7U and 8U Rules (Coach Pitch)

Item	Requirement
Roster posted	On your team page at COYBL.ORG before your 1st game
Birth certificates	Coaches must always carry copies. Cannot produce them on request, you forfeit
Umpire info	Both teams must record umpire names and OHSAA numbers before the game starts
Temperature	At least 40 degrees Fahrenheit at first pitch and for the whole game
Lineup	Roster bat, every game
Minimum players	8 to start and finish, and you take an out for the 9th spot

Rule	7U and 8U
Regulation game	6 full innings, or 5 1/2 if the home team is winning
Time limit	2 hours on all games
Run limit, innings 1 through 5	7 runs
Run limit, 6th inning	Unlimited
Mercy	15 runs after 4 innings (3 1/2 if home is ahead), 10 runs after 5 innings
Defense	9 or 10 players, including a pitcher and a catcher
Coach pitch distance	40 feet from the tip of home plate
At bat	6 pitches or 3 strikes
Safety arc	30 feet from the back tip of home plate
Pitcher's circle	10 foot diameter around the pitching rubber
Bat barrel	No larger than 2 3/4 inches
Metal spikes	Prohibited
Stealing, bunting, infield fly, intentional walks	None of them
Overthrow	One base only
Divisional umpires	At least one certified COYBL approved umpire
Protest fee	$100.00

• COYBL Specific Rules.
• National Federation of High School (NFHS) Rules. When a rule is not addressed specifically within the Age Level and COYBL Specific rules, COYBL defers to NFHS rules.

1. Game Time Temperature

• The temperature must be at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit at the start of the game (first pitch) and must remain at least at that temperature throughout the entirety of the game.
• Please also consider extreme heat indexes when deciding to play games. See the heat index information later on this page.

2. Game Length

• Regulation games are 6 full innings unless the home team is winning after 5 1/2 innings, at which point the game is officially over.
• There is a 2 hour time limit on all games. If the game is tied at the time limit, the game is to continue until a winner is decided. Division games cannot end in a tie.
• If the game is tied when the umpire decides to end the game after 4 full innings, or if the visiting team has recorded 3 offensive outs in the 4th inning, then the game is to be resumed as it stands with all offensive and defensive stats kept and recorded.
• This is specifically mandatory for division games. This is not mandatory for non division games. (Any agreement between head coaches can be made in a safe place after the game has ended as to whether and how the game will be finished for non division games.)

3. Home Plate Meeting

• Any pregame agreement regarding time limits must be agreed upon by both head coaches and the witness of the umpire in charge. Once agreed upon, no exceptions can be made.
• Ground rules of the park and games must be discussed at this meeting.
• During the meeting at the plate, it must be decided who has the official start time of the game and must keep both head coaches and umpires aware of when the time limit is approached.

4. Run or Mercy Rules

Situation	Result
15 runs after 4 innings (3 1/2 innings if the home team is ahead)	Game over
10 runs after 5 innings	Game over

5. Playing Rules

Defense and the pitching position

• There are 10 players on defense. One player plays the pitching position, one player plays the catching position. Four players play in outfield positions.
• Teams can use either nine or 10 defensive players. One player must be a pitcher, and one player must be a catcher.
• There is a pitching plate 40 feet from the tip of home plate from which the coach must pitch.
• The pitcher must be within 2 feet of either side of the pitcher's plate and cannot be in front of the pitcher's plate prior to the pitch being made. Make a 4 foot diameter circle from the middle of the rubber. The pitcher must have at least one foot inside the circle and must remain behind the pitching rubber until the pitch is thrown.
• The catcher must be in the catcher's box.
• Teams must have a minimum of eight players to start and finish a game, but must take an out for the ninth player. When a team has a number less than eight, the game is declared a suspended game and is not rescheduled. The suspended game is then ruled a forfeit by the league director. Umpires have no authority to forfeit a game.

Batting

Rule	Detail
Pitches per batter	Six pitches or three strikes
Foul ball on the sixth pitch	The batter continues batting until he or she either does not make contact with the ball or puts the ball in play
Bunt or half swing	Foul ball
Batter hit by the pitch	No base awarded
Batting order	All teams must roster bat for all games
Runs, innings 1 through 5	7 run limit
Runs, 6th inning	Unlimited

Substitution

• Because teams are roster batting, there is free substitution on defense. The batting order must remain the same.
• If a player arrives late, he or she can be entered at the end of the lineup if their name appears on the lineup card prior to the start of the game.
• If a player is ejected when roster batting, the vacated spot in the lineup will be considered an out.
• Courtesy runners must be the last batted out and can be for the catcher of the previous inning only.

Dead ball, base running and pace of play

• Umpires call time after every play and declare the ball dead. When the ball is in possession of a fielder in the infield, all play will stop. Coaches, during the home plate meeting prior to the game, make sure the umpire knows this is our league rule. The player does not have to call time. Once the ball is under control and in possession, it is the umpire's duty to call time. We do not want a track meet.
• Only one base will be awarded on an overthrow. This is true whether the ball is in the out of play area or in the play area.
• Runners cannot leave their bases until the pitched ball crosses the front edge of home plate. A runner who leaves early is declared out, and the pitch is declared a no pitch.
• A fair batted ball hitting a coach pitcher is declared no pitch / do over if the umpire rules that the coach pitcher's contact with the ball was unintentional. If, in the umpire's judgment, a coach pitcher intentionally contacts a batted ball, the batter is out, and no runner can advance.
• The game is to be played in a manner that is realistic and baseball like. These players are 7 and 8 years old, and it does them no good to have the game played like a track meet. Try to play as realistic as possible. It does everyone no good to just run all over the place.

Not in play at 7U and 8U

• No infield fly rule.
• No base stealing.
• No bunting.
• No intentional walks.

Equipment and schedule

• Barrel of the bat cannot be any larger than 2 3/4 inches.
• Each team will play everyone within their division twice (2). You may play teams from the other division as non league games. These non league games will not count in the division standings.

6. Field

Marking	Dimension	Purpose
Safety arc	30 feet from the back tip of home plate, first base line to third base line	Fielders must stay beyond the arc until the ball is hit
Pitching plate	40 feet from the tip of home plate	The spot from which the coach must pitch
Pitcher's circle	10 foot diameter with the pitching rubber in the middle	Safety area for the player in the pitching position

Penalties when the defensive player listed as pitcher leaves the circle before the ball is hit:

Offense by the same pitcher	Result
First	The play continues. After the play has ended, the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or accepting a no pitch and ruling the play as over
Second	That player is removed from the pitching position for the remainder of that inning
Any time after that	That player is removed from the pitching mound for the remainder of the game

7. Official Games Due to Weather or Darkness

If weather or darkness interferes with play so that the umpire calls the game, it is a regulation game if:

• 4 full innings have been played, or
• the home team has the lead after the visiting team has recorded 3 offensive outs in the 4th inning.

Note: If the game is tied when the umpire decides to end the game after 4 full innings, or if the visiting team has recorded 3 offensive outs in the 4th inning, then the game is to be resumed as it stands with all offensive and defensive stats kept and recorded. This is specifically mandatory for division games. This is not mandatory for non division games. (An agreement between head coaches can be made in a safe place after the game has ended as to whether and how the game will be finished for non division games.)

When play stopped	What happens
Beyond 4 full innings	The final score of the game reverts to the score after the last completed full inning of play after the 4th full inning for the games
Before 4 full innings	An agreement must be made by the two head coaches, in witness of the umpire in charge, to resume the game with offensive and defensive stats kept and recorded, or to start the game over from the beginning. If an agreement cannot be reached, then the game is to be resumed from where it was stopped

Note: Please refer to Pitching Rules for pitcher eligibility for a resumed game.

8. Courtesy Runners

• Courtesy runners for pitchers and catchers with 2 outs are allowed to help speed up the game. The courtesy runner must be the person that made the last out. The courtesy runner must have a helmet ready to go into the game and pinch run.
• Note: It is not mandatory to utilize courtesy runners.

9. Footwear

• Rubber spikes are recommended. Metal spikes are prohibited.
• Metal spikes remain prohibited through 12U. They are allowed beginning at 13U.

10. Bats

• COYBL will allow bats that are approved according to the Nations bat rules, the USSSA bat rule, as well as the USA Baseball bat rule.
• Barrel of the bat cannot be any larger than 2 3/4 inches (see Playing Rules).

11. Tobacco or Vaper Usage

• There will be no tobacco use in or around the dugout area or on the field of play at any time. Violation of this rule could result in suspension of the violating coach or player.

12. Taunting and Unsportsmanlike Conduct

• Taunting or unsportsmanlike conduct of any kind against the other team will not be tolerated. Coaches, players, parents or fans that take part in this type of behavior will be removed immediately from the game and park by the umpires.
• Note: Each incident will subsequently be handled individually by the COYBL league office.

13. Umpires

• Under no circumstance is a relative of a player to officiate a COYBL game. The penalty will be forfeiture of the game by the offending team.
• All umpires must be licensed and in good standing with OHSAA. It is asked that they register (free) on the COYBL website. There is a link on the home page for them.
• Use of non OHSAA licensed umpires could result in forfeiture of any and all games and a ban from COYBL for that year.
• Both teams MUST record the names of the umpire or umpires and their OHSAA number prior to the game starting. Failure to do so will result in the game being declared invalid and it must be replayed.
• All divisional games for 7U and 8U must have at least one certified COYBL approved umpire.
• Fees for umpires are set based on the agreement from the paying team or teams and the umpire. COYBL does not make those arrangements. However, as a guideline, an average fee for umpires in Central Ohio for a 6 inning game is $65/$70 each.

Doubleheader type	Who pays
Divisional	Umpire fees are split by both teams
Non division	Umpire fees are determined by the participating teams

14. Team Eligibility

• The league fee includes your national registration fees for all sanctioning bodies that COYBL is affiliated with.
• Team rosters must be on your team page on the COYBL.ORG website before your 1st game.
• All teams must submit the above before they will be allowed to start league play. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of any games played.
• Use of an illegal player or a non roster player will result in forfeiture of any games in which the player participated. At any time during the season, if a league director discovers that an illegal player was used, he can apply a forfeit to the team using the illegal player.
• Coaches must always have a copy of their players' birth certificates with them. If you cannot provide your birth certificates when requested, you will forfeit the game.

15. Player Eligibility

All ages

• A player's age on April 30th determines the player's eligible age division for the current season. This includes April 30th itself.
  • Example: my child is 8 on April 30th, he is eligible to play in the 8 and under division.
  • There is a grade exemption. See the COYBL Age Clarification section below for the specifics.
• Any player can play "UP" in an older age group for COYBL play.

Playing for more than one team

• Players may not play for multiple COYBL teams at the same age level, except for an organization that has multiple teams in the same age group, for example an A Team, a B Team and a C Team.
  • In these cases, the organizations that have multiple teams may be permitted to pull players from A, B or C teams to fill a roster spot on a team with a player from another team in that organization, so it has enough players to play the scheduled game or games. The spirit of this rule is not to have wholesale changes on the roster to have significant advantages. It is intended to have enough players to play the scheduled game or games. Examples: an A Team can pull from B or C Teams, a B Team can pull from A or C Teams, and a C Team can pull from A or B Teams.
• If a player plays for two COYBL teams (must be two different age groups, unless the above applies), that player may only pitch for their primary team. A fill in player may not pitch for the team using him to fill a roster spot.
• Any player playing on more than one team must also be on BOTH COYBL ROSTERS to be eligible to play and to be insured.
• Note: Once a player is added to a roster, he or she cannot be changed during the current season of play. Rosters are time stamped when additions are made.
• You can add non COYBL players at any point in the season.

Leaving teams

• If a player leaves a team for any reason during the current season, he must receive a letter of release from the original team, signed by the head coach and the parent of the player, and this is to be mailed to the age group director. The original team must also officially drop the player from their roster on the Nations Baseball website before any team is eligible to pick that player up.
• If a player is released from a team, he may not return to that team for the remainder of the current season.
• If a player leaves a team by their choice for any reason, all fees due to the team must be paid in full before the player can play for another COYBL team. No exceptions.
• A player in the 13U or older age groups must be dropped by 6/15 of the current season to be able to be picked up by another team for the current season. NOTE: ANY PLAYER DROPPED AFTER THE DATE GIVEN FOR THEIR AGE GROUP IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY COYBL GAME FOR THE CURRENT SEASON.

16. Division Standings

• Divisional standings will include the wins and losses of the two games played against each of your divisional opponents.
• Any divisional game that is tied must be finished. Ties will not be included in the final divisional standings.
• Any ties in the divisional standings on the final day will be decided by a one game playoff.
• Rainouts or other cancellations must be made up in good faith for divisional play.
  • Note: Divisional play takes priority over non divisional play, so any rainout or cancellation in division play must be made up before non division games. Each game is important for the division standings.
• Please remember it is league policy that divisional games take priority over non divisional games.
• Division games must be made up on the first open date each team has, or the first date of a non division game.
• When scheduling division games, you must take into consideration when the other team will end their season.

17. League Ending Date

• The official league ending date is listed on the Managers Help Page on the COYBL website.

18. Protests

Step	Requirement
What can be protested	Only rule interpretations, age violations and pitching violations. Judgment calls of umpires are not eligible for protest
At the game	The protest must be given to the umpire before the game is completed. The protesting team must get the umpire's name and phone number and submit it along with the protest to the league office
Within 24 hours	Protest must be made to the league office by email
Within 72 hours	A $100.00 protest fee must be submitted with a written protest to the league office to make the protest official
Refund	The $100.00 protest fee is refunded if the protest is allowed

19. COYBL Full Disclosure Policy

• All complaints against a coach or team must be sent to the league office and your age group league director, and you must copy the coach of the team you are complaining about. If this step is not followed, your complaint will not be addressed until you comply.
• We will compile a list of teams, coaches and umpires that receive complaints. If it is deemed excessive, or the issues are severe, you could be banned from play for the next year or longer.

20. Ejections

Situation	Penalty
Coach ejected	Sits out that game and the next game as well
Player ejected	Sits out the remainder of that game only
Reporting	Coach and player ejections must be reported to the league office by the head coach within 24 hours
Ejection not reported	A two game suspension is levied
Ejection deemed severe in nature	Further suspensions from the league could result
Ejected person does not leave the field and park area as soon as they are ejected and makes a bigger scene	Escalated to a 2 week suspension
Any physical contact, for example a chest bump or a push	Suspension for the year or more
Any punches thrown	Lifetime ban from the league

These rules pertain to parents, umpires, coaches and other spectators at the game.

21. Lightning and Inclement Weather

Recognition. Coaches, athletic trainers, athletes, administrators and contest officials shall be educated regarding the signs indicating thunderstorm development. Since the average distance between successive lightning flashes is approximately two to three miles, ANYTIME that lightning can be seen or heard, the risk is already present. Weather can be monitored using the following methods.

• Monitor weather patterns. Be aware of potential thunderstorms by monitoring local weather forecasts the day before and the morning of the competition, and by scanning the sky for signs of potential thunderstorm activity.
• National Weather Service. Weather can also be monitored using small, portable weather radios from the NWS. The NWS uses a system of severe storm watches and warnings. A watch indicates conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop in an area. A warning indicates severe weather has been reported in an area, and everyone should take proper precautions. Any thunderstorm poses a risk of injury or death even if it does not meet the criteria for severe weather. Therefore, anytime thunderstorms are in the forecast (even if it is only a 20 percent chance), event organizers will be at a heightened level of awareness of the potential danger of lightning.

Management

• Evacuation. If lightning is imminent or a thunderstorm is approaching, all personnel, athletes and spectators shall evacuate to available safe structures or shelters. A list of the closest safe structures should be announced and displayed on placards at all athletic venues.
• Thirty minute rule. Competition or practice shall be suspended once lightning has been recognized or thunder is heard. It is required to wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning is witnessed or thunder is heard prior to resuming practice or competition. Given the average rates of thunderstorm travel, the storm should move 10 to 12 miles away from the area. This significantly reduces the risk of local lightning flashes. Any subsequent lightning or thunder after the beginning of the 30 minute count shall reset the clock, and another count shall begin.

Safety of the players, coaches, parents and spectators is of the utmost importance and there is absolutely no leeway in these rules. No deviations from this rule are permitted, and violations will result in suspension from COYBL for the remainder of the year.

1. Default Rule

• When a rule is not addressed specifically within the COYBL Specific Rules, COYBL defers to the Ohio high school rules published by the NFHS. An NFHS rule book can be purchased by calling 614-267-2502.

A player's age on April 30 sets the division. Find your division in the table.

Division	Ineligible if the player turns this age before May 1	Exception: eligible if in this grade	Never eligible if the player turns this age before May 1
7U	8	1st	9
8U	9	2nd	10
9U	10	3rd	11
10U	11	4th	12
11U	12	5th	13
12U	13	6th	14
13U	14	7th	15
14U	15	8th	16

Any player can play "UP" in an older age group for COYBL play.

This information is provided to help reduce the risk of injuries. These are not official rules.

Overuse and fatigue

By far, the biggest risk factor for pitchers is overuse and fatigue. Compared to healthy teammates, adolescent pitchers who undergo elbow or shoulder surgery were 36 times more likely to have routinely pitched with arm fatigue. Pitching mechanics, such as hip to shoulder separation and forward trunk tilt, change as players become fatigued.

Numerous studies have shown that pitching too many months, pitching too many innings, pitching too deep into games, violating pitch count recommendations and acute spikes in workload significantly increase the risk of injury. Pitchers should avoid pitching on consecutive days. Follow Pitch Smart guidelines to succeed and stay on the field.

Showcase participation

A showcase can be a terrific opportunity for young players to demonstrate their skills for college coaches and professional scouts. However, pitching in a showcase during the offseason can be particularly hazardous, especially if a pitcher does not have his arm in proper pitching shape. Pitchers should treat these appearances as they would any other game for purposes of daily, weekly and annual pitch count limits. Furthermore, they should avoid the temptation to overthrow in an attempt to light up the radar gun to make a favorable impression.

Throwing curveballs and sliders at a young age

Young pitchers who throw curveballs and sliders may experience more elbow or shoulder pain. However, field studies have not shown increased risk of elbow or shoulder injury with throwing curveballs. Furthermore, the curveball produces similar or even less force, torque and muscle activity about the elbow and shoulder than the fastball does. Hence, pitchers should learn good fastball mechanics and proper arm slot first before introducing breaking balls.

Pitcher catcher athletes

At any level, a pitcher should not also be a catcher for his team, as the combination of these two positions results in far more throwing than is required at other positions. Pitchers who also played catcher were three times more likely to suffer a major arm injury than pitchers who did not also play catcher.

Velocity

Injuries are more likely when there is more stress placed on the body. Higher velocity throws place more stress on the shoulder and elbow, and pitchers who throw with greater velocity than other players their age should be particularly careful to follow Pitch Smart guidelines. It is important that all players establish proper mechanics and throwing techniques before trying to increase their velocity.

Mound height and pitching distance

Youth baseball pitching mounds vary from flat ground to 10 inch high adult mounds. One study found less stress on the throwing arm when pitching from flat ground, but two other studies found no such difference. Both variations are thus likely acceptable.

Pitching distance is another important consideration. In some communities young players transition directly from 46 feet pitching distance to adult 60.5 feet pitching distance, whereas other communities include leagues with an intermediate distance (such as 50 or 54 feet). Shoulder force increases with pitching distance, so inclusion of intermediate pitching distance leagues while adolescent pitchers work up to the adult distance is preferred.

Single sport (baseball) specialization

Many youth and adolescent players choose not to play any other sports and focus solely on baseball to improve their skills and to make themselves more competitive. However, focusing just on baseball year round may increase the risk of injury. Several retrospective studies of professional baseball players have demonstrated that those players who specialized in solely baseball prior to high school have higher rates of injury. It is thus recommended that single sport specialization be delayed at least until high school and preferably until college, although all athletes should maintain baseball specific strength and conditioning in the offseason, such as maintaining shoulder range of motion as well as the strength and endurance of the muscles within the core and around the shoulder blade.

What is the heat index?

"It's not the heat, it's the humidity." That's a partly valid phrase you may have heard in the summer, but it's actually both. The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. This has important considerations for the human body's comfort.

When the body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off. If the perspiration is not able to evaporate, the body cannot regulate its temperature. Evaporation is a cooling process. When perspiration is evaporated off the body, it effectively reduces the body's temperature. When the atmospheric moisture content (relative humidity) is high, the rate of evaporation from the body decreases. In other words, the human body feels warmer in humid conditions. The opposite is true when the relative humidity decreases, because the rate of perspiration increases. The body actually feels cooler in arid conditions. There is a direct relationship between the air temperature and relative humidity and the heat index, meaning as the air temperature and relative humidity increase (decrease), the heat index increases (decreases).

To determine the heat index you need to know the air temperature and the relative humidity. For example, if the air temperature is 100°F and the relative humidity is 55%, the heat index will be 124°F. When the relative humidity is low, the apparent temperature can actually be lower than the air temperature. For example, if the air temperature is 100°F and the relative humidity is 15%, the heat index is 96°F.

Heat index values are for shady locations. If you are exposed to direct sunlight, the heat index value can be increased by up to 15°F. Heat indices meeting or exceeding 103°F can lead to dangerous heat disorders with prolonged exposure and physical activity in the heat.

Classification	Heat index	Effect on the body
Caution	80°F to 90°F	Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity
Extreme Caution	90°F to 103°F	Heat stroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity
Danger	103°F to 124°F	Heat cramps or heat exhaustion likely, and heat stroke possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity
Extreme Danger	125°F or higher	Heat stroke highly likely