Sports

Softball
The Diocesan Tournament will be held on July 21 in Damiansville. There was not a lot of interest in getting a team together from the three Belleville parishes, but if that has changed, please let me know ASAP.

Other notable items about softball include...

USSSA Slow Pitch Softball Rules will be followed with the following exceptions:
Teams shall field 5 boys and 5 girls
Teams at bat must have a line-up of 5 boys and 5 girls at all times. They may bat in any order. In substituting, a boy must replace a boy and a girl replace a girl.
Bases are 60 feet apart and the pitching distance 46 feet from home plate. A slow pitch must be used with the minimum arch of 3 feet and the maximum arch of 10 feet from release. A foul ball on the third strike is an automatic out. A mat will be used to call balls and strikes. The mat should be 18" wide and 36" from the back point of the plate.
No bunting or stealing allowed. A runner may not leave the base until the ball is hit by the batter.
In the event of an intentional/declared walk, the next batter has the option of hitting or taking the base.
Only restricted flight 12 inch balls will be used.
No slide or contact will be allowed at home plate. If this occurs the runner is out.
The ruling of an umpire is final.
A player who is on a high school team may not participate in Diocesan sports unless their high school season has been completed (i.e. all scheduled games are completed and the school has been eliminated from post-season play.) This is an IHSA rule and is strictly enforced.

Volleyball
The Diocesan Tournament will be held on December 2 (or 9 if weather is an issue). Location TBA, and there will be a Deanery tournament at least two weeks prior to the Diocesan Tournament.

Items to know for Volleyball include...

Six players on a team, at least two must be male, but no more than three males on the court at any time.
Rally Scoring will be adapted as follows: A match will consist of the best 2 out of 3 games. The first team to score 25 points wins. In the event of a tie, you must win with a lead of 2 points.
There is no server's box, players must serve from behind the baseline.
Free substitution method, but only one player at a time. The substitute must go to the position the server would take on the next rotation.
It is illegal for a male player to spike the ball. A spike is defined as a play in which the ball is hit forcibly into the opponent's court from above the top of the net. If a male player spikes the ball twice in the same game, he will be ejected from that match.

Basketball
The Diocesan Coed Basketball Tournament will be held on February 16-17, 2008 in Nashville, IL. There will be a Deanery tournament at least two weeks prior to the Diocesan Tournament.

Other details about this sport include:

Games will consist of four, eight-minute quarters
There must be at least 2 girls on the floor at all times for a team
Team rosters must be final 10 days before the tournament, no changes can be made
Players must have a reversable or two-color jersey system with a number on it.
A player who is on a high school team may not participate in Diocesan sports unless their high school season has been completed (i.e. all scheduled games are completed and the school has been eliminated from post-season play.) This is an IHSA rule and is strictly enforced.