Santa Cruz Little League

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Game Coordinator

The primary role of the Game Coordinator is to support Junior Umpires during a game. Our Junior Umpires are very special. Many are young and many are just starting. They need our support and respect. SCLL expects everyone to follow the parent code of conduct and that behavior extends to our Junior Umpires.

Depending on the availability of adult umpires, many Majors, AAA and AA games might need a game coordinator provided by the home team. The Game Coordinator is an official position according to Little League and people must respect their decisions and actions.

How is the Game Coordinator assigned?

For AA, AAA, and Majors Divisions, it is the Home Team's responsibility to provide a game coordinator if both umpires are under the age of 18. A game coordinator can be anyone who has submitted a volunteer form for the current season and who is not actively coaching in the game.

Teams will usually not know if both umpires will be Junior Umpires until right before a game starts. Therefore, home teams should always have someone assigned in advance to be Game Coordinator. If the game has at least one adult umpire then the assigned Game Coordinator is not needed and that person can simply enjoy watching the game.

Game Coordinator duties

If both umpires are Junior Umpires (i.e., under the age of 18), there must be an adult to act as the Game Coordinator. The Game Coordinator’s primary role is to support the Junior Umpires and to protect them from abuse by the coaches, players, or fans. The Game Coordinator can't be a coach or manager of one of the teams in the game — but can be a parent from one of the teams. The scorekeeper should not be assigned this position.

The Game Coordinator must be in the plate talk at the beginning of the game and must remain near the field at all times. (If the Game Coordinator needs to step away from the field, they can assign a temporary alternate — the scorekeeper would be a good choice.)

If necessary, the Game Coordinator can eject players, coaches or managers to protect the Junior Umpires or for any other reason for which ejections are permitted. For fans, warnings can be provided for minor problems and a copy of the Parent Code of Conduct should be handed to the individual. (There are extras both laminated and non-laminated in the score booth above the snack shack.)

The Game Coordinator can suspend play for rain or darkness and call the game thirty minutes after such suspension.

Little League official rule book language about the Game Coordinator, Rule 9.03(d):

"If no adult umpire is available for a game, and nonadult umpires are used exclusively for that game, the local Little League must assign an adult as Game Coordinator, or the game cannot be played. The Game Coordinator must not be a manager or coach of either team in the game, and cannot be assigned as Game Coordinator for more than one game at a time. The Game Coordinator's duties shall be:

(1) To be included in the pregame meeting as noted in Rule 4.01;

(2) To remain at the game at all times, including between half-innings, in a position to see all actions on the field and in close proximity to the field (not in any enclosure). If, for some reason, the Game Coordinator is not present or is unable to perform his/her duties for any reason, the game must be suspended until the Game Coordinator returns, or until a new adult Game Coordinator is present and assumes the duties of Game Coordinator for the remainder of the game;

(3) To oversee the conduct of all players, managers, coaches, and umpires in the game;

(4) To have the authority to disqualify any player, coach, manage or substitute for objecting to the decisions of an umpire, for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, or for any of the reasons enumerated in these Playing Rules, and to eject such disqualified person from the playing field. If the Game Coordinator disqualifies a player while a play is in progress, the disqualification shall not take effect until no further action is possible in that play;

(5) To have the sole ability to judge as to whether and when play shall be suspended during a game because of inclement weather conditions or the unfit condition of the playing field; as to whether and when play shall be resumed after such suspension; and as to whether and when a game shall be terminated after such suspension. Said Game Coordinator shall not call the game until at least thirty minutes after play as suspended. The Game Coordinator may continue suspension as long as there is any chance to resume play. (This supersedes Rule 3.10.)"