Co-hosting or Hosting Tournaments

Most USSSA tournaments in CT are run by the CT USSSA State office. Running a successful tournament is not easy. USSSA works very hard to maintain a standard of excellence and consistency. USSSA prefers that tournament hosts be independent, impartial and experienced tournament directors. USSSA recognizes that teams would like to be involved in hosting events and we have developed the co-host process. This process allows a team to be involved in every USSSA-run event in CT with zero risk, little effort while raising substancial money for their team. In 2011 every event in CT used a co-host. Most co-hosts made $1,100 for their efforts. See the co-hosting details below. However, there may be some opportunites for tournament directors and in some cases, teams or organizations, to host their own USSSA tournament. See the hosting details below.

Co-hosting Process:

  1. Contact CT USSSA State Fastpitch Director, to discuss your interest to co-host a tournament that the CT USSSA state office will run.
  2. CT USSSA is responsible in all aspects of running the tournament except for the co-host responsibilities.
  3. Co-host responsibilities at CT USSSA run tournaments.
    • Provide the labor to rake and groom fields in between each game and extra labor if raining.
    • Monitor action at each field and report to the tournament director any issues that need attention.
    • Provide volunteers to assist set-up and break-down of the USSSA merchandise tents and provide at least 1 person per shift work with USSSA staff.
    • Provide one person from the team, who is not a coach, to be responsible for all volunteer workers.
  4. CT USSSA will pay the co-host the following:
    • For tournaments with 10 teams or less in all divisions combined no co-host is typically used, but is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
    • For tournaments with 11-15 teams in all divisions combined, the co-host will be reimbursed the value of the tournament entry fee (typically $450 to $550).
    • For tournaments with 16 teams or more in all divisions combined, the co-host will be reimbursed the value of the tournament entry fee (typically $450 to $550) plus be paid $100 for each field used in the tournament. Typically 16 teams use 4 fields, 20 teams use 5 fields and 24 or more teams use 6 fields. 
    • Co-host will receive a berth to the USSSA World Series “A” or “B” to be determined by CT USSSA State Fastpitch Director and team head coach.

Hosting Process:

  1. Contact  CT USSSA State Fastpitch Director,  to discuss your tournament, reserve your date and age level. All tournaments in CT in 2011 will be qualifiers for USSSA World Series events.  The host team will receive a berth to the USSSA World Series “A” or “B” to be determined by CT USSSA State Fastpitch Director and team head coach.
  2. Once the date, location and levels are decided and secured, teams can create and post the tournament on the USSSA website. The team will be sent a tournament contract and this must be signed and returned to the CT USSSA state office with the $250 sanctioning fee. Tournaments are provided insurance free from USSSA as an approved host.
  3. When posting their tournaments, teams can decide if they want to allow USSSA to accept credit card payments on behalf of the team for tournament fees. The tournament hosts incurs all the costs and keeps all the profits from any tournament. CT USSSA is only paid the sanctioning fee when setting up the tournament.
  4. Once the tournament is posted it is checked by the CT USSSA State Fastpitch Director and approved. Then the tournament becomes live on the USSSA website and teams can register. The host can then use the website to track registrants, email teams directly, create and post pool play schedules and create and post elimination brackets.
  5. At the conclusion of the tournament it is imperative that the tournament host enter all results accurately from both pool play and elimination play on the USSSA website. This is a key advantage of USSSA that this information is always available to any team to view past and current tournament results.
  6. Once the tournament has been approved, the tournament director must contact the USSSA CT State Umpire-in-Chief, Mike Almeida, to arrange for umpires for the tournament. Teams do not have to worry about securing umpires for their tournament. This is only done by the USSSA CT State Umpire-in-Chief. If there are umpire boards or assignors teams are accustomed to using please coordinate that with the CT State Umpire-in-Chief. Every accommodation will be made to allow you to use the umpire crews and assignors you already use. However, it is the CT State Umpire-in-Chief's responsibility to ensure that the umpires are used for any event are qualified and registered with USSSA. Ultimately he has the final say on what umpires are used at any tournament. ANY UMPIRES USED IN ANY USSSA TOURNAMENT MUST BE REGISTERED WITH USSSA OR TOURNAMENT HOST INSURANCE PROVIDED TO THE  HOST IS NULLIFIED. Please work with the CT State Umpire-in-Chief to make sure all umpires are USSSA registered.
  7. 2 umpires MUST be used in all games and at all levels.
  8. Tournament hosts will pay umpires, assignors and the UIC directly at the games in cash or by check.
  9. These are they fees for USSSA umpires.
    • $45 for each umpire for each game.
    • The umpire assignor is assigned by the CT State Umpire-in-Chief and is the person who arranges all the individual umpires for the tournament. The assignor is paid 6.5% of the total amount of umpire fees. For example if there are 50 total games the umpire fee would be  $45 x 2 (umpires) x 50 games = $4500. The assignor is then paid 6.5% of that or $292.50.
    • Every USSSA tournament must have an Umpire-in-Chief (UIC). This is an umpire approved by the CT State Umpire-in-Chief that will be at the tournament for EVERY game but not umpiring. They are there to manage the umpires, settle disputes, interpret rules when needed, settle protests when needed and help and evaluate less senior umpires. They will also report back to the CT State Umpire-in-Chief about outstanding umpires so these can be noted for possible use in the state, regional and national USSSA events.The UIC is paid 6.5% of the total amount of umpire fees. For example if there are 50 total games the umpire fee would be  $45 x 2 (umpires) x 50 games = $4500. The UIC is then paid 6.5% of that or $292.50.