2008
9U WORLD SERIES

JULY 13-20, 2008

Congratulations on an outstanding season and welcome to the 2008 USSSA Baseball World Series. Your tournament host will be Natchitoches USSSA Baseball and Natchitoches Recreation and Parks Department and it will be our goal to create an experience that the players, coaches and families will remember for the rest of their lives. Your USSSA State Director will enter teams in the appropriate age of play.  Click here for your USSSA State Director . The tournament will be played at the East Natchitoches Recreation Complex and Natchitoches Central High School Natchitoches, Louisiana on July 13-20, 2008. Click for a Map to East Natchitoches Recreation Complex, or to Natchitoches Central High School. 

The USSSA Baseball program will use the "Pool-Play" format in its World Series.  Teams will be placed in pools where they will play a round robin within their pool.  Teams will then be placed in a Championship bracket following pool play or a Consolation bracket.  The exact format of the tournament, e.g., number of pools, number of teams in each pool, etc., will be set by the Tournament Director following USSSA Baseball guidelines and being approved by the USSSA Baseball National Committee.  Each team will receive a minimum of 4 games.

Your teams Official Roster must be entered on-line at www.USSSA.com and have yours State Directors Approval.

Your team's ENTRY FORM , OFFICIAL ROSTER and cashier's check or money order only, for the entry fee MUST BE RECEIVED BY YOUR STATE DIRECTOR BY JULY 6, 2008. The State Director will then forward this material with your official roster and a letter of transmittal to World Series Headquarters: Louisiana USSSA Baseball 259 Plantation Point,  Natchitoches, LA 71457 to guarantee your spot in the tournament.  Your entry fee, in the amount of $495.00 should be made payable to: USSSA Baseball.

THE ROSTER WE RECEIVE MUST BE SIGNED BY YOUR STATE DIRECTOR.  THIS ROSTER MUST BE THE ONE THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO YOUR STATE AND/OR AREA DIRECTOR WHEN YOUR TEAM QUALIFIED FOR THIS TOURNAMENT.  FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RULE WILL RESULT IN YOUR TEAM'S SUSPENSION FROM PARTICIPATION IN THIS TOURNAMENT! PLAYERS WILL BE INDIVIDUALLY CHECKED IN AT EACH TOURNAMENT WITH PROPER USSSA APPROVED ID OR BIRTH CERTIFICATES.

Please review the USSSA RULES OF CONDUCT.

 All players participating in USSSA Baseball tournament play shall have photocopies of their original birth certificates in the possession of their team manager.  Failure to have a copy of the birth certificate available upon demand will result in the offending team losing the game, being ejected from the tournament, being placed last in the standings and forfeiting all awards, sponsors travel money and tournament berths that would have been awarded at the tournament.  

Tentative Itinerary:
July 13 - 9:00 am - Manager Meeting - ONLY TWO MANAGERS PER TEAM
July 13 - 10:30am - Team Mom Meeting - ONLY TWO MOMS PER TEAM

July 13 - Opening Ceremonies (TBA)

July 14 - 8:00AM - World Series Play Begins
July 15-19 - 8:00am - World Series Play continues
July 19 - 4:00PM - Championships (Tentative)

July 20 - Rainout Day

Team Skills Competition (Tentative)

NOTE:

1.    Any player who before May 1st reaches their 10^th birthday will  not be eligible to play in the 9 and Under World Series.

2.    Any player can play in a higher age classification but cannot play in a lower age group.

3.    Dimensions will be as prescribed in the USSSA Baseball Handbook.

4.    All players must be fully uniformed, which includes the following: Pants, sox, cap, and team shirt with numbers that are non-duplicating and at least three inches in height.

5.    Managers and coaches must wear a baseball cap with team insignia and will be properly dressed. (Coaches may wear coaches' shorts, but they must have team jersey on).

6.    While in the field, as a defensive player, team caps must be worn.

7.    Protest on uniforms will not be allowed.  It shall be the Tournament Directors responsibility regarding uniform legality.  Violation of the uniform rule will result in the violator being allowed to conform or be removed from the game.

8.    Metal spikes are not allowed.

9.    A full-use batting helmet which covers the top and back of the head and the side of the face must be worn by every player while in the on deck circle, when at bat and while on the bases.

10.  All bat boys/girls will wear full-use batting helmets when their team is at bat.

11.  The catcher must wear a full-use catchers helmet an mask.

12.  All playing rules not specifically covered above shall be governed by the USSSA Baseball Handbook and the National League rules for Major League Baseball.  

No Food or Drinks are allowed to be brought in park.  Only small ice chest with rags and Team water coolers with a spout - (1) per dugout allowed.

Bracket schedules WILL NOT be mailed out in advance. Official Brackets will be given to the team manager during the manager’s meeting.

Lodging Information

Pre-Tournament Events
There will be a manager's/coaches meeting at 9:00AM on July 13.  Two representatives from each team will be permitted to attend this meeting.  All teams will be required to have a representative in attendance.  The official schedule for when teams play will be distributed at that time. Any game times issued before this meeting are not official and may change.  Each Team will receive a minimum of 4 games.

Team credential check-in will commence after this meeting at the team mom's meeting.  This meeting will be at 10:30am.  Team Rosters and player birth certificates will be verified at this time.  All teams must have a representative here for this meeting.  Teams should bring a list of  what hotels their team is staying at with who's name each room is under.  We will have a form on this website prior to the event that will be required to be filled out.