by the rating / ratings of the teams from which the players came. A team with all new players begins as AAA if no other information is available. If there is a question, the team is always assigned the higher rating. 6. A team retains its rating unless it falls below 6 players from the original team. 7. Major-Plus players may only play on Major or Major-Plus teams, unless the manager of the Major-plus team verifies that the player is not a “key” or “impact” player. This is decided on an individual basis and approved in writing by the association. _______________ How the Rating Process WorksHere is the SSUSA process for reviewing team ratings and appeals four times per year (ONLY in March, June, August and November): • We do an internal review of all teams based on all results of games played in SSUSA. The SSUSA database program flags teams that win or lose by an average of 5 (or more) runs per game. • We also independently review all teams that have filed appeals, and look at umpire recommendations on Game Cards for the teams. • After that review is complete, we send a list of recommendations to our 12 key SSUSA Directors for their review and comment. When their comments comes back, we may modify the recommendations. • The recommendations are then sent to the National Ratings Committee (Ridge Hooks of SPA and R.B. Thomas of ISSA). We meet via conference call and make the final decisions. • As soon as the decisions are made, the team ratings are changed electronically and managers are sent letter confirming the decision. Terry Hennessy March 16, 2010 |
