PlayFPN Rules

PlayFPN Rule Books and Documents

Go to the rules tab on the schedule page for any specific event rules. 

What are the PlayFPN playing rules?

  • The base rule book for PlayFPN tournaments is the NFHS (National Federation of High Schools) rule book. This is the same rule book used to govern high school softball across the country.
  • The NFHS rule book is available for download for $7 or in hard copy for $10. See the NFHS website.
  • More information about rules can be found at playfpn.com/rules.

Does PlayFPN have team strength classifications and tournaments or divisions for those classifications?

  • We offer team strength classifications.
  • Some events are listed as a particular strength classification and more often event divisions will be created on the fly when making a schedule based on what teams have entered. In open events, we use the classifications to assist in scheduling pool play.
  • Teams self-select a classification upon registering and we will monitor a team's progress as they play in the season to determine if re-classification is required.
  • These are the strength classifications we use:
    • A - Any team considered to be the highest-level competitive travel team regionally. If your team is normally in or should be in contention to win each tournament you enter you beat the "better" teams in your state, and you have multiple front-line pitchers, then you should consider yourself an "A" team. A small percentage of teams qualify for A.
    • B - Any team considered to be a solid but average to above average travel team. If your team is occasionally in or should be in contention to win a tournament you enter and you are competitive with most teams like you in your state, and you have good but not overwhelming pitching, then you should consider yourself a "B" team. The majority of teams qualify for B.
    • C - Any team that typically plays in a local league or town league or a team that might only play in one or two tournaments a year.  A "C" team is also any team considered to be an entry-level or novice travel team with kids new to travel softball and lacks the experience and number of skilled players and pitchers to compete with “A” and “B” teams.  A small percentage of teams qualify for C.
    • PlayFPN reserves the right to adjust your strength based on your results in our events and/or external events.

What are the PlayFPN roster rules?

  • PlayFPN keeps rostering simple and easy.
  • Teams are free to roster as many players as they wish.
  • Teams are free to add and remove players as they wish.
  • Rosters are never locked or frozen to prevent removal or adding players.
  • Players can be on more than one roster, hence a guest player process is not required.
  • The players on a team's roster prior to the start of an event is their official roster for that event. However, a player cannot play for more than one team in a tournament other than in exhibition games.
  • Once a tournament has begun, a player cannot be added to a team’s roster unless injury forces the team to have fewer than 9 players. Then players can be added to the roster to bring the roster up to no more than 9 players.

What are the season and playing age determination dates?

  • The season runs from 9/1 to 8/31. Each fall, teams will be required to make a new team for the new season (9/1 to 8/31).
  • For the 2024 season, the rules are changing. USA Softball has changed the age eligibility requirements for the 2024 season and PlayFPN will follow this change for our events. Every major softball organization in the country, except USSSA, is following the USA Softball guidelines.
    • For the 2024 season which begins on 9/1/23, whatever the player's physical age is on 8/31/23 is their playing age for the full season which runs 9/1/23 to 8/31/24).
    • When you create your 2024 team if you choose to copy over players from the 2023 team it will only copy over players that are age-eligible under the new rules. 

What insurance is required and can I purchase insurance through PlayFPN?

  • Team insurance is required to play in any PlayFPN event. Teams must have a minimum of $1,000,000 of liability coverage per occurrence and a minimum aggregate of $1,000,000 and Accident Only policies are not accepted. 
  • Fastpitch Nation and the premier sports insurance agency in the Northeast, Fairway Underwriters, is now bringing to teams great affordable insurance and the complete simplicity of purchasing, creating, and downloading team insurance and additional insured certificates ONLINE, INSTANTLY, and without ever needing to call or email anyone! Our Team Insurance program offers industry-standard team insurance valid for ANY organization's events such as PlayFPN, USSSA, USA, NSA, AAU, Triple Crown, Alliance, etc., plus practices and scrimmages. Read More about our Team Insurance Program. 
  • if you have other team insurance there is a place to upload the team’s insurance certificate. The certificate must name Fastpitch Nation Inc. as an additional insured. Details regarding the additional insured certificate are available in the team manager’s account.
  • Each tournament host will let teams know directly about any other particular needs for the insurance certificates.

What are the PlayFPN bat rules?

  • NFHS Softball recognizes and utilizes USA Softball's certification process. In order for a bat to be legal for use in NFHS and PlayFPN games it must be marked with the ASA 2000, 2004, or the USA Softball All-Games Certification Mark. All bats that are approved by USA Softball, formally ASA, for use in fastpitch play shall bear one of the markings shown below. Additionally, any bat with one of these certification marks must not appear on the list of the USA Softball Non-Approved Bats with Certification Marks
    • USA Softball Non-Approved Bat List
    • When the batter enters the batter's box with an altered or non-approved bat and the infraction is detected before the next legal or illegal pitch they are called out. The batter and Manager are also ejected. All runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch unless they were put out on the play.
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