A member of

C-Rec-All Stars

Guidelines for USSSA C and Recreational/All-Stars Divisions

USSSA maintains and actively manages a team classification system. There are three levels of play for youth travel/tournament fastpitch softball teams. The A Division is the highest level of play, followed by the B Division and then the C Division. The ultimate distinguishing factor for these three levels is the team’s level of play on the field.

The team classification system aims to provide as competitively balanced a level of play within each division as reasonably possible. This provides a more enjoyable and developmental environment for the benefit of the teams.

USSSA also provides a Recreational/All-Stars Division. This division of play is not as much based on the level of play of the teams but is more based on the team formation and the team’s schedule. The Rec/All-Stars Division provides an opportunity for teams formed out of the spring/summer recreational leagues to play a few tournaments near or after the conclusion of their recreational league season.

C Division

USSSA uses the following guidelines to manage the C Division:

  • Teams cannot directly register as a C Division team.
  • Teams must go through a vetting process to enter the C Division to ensure better that the right teams start the season in the C Division and to reduce the number of mid-season re-classifications. Please see this page and complete the form to request entry into the C Division formally.
  • Teams’ schedules must adhere to one deemed appropriate for teams in the USSSA C Division – for those teams from areas with a full USSSA C Division schedule. We expect that 80% of the team’s scheduled tournaments (all events regardless of sanctioning group) are USSSA C Division tournaments. Teams from areas that do not host a full schedule of USSSA C Division tournaments are permitted to deviate from this guideline under USSSA oversight.
  • Once a team has been moved to the C Division, USSSA locks the team’s roster. Roster changes are still permitted, but the team must coordinate these changes through USSSA so that any impact on the team’s classification can be determined and, if necessary, a classification adjustment made.
  • C Division teams may play up in class but typically not up in age (excluding 15/16U, where these age groups are often combined with 18U).
  • The on-field performance of teams is periodically reviewed, and if USSSA deems it appropriate, a change in classification may be made for the betterment of the softball community. Some of the features used to make classification decisions:
  1. Overall record and C Division record
  2. Record of the team’s opponents
  3. Run differential in all games played.
  4. Top tournament finishes – note that tournament size and composition are considered.
  5. In-person observation of the team during USSSA tournament play.
  • Teams must understand that classifications may change when situations prove such changes are justified. These situations typically involve roster and player availability changes that teams may experience throughout the year.
  • Teams must understand that mid-season classification changes may create scheduling hardships.
  • All C Division teams are eligible to participate in the USSSA C Nationals and World Series events without winning a berth. All C Division teams are eligible for these events by playing in 4 (14U and younger), 4 (15U and older), or more USSSA events and maintaining C Division eligibility. For those teams from areas that may not have a full schedule of local USSSA events, USSSA will work with the team to determine if they may still be eligible for the USSSA C Nationals and World Series.
  • For most 10U C Division tournaments, a set of rule exceptions from the USSSA Rulebook are used to adapt the game to the level of play. Please see this page for the 10U C Rule Exceptions.    A few 10U C tournaments near the end of each season do not use these rule exceptions. This permits the players to play the game as they may the next season when they move up to 12U or their 10U team plays in the A or B Division. These tournaments make note of this fact on their web page.

Rec/All-Stars Division

USSSA uses the following guidelines to manage the Rec/All-Stars Division:

  • Teams cannot directly register as a Rec/All-Stars Division team.
  • Teams must go through a vetting process to enter the Rec/All-Stars Division to better ensure that the right teams gain entry into the Rec/All-Stars. Please see this page and complete the form to request entry into the Rec/All-Stars Division formally.
  • Players who played the season with a travel team are not normally eligible to play on a Rec/All-Stars team.
  • Teams’ schedule must adhere to one deemed appropriate for Rec/All-Stars teams – teams should not be playing at higher levels of play, with USSSA or with other sanctioning groups.
  • Once a team has been moved to the Rec/All-Stars Division, USSSA locks the team’s roster. Roster changes are still permitted, but the team must coordinate these changes through USSSA to ensure that the changes are appropriate for the Rec/All-Stars Division.
  • Rec/All-Stars teams may play up in class (on a limited basis) but typically not up in age (excluding 16U, where these divisions may be combined with 18U).
  • Though the Rec/All-Stars teams are not classified as such based on their level of play, USSSA still reserves the right to re-classify Rec/All-Stars teams to a travel team classification if the team’s level of play greatly exceeds that of model Rec/All-Stars teams.
  • Rec/All-Stars teams may participate in the USSSA C Nationals and World Series events without winning a berth. However, they must play at least 1 USSSA tournament before USSSA C Nationals to demonstrate that their level of play fits at the C Division level.
  • For all 10U Rec/All-Stars Division tournaments, a few rule exceptions from the USSSA Rulebook are used to adapt the game to the level of play. Please see this page for the 10U Rec/All-Stars Rule Exceptions.

8U Rec/All-Stars Division

USSSA in Maryland, Delaware, and Western Pennsylvania hosts 8U Rec/All-Stars Coach-pitched tournaments.

This is the only level of 8U USSSA softball tournament hosted in the area. Thus Rec/All-Stars team eligibility constraints are relaxed.

All 8U tournaments use the rules from the USSSA Rulebook for 8U All-Stars Coach-pitched tournaments. Please refer to the USSSA Rulebook for the special rules for these tournaments.

All other guidelines defined for the other Rec/All-Stars Divisions apply.

References

·C Division Request Form

·Rec/All-Stars Division Request Form

·10U C and Rec/All-Stars Rule Exceptions