Out-of-Catchment Athlete Policy

North Shore Baseball Association Out-of-Catchment Athlete Policy

Electronic Copy – Revision 1 (November 2025)

To maintain fairness and ensure the integrity of our local baseball community, NSBA accepts a limited number of out-of-catchment athletes for competitive (AA/AAA) tryouts under specific conditions. The following rules and procedures apply:

ELIGIBILITY & RELEASE REQUIREMENTS

• Out-of-catchment athletes may only tryout for A (i.e. Summer A), AA or AAA levels, providing that their home association does not provide the level of play or they have been released from that tier.
• Interested players must submit a Preliminary Tryout Release from their home association (as per BCMBA’s Player Movement / Release rules) at least 5 business days before the first tryout.
• The release must clearly specify which levels the player may try out for.
• Once the tryout period begins, amended or late release requests will not be accepted.
• If an out-of-catchment athlete has a release for AAA, but is not selected to the AAA roster, they must return to their home association for that season.

ROSTER PREFERENCE, LIMITATIONS, & DISCRETION

• NSBA reserves the right to exclude out-of-catchment players in roster decisions−even if their tryout ranking is high−if other factors (e.g. team balance, development goals, logistics) justify that decision.
• Priority in selection is given to in-catchment NSBA athletes, subject to equal evaluation merit.
• Any limits on the number of out-of-catchment players (per team/level) that BCMBA has instituted (for example, a maximum “import” number) will be adhered to. (Note: BCMBA bylaws currently allow a maximum of three (3) out-of-catchment players.)

APPROVAL & FINAL DECISION

• After submitting a valid release, the out-of-catchment candidate must participate fully in the tryout process.
• Final approval lies with the NSBA Executive, who may consult with coaches, development staff, and other decision-makers, including the divisional selection committee.
• NSBA will notify the applicant in writing whether their tryout and release have been approved before the team rosters are finalized.

REGISTRATION & COMMITMENT

• If approved, out-of-catchment athletes must register with NSBA in their assigned division.
• NSBA expects out-of-catchment players to commit to the association for the full season unless exceptional circumstances arise.
• Should a catchment boundary or eligibility dispute emerge, NSBA may require proof of residence or other documentation to resolve the matter.

EXCEPTIONS & SPECIAL CASES

• In age groups or levels where BCMBA allows boundary flexibility (e.g. 18U AAA or College Prep where catchment limits are less rigid), NSBA may grant exceptions with streamlined release procedures, provided they align with BCMBA rules and timelines.
• Any exception must still include written approval from NSBA and the relevant BCMBA authority, where required.

For further information, view the latest BC Minor Baseball Rules, see section 6.01, 6.02 and 7.07 at https://www.bcminorbaseball.org/rulesbooks

BC Minor Baseball Boundaries: Association Boundaries