Classifications have been a topic of conversation for quite some time. Your Great Lakes Regional State Directors believe that the standardization of this process will bring a much-needed balance of teams within the classes.
Below, please find the criteria for New Season and In Season classifications, time frames of when teams will be reevaluated, rosters locked and frozen, and the appeal process for teams who wish to dispute their classification.
Upon sanctioning your team with USSSA, coaches will need to input their roster withing 14 days of sanctioning a new team. Any team without a roster online after 14 days will start as an “A” team until their roster is online.
New Season Classifications:
IF YOUR TEAM IS RETURNING 6 OR MORE OF YOUR PLAYERS FROM THE PREVIOUS SEASON’S ROSTER OR PLAYERS OF THE EQUIVALENT SKILL LEVEL, THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA WILL BE USED BY THE STATE/REGIONAL COMMITTEE WHEN DETERMINING YOUR CLASSIFICATION.
If a team meets two or more of the below criteria (based on the previous year’s results), your team will start at the next higher classification.
- Team accumulated a power ranking of 1,300+.
- Team had an in-class record of .700 or higher.
- Team finished 1st or 2nd in 3 or more events, regardless of sanction (Number of teams in the event and competition will be evaluated).
- Team had an in-class run differential of 5 or more.
- Team placed in the top 25% while playing at a higher class.
Team returning 6 or more players from the previous year’s roster or from teams with equivalent skill level will be required to start the new season at the next classification level based on their placement at a national event. See below:
Nationals with 7-12 Teams in your division – Teams who placed first.
Nationals with 13-18 teams in your division – Teams who placed first or second.
Nationals with 19-24 teams in your division – Teams who placed first, second or third.
Nationals with 25+ team in your division – Teams who placed first, second, third or fourth.
TEAMS RETURNING 5 OR LESS PLAYERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME CRITERIA ABOVE AFTER A COMMITTEE REVIEW OF YOUR NEW PLAYERS. YOUR TEAM WILL START IN THE CLASSIFICATION EQUIVALENTTO THE MAJORITY OF YOUR PLAYERS PREVIOUS TEAMS’ CLASSIFICATION.
As a recap, you may begin in the same classification you held the prior season provided your team does not meet any of above criteria. The only way your team can move down a class is if your new roster has a 50% or more turnover and the newer players previous team were of a lower class. It is the decision of the Great Lakes Region Committee, and they reserve the right to place teams within a classification they feel is for the betterment of the program and all teams.
The Committee may suggest teams be dropped down a classification if:
- Team has a 400 pts or less power ranking.
- Team has an in-class record of .300 or less.
- Team has a run differential of -4 or more.
- 50% or more roster turnover and newer players previous team was of a lower class.
- Team is consistently finishing in the bottom 25% of their events (3 events or 12 games played).
In Season Classification Guidelines:
Team classifications are based on power rankings, tournament results and by overall team performance on the field. Team classifications will be reevaluated throughout the season to ensure we have teams in the appropriate class of play. Review dates will be as follows:
Dec 1st
April 1st
May 1st
June 15th (rosters locked)
Please note, teams may be reclassified at any time by the Great Lakes Regional Committee if warranted prior to the review dates above. When a team’s classification is changed, they will be grandfathered for 1 week at their previous classification level. This will prevent teams from having to find tournaments at the last minute if the event they are entered in does not have the higher level of classification.
Classification Guidelines: If two or more of the below benchmarks are met by your team, the team will be moved up or down to the next higher/lower classification.
Criteria to Move Up: (A minimum of 2 events and/or 8 total games played. If, after playing in two events, the team has not played 8 games, a third event may be required to evaluate a team.)
- Team accumulated a power ranking of 1,300+
- Team had an in-class record of .700 or higher.
- Team finished 1st or 2nd in 3 or more events, regardless of sanction (Number of teams in the event and competition will be considered)
- Team had an in-class run differential of 5 or more
- Team placed in the top 25% while playing at a higher class
- In Ohio, winning two (2) class C or four (4) Class B events will warrant an automatic move-up to the next level.
Criteria to Move Down: (A minimum of 8 scored games)
- 400 or less power ranking
- In class record of .300 or less
- Run differential of -4 or more
Classifications and National Tournaments:
IF YOUR TEAM IS A BUBBLE TEAM AND YOU FEEL THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT AT SOME POINT DURING THE SEASON YOU COULD BE MOVED UP TO A HIGHER CLASSIFICATION, THEN REGISTER YOUR TEAM FOR A NATIONAL EVENT THAT OFFERS MULTIPLE CLASSIFICATIONS FOR YOUR AGE DIVISION. THE GREAT LAKES REGIONAL CLASSIFICATION COMMITTEE WILL NO LONGER ALLOW TEAMS TO PLAY DOWN IN A CLASSIFICATION AT A NATIONAL EVENT DUE TO THAT EVENT NOT HAVING YOUR CLASSIFICATION. PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN REGISTERING FOR NATIONAL EVENTS.
National Tournament Qualification:
8U teams through 14B teams are required to meet the below qualifications standards to attend a national tournament. EXCEPTION is Space Coast World Series (SCWS). SCWS is an open enter event meaning any registered USSSA team can attend.
- Finish in the top 25% of a USSSA “Qualifier” event (all events award a minimum of 2 berths) OR
- Finish in the top 30% of a USSSA “NIT or State” event (All State or NIT events award a minimum of 3 berths) OR
- Accumulate 150 USSSA points OR
- Participate in a minimum of 3 USSSA Qualifiers in state or out to earn an at-large berth to a National Event.
14A teams through 18A teams, can attend any National event without meeting the above standards. If a team has not played in any USSSA events prior to attending a National Championship, they are required to play in the A division at a national tournament.
USSSA ELITE SELECT (USSSAES) Requirement of “A” Classification:
Teams who do not meet the criteria to be advanced to the next level of competition will not be allowed to reclassify as an A or USSSSAES team for the sole purpose of competing in a USSSAES event. USSSAES events are for teams who can consistently compete at the A or open level.
C Program Mission Statement:
The C division has been designed to provide an environment where teams can be introduced to travel softball, have an enjoyable experience, and develop as players. It is USSSA’s hope that the team will at a point in the future, move up in level of play. However, USSSA does not forbid a team from playing at these classifications, if the team continues to fit the model for any length of time as a youth fastpitch team.
