Thank you for volunteering to coach your team. Without volunteers, the organization could not succeed. If you are interested in being a coach, please request this as part of the registration process or contact us to notify us as we plan for the next season.

Rules
ASA rules apply across all levels of play, with adaptations made at each age level and are included below. It is important that coaches follow these rules and adaptations. It becomes confusing and counterproductive to players and parents when coaches make their own arrangements as to how the game should be played.

Kindergarten and 1st grade rules
2nd Grade rules
3rd grade rules
4th grade rules
Juniors rules
Majors rules - Majors players participate in the Wheaton Park District softball league and follow modified NSA rules.

 

Field Setup
Home team is listed second and is responsible for field setup. Visiting team is listed first and is responsible for putting field equipment back, unless there is a game immediately following.
Field Setup Guide

Lineup Templates
For coaches that may need help generating a lineup for their team, please see the following templates to help.
Lineup Template for K-4th Grade

Lineup Template for Juniors

Juniors and Majors Draft Procedure
In the Juniors and Majors levels, there is typically a draft before the season to ensure the teams are well matched during competitive play. A copy of the procedure is here. The players are typically evaluated by their coaches from the prior season. The evaluation form for the coaches is here.

Player Safety

The DOLLS organization is committed to the safety and welfare of our players and the Downers Grove Park District has spent considerable time and money installing a lightning prediction system for the protection of people at the parks in Downers Grove. Therefore, the DOLLS board is requiring all coaches, players, and spectators to vacate all playing fields when the lightning protection system indicates that lightning may be present.

The current system sounds a 15 second horn blast and flashes a strobe light when conditions are conducive to lightning strikes. During these times, or at any time lightning is apparent, coaches, players, and spectators should vacate the field IMMEDIATELY and seek shelter in their vehicle. Do not wait for the end of the inning or the end of the game. Do not take shelter under or around any park structure, including shelters, restrooms, or dugouts as they are not protected from lightning strikes. Similarly, avoid trees and fences. After the threat of lightning has passed, an all-clear signal of two short horn blasts (three at the golf course) will sound and the strobe light will stop flashing. The system is active daily between 8:30 AM and 11:00 PM, from March through November, and is tested on the first Tuesday of each month at approximately 9:55 AM.

Lightning kills 80 people annually in the United States and injures many more. With the system currently in place at the softball fields, the risk of injury can be greatly diminished. The Park District has made a commitment to make the parks a safer place, and the DOLLS Board believes that these gestures are in the best interest of the players. Therefore, any coach that knowingly ignores the signs of danger and continues to play may be removed as a coach by the board.