General: The Vernon Seniors Softball League sponsors 55, 60, 65 and 70 travel teams in various tournaments. Since our league’s non-profit status depends on the fact that we will participate in tournaments that allow us to compete in the National Senior Games. Legally, we must continue to support travel teams, to maintain that status.

Monies for balls, bats, uniforms, tournament entry fees, etc. are obtained from league revenues. All travel team expenses are approved by the league’s Board of Directors, in conjunction with normal league operating expenses.

The intention of the Vernon Senior Softball League is to have travel teams be competitive in all tournaments entered. The travel team managers will select the best ball players, from within the league, to ensure competitiveness.

Player’s Eligibility: All travel team players are required to pay the normal league application fee, be assigned to a league team and play in regular season league games. No player is allowed to sign up for the league with the anticipation to play travel team ball only.

The travel team is open to all league players. The manager will have the final decision in selecting the players to meet the needs of the travel team. In determining competitiveness, a manager may elect to change line-ups from one game to another.

Anyone interested in playing on a travel team will indicate it on the league’s application during sign-up.

Players’ Responsibilities: The player’s availability for practices, pick-up games and/or tournaments must be relayed to the manager, as soon as possible. The player must advise the manager immediately of any change in their status.

In tournaments not subsidized by the league, players will pay their allocated entry fee as determined by manager.

Travel Team Managers: . It is the responsibility of the managers to establish a competitive team. The manager may determine the ability of any potential player by obtaining input from reliable sources within the league or by requiring a tryout.

The managers will also be responsible for the following:

• Coordinate and confirm pick-up games with respective outside contacts
• Establish practice dates and provide field date and time requirements to the External Competition chairman
• Work with the External Competition chairman and distribute (to players) information pertaining to specific practices/pick-up games and tournaments
• Meet all tournament player information deadlines
• Distribute (to players) various tournament, practice and pick-up game information

In tournaments not subsidized by the league, the manager is required to collect entry fees from all players. The funds will be turned over to the league’s Treasurer, in a timely fashion. A manager may elect to skip a tournament if a competitive team cannot be established.

External Competition Chairman: The Board of Director’s External Competition Chairman will be responsible for the following:

• Solicit travel player names via sign-ups and distribute player information to managers
• Obtain uniform and equipment needs from managers and pursue purchasing approval from the Board of Directors
• Collect team uniforms from the managers at the end of season
• Provide liaison between the Board of Directors and managers
• Obtain pick-up games and practice field requirements and provide requests to Park & Recreation
• Provide tournament entry fee requirements to treasurer
• Maintain and update Travel Team Guidelines herein

Age Brackets: A player may not elect to play down (example: a 65 year old cannot play on a 60 team).

Exceptions: (1) player’s team is not entering a specific tournament and (2) player’s team is combined with another team (example: a 65 year old can play on a combined 60/65 team. Again, it is the manager’s discretion to accept any player.

Combination of Teams: Managers may combine teams (example, making one 55 team from the 55 and 60 team players) if it is determined that individual teams cannot be fielded in a specific tournament. When combining teams, the most competitive players will be chosen regardless of age.

Tournament Entry Fees: The league will pay for any tournament approved by the Board. As a general rule, two tournaments per travel team or per combined travel team per year will be paid via the Board.

Comments on Guidelines: Any comments, pertaining to the above travel team guidelines, should be addressed in writing to the VSS Board’s External Competition Chairman.