Senior Guidelines

2025 USSSA SENIOR CHALLENGE CUP GUIDELINES

SENIOR NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Vic Rivera
Clay Dickey
Sean Melvin (National Advisor)

DATE: February 20-23, 2025 (THU-SUN)

USSSA MEN’S & WOMEN’S SENIOR 35/40/50/55/60 DIVISIONS

• Men’s & Women’s 35 COMPETITIVE/RECREATION
• Men’s & Women’s 40 COMPETITIVE/RECREATION
• Men’s & Women’s 50 COMPETITIVE/RECREATION
• Men’s 55 COMPETITIVE/RECREATION
• Men’s 60 COMPETITIVE/RECREATION

Players must have played USSSA or GSL in 2024 (Senior, Slow Pitch or any Specialty program) with the exception of no events being offered within 200 miles from a team’s registered address. Each State’s eligibility requirements will differ from State to State based on number of events offered within the State. Check with your State Director regarding eligibility. Exception(s) must be granted by the State Director and approved by the Senior National Committee. This is Senior Challenge Cup year FOUR, so count on exceptions being made by our Senior National Committee. Players MUST be in good standing with USSSA & the State Director.

# OF TEAMS PER STATE: Teams are allowed to send TWO teams per division, per age group. EXAMPLE: AZ can send two Men’s 40 COMP & two Men’s 40 REC.

SCHEDULE: We will release the schedule 10 days prior to the start date. We will post projected start times for each age group & class January 20, 2025. We will have age group projected starts prior to the release date, so please email [email protected]

PLAYER MUST HAVE BEEN AGE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR AGE GROUP DURING THE 2024 SEASON.

• 35’s must have been born 1989 or earlier
• 40’s must have been born 1984 or earlier
• 50’s must have been born 1974 or earlier
• 55’s must have been born 1969 or earlier.
• 60’s must have been born 1964 or earlier

Players aging into an age group in 2025 (AGING UP RULE): The aging up rule (after 2024 USSSA Senior World Series) only applies for the 2024 off-season and 2025 Senior regular season, NOT Challenge Cup. 2025 Challenge Cup is tied to the 2024 season and is meant to recognize the best ELIGIBLE players and program supporters for the 2024 season. EXAMPLE: a 39-year-old born in 1975 (turning 40 in 2025) is NOT eligible to participate on the 40+ Challenge Cup team, BUT can participate with the 35 Challenge Cup team.

FORMAT: Two seeding games then a double elimination play-off. We will do everything possible not to combine divisions and/or age groups, but there is always a possibility we may combine for SEEDING GAMES ONLY with no equalizer, then split teams into their own age/division play-offs. If the need arises, the Senior National Committee will determine how we will proceed for divisions with less than FOUR teams. The deadline to enter the event is January 19th, 2025, so the Senior National Committee will have enough time to decide how we need to proceed. Event will start Thursday due to extended time limits and projected increased participation.

REGULATION TIME LIMITS:

SEEDING GAMES – 65 MINUTES THEN OPEN INNING (MERCY RULE APPLIES)
PLAY-OFF GAMES – 70 MINUTES THEN OPEN INNING (MERCY RULE APPLIES)
CHAMPIONSHIP & IF GAMES – NO TIME LIMIT (MERCY RULE APPLIES)
MEN’S GAMES (LARGEST DIVISIONS) WILL START THURSDAY NOON (LAST YEAR REC STARTED FIRST)
WOMEN’S GAMES (ALL DIVISIONS) WILL START FRIDAY AM

ROSTER DEADLINE: Preliminary online rosters will be due January 1st, 2025. Online roster must be finalized BEFORE January 19th, 2025. We understand emergencies occur, so all emergency changes must be emailed to [email protected] after January 19th, 2025.

ENTRY FEE PAYMENT: Teams will be allowed to enter without payment, but the entry fee will be due NO LATER THAN February 1st, 2025. We understand situations occur that require a payment extension. Please communicate any delays to [email protected]

TEAM CLASS REGISTRATION: State Directors will need to email a list of Senior Challenge Cup teams for their state with the appropriate age group/division (COMP or REC), manager name, manager cell and email. Teams will be created and managers will be notified team is ready for their online roster. We are in the process of adding the two new Senior Challenge Cup classes to the system.

MEN’S COMP CLASS: Players rostered on Senior Major or Senior Major Plus team(s) as well as drop down Major class players on AAA teams in 2024 can only participate in the COMP class. Players with a 2024 PRV (Player Rating Value) in USSSA/GSL of C ELITE or higher can only participate in the COMP class. Players actively participating on a Slow Pitch Conference roster in 2024 can only participate in the COMP class.

WOMEN’S COMP CLASS: Players rostered on Senior Major or Senior Major Plus team(s) as well as drop down Major class players on AAA teams in 2024 can only participate in the COMP class. Players with a 2024 PRV (Player Rating Value) in USSSA/GSL of C ELITE or higher can only participate in the COMP class. Players actively participating on a Slow Pitch Conference roster in 2024 can only participate in the COMP class.

MEN’S REC CLASS: Players rostered on Senior AAA or Senior AA team(s) in 2024 can participate in the COMP or REC classes. Drop down Major class players on AAA teams in 2024 can only participate in the COMP class. Players with a 2024 PRV (Player Rating Value) in USSSA/GSL of C or lower can participate in the COMP or REC classes. Players actively participating on a Slow Pitch Conference roster in 2024 CANNOT participate in the REC class. Players with no PRV will be given a PRV based on player history. Players under classed will be reviewed by our Senior National Committee and will be adjusted.

WOMEN’S REC CLASS: Players rostered on Senior AAA or Senior AA team(s) in 2024 can participate in the COMP or REC classes. Drop down Major class players on AAA teams in 2024 can only participate in the COMP class. Players with a 2024 PRV (Player Rating Value) in USSSA/GSL of C or lower can participate in the COMP or REC classes. Players actively participating on a Slow Pitch Conference roster in 2024 CANNOT participate in the REC class. Players with no PRV will be given a PRV based on player history. Players under classed will be reviewed by our Senior National Committee and will be adjusted.

NEIGHBORING STATE RULE FOR CHALLENGE CUP ONLY (WITH RESTRICTIONS): Neighboring states are states that are touching. California, Texas, and Florida are the only three states restricted to recruiting ONLY players residing in the state they are representing. All three states have three areas within their state and can build a team to represent each area. Players residing in a RESTRICTED STATE can’t play on teams outside their State including neighboring States.

All other states may recruit players from neighboring states to fill a state Challenge Cup team with the exception of players from RESTRICTED STATES (CA, TX, FL). If you are unsure whether a player is eligible, please contact your State Director or [email protected]. SPECIAL NOTE: Players being recruited by a neighboring state team outside their own state are eligible to be recruited if they HAVE NOT been invited to participate on their own state team AND have approval from their State Director NO EXCEPTIONS. Managers must confirm the neighboring State Director approval prior to adding the player to the roster. Players refusing to play for their own state WILL NOT be eligible to participate in Challenge Cup. If a state has no USSSA or GSL State Director or program, approval will not be required (please check with Vic). This is a hot topic, so managers are 100% responsible for player compliance to the guidelines.

Our preference is teams recruit players from multiple teams within the state, but we will make exceptions for states with limited number of teams. Players must have a valid/current State ID to qualify as residing in a State.

Due to Hawaii’s unique circumstance and extremely limited player pool, Hawaii will be allowed to recruit Hawaiian born players living in the States with approval from the State Director in the State they currently reside in. Teams representing other countries (example: Canada, Mexico, etc.) will be restricted to players residing within their country’s borders.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION: If a Challenge Cup team doesn’t qualify for our REC class, we will place the team in the COMP class. We will give the manager an opportunity to adjust the roster prior to moving the team back to their desired class. Our Senior National Committee will review REC rosters to ensure ineligible players don’t get overlooked. Each player’s State will be listed on the online roster. If a player doesn’t comply with the neighboring or restricted State rule, we will remove the player from the roster. We will give the manager a chance to provide proof of residence prior to adding player back on roster. If you have any questions, please contact your State Director or contact [email protected].

ALL TEAMS MUST BE PREPARED TO PLAY AT THE RELEASED PROJECTED START FOR EACH DIVISION. WE CAN NOT TAKE SPECIAL REQUESTS.

SENIOR PLAYING & EQUIPMENT RULES: Rules will be adjusted to fit our two class (COMP & REC) model and posted under EVENT INFO on our Senior Challenge Cup event page. Most of the high-level playing rules will remain the same.

Balls & Pitching Screens (optional) will be provided on every field. We will provide the regulation 7×4 I-Screen on all fields. Use will remain optional for each team. Pitching screen marker will be painted on the field to ensure proper screen placement. This will eliminate placement debates.

Approved Senior bat manufacturer list will be posted under EVENT INFO on our Senior Challenge Cup event page.

We will test all 240 & 220 stamped bats for the 35+ classes ONLY. They must meet 220 compression standards. Passed bats will be stickered. Any 35+ player that steps in the batter’s box with an unstickered bat will be DQd from the event.

NEW EXCEPTION: 60+ players in 2024 intending to play on a 40 or 50 team may be eligible to participate in the REC class. Please note, we will confirm the player class and skillset prior to confirming/approving any exception.