NWIBL has changed a few rules
relating to tryouts.
Tryout Rules
1. All tryout players need to have their dues paid
before the draft. If the dues aren't in, they will
not be added to the draft able list of tryout
players for the draft. This will give
the League ample time to make sure all payments are
received, finalize the list of draftees and
distribute it to all Managers This requirement will
be conveyed to the tryout players many times.
2. Teams will have their Team Deposit paid before
the can draft a tryout player on draft day.
Online Registration
You may register online, which includes agreeing to
the terms of the Waiver of Liability. It takes only
a few minutes. Just go to our home page at
www.NWIBL.com and follow the links. You can pay
dues at this time with a credit card or mail in a
check. Until you pay in full, your registration is
considered pending. The League strongly urges all
players to register electronically by using the
link on our homepage.
Is the Waiver of Liability
important?
It's not simply important, it's mandatory (no
exceptions). Your GM, President Tom Evans Krause or
Player Agent Scott Dillinger will have hard copies
of Registration Forms as well and Waivers of
Liability if you cannot register electronically.
The League strongly encourages online electronic
registration with electronic signature as opposed
to filling out the hard copy.
Will my information be kept
confidential
Your e-mail address we ask for is used only by the
League so you may receive pertinent League
information. Your e-mail address is not sold to any
outside agency. This policy is strictly enforced by
League officials.
How many Tryout sessions must
I attend?
One is enough, however, it is always better to
attend a couple so all the General Managers get a
good look at your skills. It also tells them that
you are enthusiastic about playing. And, of course,
if you wait until the last tryout session and it
rains, you’re out of luck.
What must I do at Tryouts?
Just relax and have fun. You will be asked to
demonstrate your skills as related to your desired
position(s). This may mean hitting, running,
throwing and fielding. Running will be voluntary,
but if you show off good foot speed, it is an
excellent skill for senior players. If you are a
pitcher or catcher, you will, of course, be asked
to pitch or catch. You should try out for all the
positions you want to play in the NWIBL.
Don’t "sandbag" or hide your skills so some General
Managers will overlook you in the hope you can get
on another team of your choice. If you are caught
(and you will be) you will not be able to play in
the League for at least two years, and there will
be no refund of your player dues.
Tryouts - When and Where
If you wish to play (and you are not on a team
yet), you must attend at least one (1) tryout to be
eligible to be drafted. All tryouts will be held
at Bellevue Community College,
3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue, WA 98007.
Ages 21+ try out from 9am-noon. Ages 35+
try out from 12-noon-2pm. Please check in
one-half hour before your start time.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
NWIBL Tryout #1
Saturday, March 21, 2009
NWIBL Tryout #2
Saturday, March 28, 2009
NWIBL Tryout #3
Saturday, April 4, 2009
NWIBL Annual Draft
- Sport Restaurant & Bar, Seattle
Note: Three issues regarding the tryouts and draft
were implemented by the Board Meeting 2 years ago
(2/1/2005). It is highly recommended to read the
new
tryout rules that were introduced.
For an explanation on the difference between the
Divisions,
Click Here.
What if you do not get
drafted after trying-out?
Most players who pay the League registration dues
will get drafted, so you've got a great chance of
playing. In subsequent years some players move up
to a more competitive division after showing their
skills, or polishing their skills after many years
of inactivity. With 8 different age/skill
Divisions, we have room for most all ages and most
all levels of talent. If you do not get drafted, we
will promptly refund your money.
What if you get drafted by a
team and refuse to report?
Simply put, you don't get to play and you don't get
a refund. The NWIBL wants to ensure parity, which
is the reason for the NWIBL Draft. Before the
actual Draft, you need to decide if you really have
the time, desire and money to play. Certainly not
after! To be fair to the team drafting you, you
should be available to play in at least 75% of the
games. If you refuse to report after being drafted,
you will not be able to play in the NWIBL for two
(2) years. And there will be no refund of your
registration dues. If you “drop out” on the team
that drafted you, that team loses a valuable draft
pick and will be without a player for a full
season. Thus, the severe penalty.
Do you need to be in shape?
Like John Kruk of the Phillies once said, “I’m not
an athlete, I’m a baseball player.” So there is
hope for all of us. At this senior level, the
player who is in good condition can often times
outperform a more skilled player.
What if you have not played
for awhile?
Welcome to the crowd. Almost everyone now playing
in the NWIBL had not played for a number of years.
If you played some high school baseball, you
probably won’t have any trouble competing.
Actually, there are some good players in the League
who were outstanding athletes in other sports, but
never played baseball during their youth. Give it a
whirl; there is no cost to try out.
What about equipment?
Besides purchasing your uniform, there’s your
glove, cleats (metal or plastic) and other personal
gear that you must have. Most teams will have bats
to use, but these usually belong to individual
players. You are encouraged to have your own bat
and batting helmet. A helmet that fits can be
purchased for $15-40 from a baseball catalog or a
sporting goods store. Wood bats are optional,
unless you play in the 45+ Smoky Division or 55+
Adirondack Division, in which case wood bats are
mandatory. If using metal, no bat may have a
differential of greater than –3 and must be BESR
certified (Length can’t be more than 3 ounces
more than the weight in ounces).
For the Tryouts, you are strongly encouraged to
bring your own bat and helmet. Generally, each
catcher has his own equipment. Don’t forget to mark
your equipment in case it gets misplaced.
Where are the games played?
As the premier adult league in the area, we are
privileged to play on the best fields available in
the greater Puget Sound area. These fields are
located in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties.
They include Cheney Stadium, Husky Ballpark,
Bellevue Community College, Edmonds Community
College, Lower Woodland Park, Kent Memorial Park,
Peter Kirk Park, Bannerwood Sports Park, and many
others. The league will play approximately 850
games this season. We continually strive to improve
the overall field quality in our game inventory
through feedback from teams and by working with the
schools and communities who provide the venues.
When are the games?
Generally, teams will average two (2) games per
week over the regular season with fewer games in
May and June and more games in July and August.
Weekday games on unlit fields usually begin at 6:00
pm and at 7:00 pm or 7:30 pm at lighted fields.
Most games will last a full nine innings; a few
will end earlier due to darkness or field-specific
time limits.
Is there a minimum playing
time rule?
The NWIBL does not have such a League-wide rule,
but the Adams, Adirondack, Sierra, Rocky and Teton
Divisions have rules that regulate this. However,
we do encourage all our Divisions to be fair about
playing time because everyone pays to play. Many
teams have policies of playing every player who
shows up for the game both offensively and in the
field.
Rainouts
We'll have rainouts, no doubt. The League Rainout
Line is 425-644-1901. Every effort is made to post
rainout information at least 2 hours before the
scheduled first pitch. Obviously, at times this is
impossible. Be patient. Remember, you're not the
only one playing on any given day. Some Saturdays
or Sundays we'll be playing over 30 games
league-wide, so there are a lot of field conditions
to monitor. The rainout hotline can be called 24
hours a day. Some days it will be updated numerous
times. An effort will be made to contact the GM of
a team whose game is rained out, but at times this
can't be done. Every player is encouraged to call
the Rainout Line several times throughout the day.
What is the role of the
General Manager (GM)?
The GM is the key to the overall success of this
League. He is the main link between you and the
League, especially with respect to communications.
He must attend all monthly NWIBL General Meetings,
handle all administration and managerial functions.
The GM may appoint an on-the-field manager, but in
the eyes of the League the GM is the boss of his
team. Click up at top in the menu on General
Manager to learn more about the General Manager’s
role. However, the game strategy and decision
making responsibilities on game day are those of
the Field Manager, not the GM.
At the end of each season, every General Manager’s
performance may be reviewed by the League. It takes
a majority vote of the team’s players to "fire" a
GM, and they must have a qualified replacement for
the ousted GM. This may be done at any time.
Once on a team, can I change
teams?
No, not within your division, unless a suitable
trade can be worked out. You can request to be
traded at any time as long as both General Managers
agree and the League approves it. If you are
unhappy at the end of a season, you may go back
into the Draft the following year by trying out
again and, if you are selected, you can join
another team within that division. Once you are on
a team’s roster, you are no longer a free agent
within that division. For more information, please
read the
Player’s Rights document.
When is the Men's Senior
Baseball League (MSBL) World Series?
The MSBL World Series is played in Arizona and
Florida during the months of October and November.
Participation is voluntary. Some teams will bring
an "All-Star" team that is different than their
regular season team.
What umpires are used in the
NWIBL?
The best available. The same professional umpires
are used by the local high schools and colleges.
Like the players, they make mistakes, but
experience has proven that overall they make fewer
mistakes (both mental and physical) than the
players.
How does the NWIBL deal with
discipline?
The best approach is not to find out. We are very
severe to those who choose to not obey our rules.
For example, a player was suspended for 7 games
(with no pro rated refund) for spitting sunflower
seeds on an artificial turf field, which is against
the rules. Several players have been given lifetime
NWIBL bans for misconduct. If the rules say you
can't do something, don't do it. Because we are all
adults, every player is expected to conduct him or
herself beyond reproach. The excellent reputation
of our League allows us to play on the best fields
available. The NWIBL has established itself as
being more than just a "beer league", so there are
enormous penalties
(and possible expulsion from the League) for any
bad conduct on or near the playing fields. Ask for
a set of rules if you have any questions. Your
General Manager has a copy. They are on the website
as well. When administering any punishment, the
League will assume that you were fully aware of
these rules before any such violation occurred.
It’s not possible to register online without
agreeing to the
Rules of Conduct
When does the season begin
and end?
It generally runs from early-May to the end of
August. NWIBL Divisional Playoffs run for several
weeks in September. Previous attempts to start our
season earlier were met with too many rainouts and
a lack of playing fields which are occupied by
youth teams.
How about Holidays during the
NWIBL season?
There normally are no regular season games
scheduled on Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th
and Labor Day weekends. It is up to the team to
request to play on a holiday weekend before the
game schedule is finalized. Some NWIBL teams choose
to play in tournaments over the Memorial Day
Weekend, July 4th and Labor Day Weekend.
What Division(s) can you play
in?
It depends on your age. Whatever your age, you can
always “play down” into a lower age bracket,
assuming you are good enough. Unless you are an
exceptional player, we encourage you to stay in
your own age category. On the registration form you
may indicate whether you hope to play in the most
competitive division regardless of age or that you
prefer to play with players your own age.
Again, your calendar age applies in order to be
eligible to play. In other words, if your birthday
is on December 31st, whatever your age is at that
time qualifies you to play in the appropriate
Division / age bracket during that preceding summer
season. For example, if a player doesn’t become age
28 until December 31, 2009, he is still eligible to
play in the Cascade (28 and over) Division during
the 2009 season (as well as in any of the 21+
Divisions). There is no age restriction for female
players. They can “play up” despite the fact that
they may be younger than the required age bracket.
Can you play in two (2)
Divisions?
You can do this, however, you must pay two (2)
registration dues, with a discount applied to your
2nd team. The dues for your 2nd team are
approximately 80% the dues that's owed for your 1st
priority division team. You must indicate which
Division will be your priority team in the event
there is a game conflict in the schedule. This
enables the GMs on both teams to know your
intentions in advance.
What about Medical Insurance?
Each player is personally responsible for any
medical expenses as a result of an injury while
playing in the NWIBL. While the League has a
liability policy, it does not provide medical
insurance for players.
Whom should you contact if
you have any further questions?
Our website address is
www.NWIBL.com. The national organization’s (MSBL)
website is
www.msblnational.com. Questions should be only
directed locally, however.
Tom Evans Krause, League President, and Scott
Dillinger, League Player Agent, will be in charge
of the tryouts. Tom may be reached at
425-743-2751 (home) or 206-915-6369 (cell). Scott
may be reached at 425-210-4809.
The NWIBL telephone has a voice mail system which
will have important information and updates on the
Tryouts, Draft and other issues. The League
telephone number is
425-957-1430.
If and when you are drafted by a team, your main
contact will be your General Manager. In addition,
your Division’s Commissioner can also help. All
these names are on the home page.
All tryout sessions are FREE. Under no
circumstances will a player be allowed on the field
prior to filling out and signing a Registration
Form. For this, there are no
exceptions.
Thank you for interest and/or participation in the
NWIBL. We hope to see you at the tryouts!