Dixie Youth Girls' Softball Rules

Dixie Softball Inc. is an organization that manages and promotes youth softball teams for girls, who are younger than 18. The organization tries to leave as much control as possible at the local league level. For example, team recruitment, night softball and league operation are all under the control of the local league. However, Dixie Softball Inc. has defined a fundamental set of rules that are to be obeyed by all the member leagues. These rules are designed to help with the management of local leagues and to ensure fairness and uniformity across the member teams.

  1. Playing Rules

    • The playing rules define the fundamental terminology used in the game, general dimensions of the field, allowed equipment, the required number of players to start a game, player requirements during a game, pitching regulations, batting, base running and appeal play. There are variations on these rules for the different Dixie subdivisions, where the players are grouped according to age as follows: ages 4 to 6 for Dixie Sweetees, 7 to 8 for the Dixie Darlings, 9 to 10 for the Dixie Angels, 11 to 12 for the Dixie Ponytails, 13 to 15 for the Dixie Bells, and finally ages 16 to 18 for the Dixie Debs.

    League Organizational Rules

    • These rules govern the regulations and organization of each league, and address issues such as mandatory accidental and liability insurance, maximum allowed number of players on a team, combining teams when there are not enough players, and definitions of division age, where a year is knocked off if the player had their birthday after January 1st of the current season. Additionally, organization and management instructions are provided for each league to carry out. For example, leagues are told that they need to define geographical boundaries from which to select team members; also, member selection fairness is addressed. Additionally, player, manager, and coach registration, scheduling, team sponsoring and game admission is covered.

    Tournament Rules

    • Tournament rules ensure that during tournament season all participating teams are following the same set of guidelines, which promotes safety and equality during play. These rules require mandatory records of the participants, including photographs, provide clothing regulations, require the use of only approved playing equipment, require parental release for medical treatment, and, in addition, require copies of insurance policies.