Welcome to Illinois USSSA 2013 Season.

New for this season, Mike Peura is IL Slow Pitch State Program Director, Mr. Jeff Myles will serve as Assistant Slow Pitch State Director for all Men's Programs and State Tournaments, except Southern IL Men's D/E State Tournament which is Southern IL Director, Norman Faulkner. Lori Conro will serve as the Women's State Director, Ken Adams the Classification Director, Mike Leon the Umpire in Chief, Greg H. Gould the website coordinator for www.rockcreekball.com/usssa/ilusssa.html

Please remember we use two web sites ; www.ilusssa.com and www.usssa.com . For entering tournaments with a credit card you must use www.usssa.com web site. A printed rulebook is no longer available but you will find playing rules, etc. info under www.usssa.com .

All World Tournament entry fees must be paid on line with a credit card at www.usssa.com

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Please contact your local League Director for info regarding entry into a State Tournament and an Area Director for qualifying for a State/National/World Tournament. Contact Mr. Jeff Myles, Assistant Slow Pitch State Director for entry into any State/National or World Tournament. All State Tournament Confirmations and entry fees must be paid to Jeff.

By-Laws/Rules at www.ilusssa.com .and www.usssa.com .

The Men's Classification List has been posted on www.ilusssa.com and will be updated as the season progresses. Team reclassification appeals will be handled as posted on the Illinois web site. Team Re-classification Appeal Form is found under Team Classifications. More teams will be added, deleted and names changed during the season.

Any team requesting a team Re-Classification must; register for the new season. Add all players to the new roster and fill out a Re- Classification Appeal Form. This must be sent to Mike Peura for evaluation prior to participation in any USSSA tournament.

The Men's D Elite program will remain the same as this past season, which includes a separate D Elite State Tournament. The D Elite teams will participate in the Class C/ D Elite tournaments  and any D Elite/D Equalizer Tournament with 2 runs given to the D team when playing a D Elite team, Home Team will still be determined by a coin toss and will be allowed to participate in the D NIT's, Nationals and/or World Tournaments.

Illinois Home Run Rule for 2013 will be (6 - Home Runs for Class B), (4-Home Runs for Class C), (2-Home Runs for Class D Elite), (2-Home Runs for Class D), and E remains the same with No Home Runs, the inning is over, and a dead spot in the line up for the remainder of the game.

State Tournaments this year will be held at these city's, Men's E - Rockford; Men's D - Joliet; Men's C - Oswego; Men's Open - Crystal Lake; Men's B - Crystal Lake; Co-ed - Oswego; Women's - Rockford (Forest Hills), Co-Rec E - Oswego.

New for 2013 - Co-Rec E State Tournament. Entry Fee $200, Must play in an actual USSSA Sanctioned E League, must use your original league roster, and in must be online at www.ussssa.com. The roster must be approved by you League Director, and Approved by Mike Peura.

Bats for USSSA use in 2013. Only Non- Competitive Leagues can grandfather legal 2012 USSSA bats, provided they pass a USSSA Compression bat. All competitive leagues must conform to the New 2013 Bat Standard with the New USSSA Logo, and Pass a compression test. Bats that fail a compression test are Illegal for future use an any USSSA function.

Softballs for 2013. All USSSA Tournaments will use the Dudley Classic M ball that was used at Worlds,

Travel Expense Money - New for 2013. Once a C/D Elite/D team has their State Entry Fee Paid, and their National Entry Fee Paid, and they win monies in another tournament, they will be paid travel expense money for that said tournament at the conclusion of the event. Class E Teams can not receive travel expense money. Once an E team has their State and National paid for they must compete in Class D for the remainder of the year, until their state tournament.

All teams must have their team roster on the National USSSA web site at www.usssa.com prior to participation in any USSSA tournament. Instructions for adding your roster on the ISTS program are located on the Illinois web site at www.ilusssa.com . This roster must be printed, signed and turned into each Tournament Director prior to the start of that Tournament. State, National and World Tournaments will not require a roster since your roster will already be forwarded to that Tournament Director.

Any Illinois team wishing to travel outside Illinois for tournament participation must (1) Register in IL prior to entry into tournament (2) Team roster must be entered on usssa.com web site (3) Contact that IL Program Director for clearance.

The Illinois www.ilusssa.com and National web sites www.usssa.com will supersede any printed rulebook. Any rule changes, clarifications, additional tournaments, policy changes, etc. will be updated on the Illinois web site as changes or additions become available.

Thanks so much for participating in the USSSA program and have a fun filled and safe summer

Good luck this season and play the best Play USSSA!

Mike Peura
IL Slow Pitch State Program Director