Pre-season Softball Memo #2   May 18, 2018

Reminder on Wristbands
Wristbands/playbooks now must be of a single SOLID color and not optic yellow. A camouflage pattern is not permitted. They must be worn on the arm and cannot be hung from a belt loop.

Piercings
Jewelry is not permitted by NFHS rule, including the use of daith piercing for migraine headache relief unless approved.  The IGHSAU can approve the piercing apparatus remaining in the ear if a written confirmation from a medical professional is received.  Medical/health care people generally means doctors, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, licensed physical therapists, etc.  If approved, the school will be sent a letter which should be provided when requested by the umpires and/or opposing teams throughout the season.  

Email Notifications
Please make sure up to date email addresses are listed correctly in the IGHSAU on line forms section.  Those listings for coaches, activities directors and administrators are used for email notifications on memos, pairings, weekly ratings and other tournament information.

Final Classifications
Preliminary classifications for the 2018 softball season are posted on the IGHSAU web site.  Final classifications will be posted next week.  Please check your classification to make sure sharing agreements are correct and your school is classified correctly.  Classifications can be viewed on line here:  https://ighsau.org/upl/downloads/library/2018-tentative-softball-classes.pdf

Policy on Statistics Reporting
Member schools must use the online QuikStats Iowa website (www.quikstatsiowa.com) to report statistics for softball. Failure to report statistics by the reporting dates specified below will result in the following penalties:

First Offense – Warning email sent to coach, athletic director, principal, and superintendent. Coach has until 4:30 p.m. two days after reporting date to comply. If statistics still are not updated by 4:30 two days after the reporting date, coach will be suspended for the next scheduled varsity playing date. Coach will also be suspended an additional varsity playing date for each additional day that statistics are not complete.

Second Offense – Suspension email sent to coach, athletic director, principal, and superintendent. Coach is suspended for two varsity playing dates. Coach has until 4:30 p.m. two days after reporting date to comply. Coach will also be suspended an additional varsity playing date for each additional day that statistics are not complete.

Third Offense – Suspension email sent to coach, athletic director, principal, and superintendent. Coach is suspended from coaching in the regional/state tournament. In addition, coach is suspended from coaching any remaining regular season games until statistics reporting is complete.

Evaluation of Game Officials- *NEW*
Softball coaches can now evaluate each game's umpires in QuikStats each week while reporting scores and statistics. Each umpire will have four categories for ranking and comments:  Professionalism, Rules Knowledge, Communication and Game Management.  Poor rankings require comment.  The system will ask for the umpires' names so it is important to have the umpires sign the scorebook, as required by IGHSAU policy.

Complete instructions are being emailed to each head coach and are available on the IGHSAU website.  For questions on the officials' evaluation system in Quikstats, please contact Jason Eslinger at the IGHSAU office, 515-401-1836 or email at [email protected]

Regional Hosting
Final regular season rankings will again be utilized to determine hosts for regional final softball games in all five classes.  The highest ranked team of the remaining two teams will host the regional final.  If two non-ranked teams are scheduled to meet in the regional final, a tie-breaker procedure has been established to determine the host team.

The deadline to notify the IGHSAU of hosting availability for regional softball is Friday, May 11.  Schools must meet minimum facility requirements.

The schools who have listed their facilities as being available to host regional softball contests are listed on the IGHSAU website. Please take some time and double check the dates you have listed to host. If your school is not listed but you would like to be considered for hosting regional softball contests, please go to the online site availability page on the online forms page of the IGHSAU website.   Here is the link to those who have completed hosting information:

https://ighsau.org/upl/downloads/content-blocks/softball-site-availabilities.pdf

State Tournament Schedule
The 2018 State Softball Tournament Schedule is listed below and available on the IGHSAU website.  Teams losing in the quarterfinal round will play one additional game the following day-either Tuesday or Wednesday.  All semi-final round games will be played on Wednesday.  Third and fourth place consolation games are scheduled on Thursday and Friday approximately one hour prior to the championships games.  Championship game times are approximate and could change depending on television.

Monday

Field 1

Time

Class

Field 2

Time

Class

Quarterfinal

11:00

1A

Quarterfinal

11:30

1A

Quarterfinal

1:00

1A

Quarterfinal

1:30

1A

Quarterfinal

3:00

2A

Quarterfinal

3:30

2A

Quarterfinal

5:00

2A

Quarterfinal

5:30

2A

Quarterfinal

7:00

3A

Quarterfinal

7:30

3A

Tuesday

Field 1

Time

Class

Field 2

Time

Class

Quarterfinal

11:00

3A

Quarterfinal

11:30

3A

Quarterfinal

1:00

4A

Quarterfinal

1:30

4A

Quarterfinal

3:00

4A

Quarterfinal

3:30

4A

Quarterfinal

5:00

5A

Quarterfinal

5:30

5A

Quarterfinal

7:00

5A

Quarterfinal

7:30

5A

Consolations

Dodger

Time

Class

Veterans

Time

Class

Consolations

11:00

1A

Consolations

11:30

1A

Consolations

1:00

2A

Consolations

1:30

2A

Consolations

3:00

3A

Wednesday

Field 1

Time

Class

Field 2

Time

Class

Semifinal

11:00

1A

Semifinal

11:30

3A

Semifinal

1:00

1A

Semifinal

1:30

3A

Semifinal

3:00

2A

Semifinal

3:30

4A

Semifinal

5:00

2A

Semifinal

5:30

4A

Semifinal

7:00

5A

Semifinal

7:30

5A

Consolations

Dodger

Time

Class

Veterans

Time

Class

Consolations

11:00

3A

Consolations

11:30

4A

Consolations

1:00

4A

Consolations

1:30

5A

Consolations

3:00

5A

Thursday

Field 1

Time

Class

Field 2

Time

Class

Final

6:00

1A

3rd/4th

5:00

1A

Final

8:15

2A

3rd/4th

7:00

2A

Friday

Field 1

Time

Class

Field 2

Time

Class

Final

3:30

3A

3rd/4th

2:30

3A

Final

5:45

4A

3rd/4th

4:45

4A

Final

8:00

5A

3rd/4th

7:00

5A

A single page PDF copy of the 2018 State Softball schedule can be downloaded by clicking here.

Regional Tournament Manuals
2018 regional tournament manuals will be posted on the IGHSAU web site later this week.