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Adult Coed Summer Softball Manager Handbook

2026 Manager’s Handbook

LEAGUE PERSONNEL

Ethan Eberle, Recreation Specialist, 701-415-0464, eeberle@bisparks.org 

MANDATORY MANAGER’S MEETING

  • Monday, June 1, at 5:30pm
  • Location: Frances Leach High Prairie Arts & Science Complex, 1810 Schafer St. (just off I-94, Exit 157, north of Bismarck State College campus)

FEES

See registration details.

ROSTERS

  1. Registration begins in April, and all rosters and fees are due no later than May 8, 2026, at 5:00pm at the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District office, 400 E. Front Ave.
  2. The number of people rostered is unlimited with a 13-person minimum.
  3. There is a 6-team minimum to run league.
  4. There is a 12-team limit to this league due to diamond availability. First-come, first-served.
  5. To play on a softball team, you MUST be on the roster. To be on a softball roster, you must pay the proper fees. There is no “subbing” of players on a team.
  6. All players must be 18, out of high school, and on the team roster prior to playing.
  7. Any roster changes must be made at the BPRD office, 400 E. Front Ave., Monday-Friday between 7:30am-5:00pm.
  8. All players are eligible to play in league play as soon as they are added to their team roster. Players may be rostered on no more than one team on a given league night.
  9. Players’ fees cannot be switched from one player to another after the first day of the softball season. If one player drops off a roster and another is added, another player’s fee MUST be paid. If a player changes teams, he/she does not have to pay another player’s fee, but he/she must have a written release from the manager whose team he/she is leaving. (Exception: Medical condition or change of employment – for a player to be replaced on a team roster for either of these exceptions, we must have written documentation BEFORE this can be done).

LEAGUE PLAY/GENERAL INFORMATION

  1. The league plays Sundays at Cottonwood Park or Clem Kelley Athletic Complex in June and July (June 7-July 26, 2026) with each team playing a double-header each night. The first game starts at 6:30pm.
  2. Teams play in a 6-week season. League schedules will be available online by Friday, May 29, 2026. There will be no make-up dates.
  3. There will be no games played on Sunday, June 28, due to the McQuade Softball Tournament, or Sunday, July 5, due to 4th of July.
  4. All leagues will follow the USA Softball Rulebook with the exceptions stated in this BPRD Manager’s Handbook.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

  1. If weather is severe, check this website or the BPRD Facebook page after 5:00pm. For information concerning the cancellation of play, PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE BPRD OFFICE. BPRD will post cancellation information in the red alert bar on this website and Facebook page, and the team manager will be emailed about cancellations through the TeamSideline scheduling software. Decisions regarding canceling league play will not be made prior to 5:00pm.
  2. Air quality. BPRD has adopted the following guidelines regarding cancellation of park district programs and closure of park district facilities. BPRD uses AirNow.gov as its official air quality index to determine any closures or cancellations.
    • Hazardous (301-500) – BPRD will cancel outdoor adult programs offered by the park district and close outdoor pools and golf courses.
    • All cancellations and closures are posted on the red alert bar on this website.

EQUIPMENT

  1. Umpires will be scheduled if available. If an umpire is not available, both team managers will take turns each half inning calling balls and strikes, safes and outs, etc. Teams may also agree on a neutral person to umpire. We ask that teams be fair and use their best judgement. We know people will make mistakes at times, but understand that your team will make them as well.
  2. Teams must provide their own bats and gloves. Softballs will be provided.

CONTROL OF CHILDREN

Parents must keep their children outside of the playing area of the softball diamond. This includes the dugout.

AWARDS

  1. Awards will be given to the following finishers in each league:

    • 6 teams or less in a league: awards to the top team
    • 7-12 teams in a league: awards to the top 2 teams

  2. If your team is in a league that requires teams to play an unequal number of games, league awards will be decided by winning percentages (i.e., the number of games won by a team divided by the number of games played by a team).

TIE BREAKING PROCEDURE

Tie Breaking Method

  1. Winning percentage
  2. Head-to-head
  3. Head-to-head differential
  4. Common opponents
  5. Total runs against
  6. Total runs for
  7. Coin flip

BATS, GAME BALLS, AND SCORECARDS

  1. Bat Restrictions: ONLY USA Softball approved bats are legal.
  2. Game softballs will be provided at each location. Game softballs are not to be used for warm-up or practice. Each team is required to provide its own warm-up softballs.
  3. Softballs will be rotated so that women hit a 11” softball and men hit a 12” softball.
  4. If you do not have an umpire assigned to your field, PLEASE pick up the game balls and score card before your game and return them to the Site Supervisor after your game.

MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS

  1. Each team must have a minimum of 8 players to start each game. For Coed play, of these 8 players, at least 4 must be female. If a team had 5 males and 4 females, this combination would be acceptable. Teams would not be allowed to play with 6 males and 4 females. If a team had 8 females to start the game, this would be acceptable. If a team does not have an adequate number of players at game time, that game will be considered a forfeit.
  2. Player Combinations
    • 5 males/4 females – OK
    • 4 males/5 females – OK
    • 4 males/6 females – OK
    • 10 females – OK
    • 6 males/4 females – NOT OK
  3. Coed defensive positioning shall include 2 males and 2 females in the outfield, 2 males and 2 females in the infield, and 1 male and 1 female at the pitcher/catcher positions. If your team is playing with less than 10 players, you must have a battery that contains a male and female.
  4. Game time is forfeit time for the first game (6:30pm) of the double-header. Forfeit time for the second game is 6:45pm.
  5. League rules require a team to have at least 8 players to start a game. If you know that your team will not have enough players on a given night, please call your opponent’s team manager and also the Recreation Specialist at 701-415-0464 (leave a message) before 1:00pm on the night your team participates in league play.
  6. Teams forfeiting more than two games throughout the season may face expulsion from further league play.

HOME RUN RULE

Due to the number of teams participating ,there are not separate leagues for “Competitive” or “Recreational” teams. Therefore, a four-home-run rule will be in effect. Any home runs hit over this number in a game will be an automatic out.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

No player shall at any time lay a hand upon, shove, strike, abuse physically or verbally, or threaten a coordinator, player, umpire, teammate, or spectator. The Softball Coordinator is required to suspend the player immediately from further play and report such players to the BPRD representative. Such player shall remain suspended until the BPRD representative has considered the case.

  • Minimum Penalty: Suspension from two league games, and probation for one year.
  • Maximum Penalty: Suspension from all recreational activities for two years and probation for the following year, plus annual reviews by BPRD.
  • UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT is NOT part of this GAME!

PRE-GAME

  1. Prior to the start of the first game, the teams will flip a coin to determine which will be the home team the first game and bat last. Each team will be home team one game of the double-header.
  2. Each game will consist of 7 innings with the 15-run rule in effect after 3 innings, 12-run rule in effect after 4 innings, and 10-run rule after 5 innings.
  3. There will be a 60-minute time limit for each game. The time limit will be a 60-minute drop dead limit; game is over after 60-minutes of play.

GENERAL LEAGUE RULES

  1. The league will follow the rules set forth by USA Softball.
  2. Players may only play on one coed team.
  3. Players must be 18, out of high school, and on the team roster prior to participating.
  4. Teams will toss a coin to determine the home team for the first game.
  5. Each team will need at least 8 players ready for play to begin the game. Forfeit time for the first round games is game time. Forfeit time for the second game is 6:45pm.
  6. Game time is set for 6:30pm each evening. Please do your throwing and stretching prior to getting on the diamond.
  7. Any walk to a male batter will result in a two-base award. The next batter (a female) will bat. Exception: With two outs, the female has the option to walk or to bat.
  8. Teams will use a 12″ softball when a male batter is at the plate and an 11″ softball when a female batter is at the plate.
  9. Batters will start with a 1 ball and 1 strike count with NO courtesy foul.
  10. Sliding is allowed in all leagues.
  11. If playing with LESS than 10 players: If a team is playing with 9 players, they will take an out in the 3rd spot of the batting order. If they are playing with 8 players, they will take outs in the 3rd and 10th spots in the batting order. This rule may be waived only if both teams agree.
  12. If a team uses the EP rule, both EP players (one male and one female) must bat, but only a maximum of 10 players may play on defense. These 12 players may move around defensively, but the BATTING ORDER MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED. League Rule: If a team would like to bat 11 or 12 players, this EP (when batting 11) may be a female or (when batting 12 with two female EPs) they may both be female, but these EPs may not both be males.
  13. The batter order must alternate (male/female or female/male) whenever possible and MUST REMAIN UNCHANGED THROUGHOUT THE GAME. Exception: See rule #12.
  14. There is not a rule as to a male making a play in the place of a female player (i.e., a male pitcher making a play at home plate in front of a female catcher).
  15. NO GLASS CONTAINERS ARE ALLOWED ON PARK PROPERTY. VIOLATORS ARE SUBJECT TO PARK DISTRICT ORDINANCES. Please help keep our parks clean and safe for all to use and enjoy. Drinking alcoholic beverages during league play is not allowed. Please save your drinking until after your games. Any player that is under the influence of alcohol during a game will face expulsion from further league play.
  16. Bat Restrictions: ONLY USA Softball approved bats may be used.
  17. Any team forfeiting more than 2 league games may be subject to removal from league play.
  18. Children are not allowed anywhere on the playing field. This includes the dugouts. Please keep your children off the field to avoid them being injured.
  19.  INCLEMENT WEATHER – Decisions will be made by 5pm. All games will be at the discretion of the umpire should conditions be questionable at game time. Please check this website’s ALERT bar. You may also choose to follow the BPRD Facebook page, since weather notifications are also posted there. The team manager will also be emailed about cancellations through the TeamSideline scheduling software.
  20. Any team disregarding or violating the rules and policies set forth by this league may be suspended from further league play.