2008 UMPIRE CLINICS  

LAST UPDATED 02-12-04

For Umpire Registration go to the Umpire Registration Page and print, complete and mail the form 

to Art Hill.

LAST UPDATE 04-21-03              PITCHING RULES, WHAT TO DO?

This always seems to be a touchy area for coaches, players and umpires.  What’s legal and illegal?  How many times have you heard, “ I’ve been pitching that way all year”?   I wish I had a dime for each time, and then I could really retire.  Or, “ no ones called that all year”.  The list goes on. 

The problem is they probably are right but don’t understand when they need to adapt to the rules when in Championship Play.  You see Rule 12 gives some latitude and flexibility to the rules for league and non-Championship play.

What does it say?  Rule 12  “ The ASA Softball Playing Rules shall only apply to ASA Championship Play.  Provided, however, in accordance with Article 204(B) of the ASA Code, ASA State/Metro Associations as other organizations may adopt or use all or any part of the ASA Softball Playing Rules, as they deem appropriate for use in Non-Championship Play.  The use of all or any part of such rules is strictly a local matter and such rules may be altered as league official deem appropriate or necessary to conduct Non-Championship Play.”

Your league may be lax in enforcing the pitching rule by mutual consent and that’s okay.  Leagues and non-championship events may institute rules for their purposes and its entirely legal for those events.

The rub comes to the State Championship Series, this is ASA Championship Play and the rulebook as written prevails.  Coaches, players, and umpires need to understand that and play and enforce the rules as written by the Governing Body of Softball, the ASA.  A lot of good people spend countless hours going over the rules and present changes each year at the National Council Meeting for the betterment of the sport.  Changes go through numerous committees for recommendations before they ever get to the floor for a vote, some don’t make it some do.  As coaches, players, and umpires, we have to set aside our views on the rules and play according to what the National Governing Body wants.  This is what the majority of the people all across the country have said how they want their game administered.  During Championship play we cannot set aside the rules and replace them with local or league rules.  It is imperative that all teams compete by the same standards for the integrity of the game.

This year’s emphasis for umpires and UIC’s will be the rules of play governing Championship Play, especially the pitching rules.  Wisconsin umpires used to be well known and respected for their knowledge and administering of the pitching rules, we need to get that respect back.

If you don’t agree with a rule, there is a process to change it.  You need to do your homework, prepare the rule how you would like to see it written, check the affect on other rules, present the rational for the change, and when it should take effect.  Then submitted it for consideration.  The best way is to submit it to the State Commissioner or player representative.

Let’s all play by the rules.

LAST UPDATED 04-21-03                BANNED BATS, MORE TO DO

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about along come banned bats.  What does it all mean?  What is the ASA Certification Mark?  What is the Re-Certification Mark?  What do they mean now.

The Rule states the following:

“Beginning January 1, 2000, in ASA Championship Play, players may use only those bats that meet all requirements of Rule 3, Section 1 of the ASA Playing Rules, and satisfies one of the following:

1.       bear an ASA approved certification mark; or

2.       are included on a list of approved bat models published by the ASA National Office; or

3.       in the sole opinion and discretion of the umpire, were manufactured prior to 1995 and, if tested, would comply with the ASA bat performance standards then in effect.”

 Now with the onset of banned bats the National Office issued an edict:

            “Until further notice otherwise, bats of the following models containing a ASA certification mark are no longer allowed in ASA Championship Play unless they contain the following ASA recertification mark.”

The recertification and certification marks are shown below along with the banned bat list and those, which can be recertified.

So what do we do?  Remember the rule states in Championship Play, if leagues and non-championship events don’t impose the ASA bat rule they could allow banned bats in their competition.  I would seriously re-think my position on liability and so must you as an umpire.  Five deaths were attributed last year to batted balls. 

The ASA web page http://www.softball.org/about/certified_equipment.asp has the approved bats and the banned bats list available.  I would bookmark it in my computer and visit it often for the current list of approved and banned bats before I went to an event. I will require all tournament UIC’s to have this list available on site for all State Tournaments.  The NCAA will be using these lists as part of their bat program for schools and umpires.

Understand that this is a safety issue.  Those who have the banned bats merely need to seen them back to the manufacture for recertification.  The manufacturers will retest or remanufacture the bats to meet ASA standards.  We could throw lots of stones to who’s at fault, why did it happen, etc.  Let’s not dwell on that and go forward and make sure things are safe for all concerned.

Be aware of your responsibility as an umpire and be safe.

Last updated October 12, 2002.

LAST UPDATED 04-21-03            ARE YOU READY TO UMPIRE

I get to read lots of publications on “do’s and don’ts” for umpires.  Some are common sense others are because we become lazy, especially in our appearance.

It doesn’t matter if you’re stepping on the field in a National Tournament or for league play, your appearance will say a lot about you.  First impressions are lasting impressions, how people perceive you is real to them.  If you give a sloppy and unkempt appearance they will assume you approach the game the same way.   Present a neat clean image and hustle to your positions to make calls and people will respect you more and the less trouble you’ll get during a game.

Know the rules.  You will have a load of confidence when you work a game knowing that you know the rules.  Spend some time in the book periodically to bone up on the rules.  Look in the case for examples of areas that you have a concern over.  Read the interpretations that come out over the course of a season and ask questions of your partners and UIC’s.

Here are some things I gleaned from various articles:

Do’s

Buy a new shirt, light blue and navy polo’s; the elbeco’s are history.

Buy a new cap, plate and base with the ASA logo, a dirty and sweat-stained cap does not make you a veteran, it makes you a slob.

Shine your shoes and bush them off before every game, shoe polish will not hurt the shoes and will prolong their life.

When brushing off the plate or bases, point your butt toward centerfield.

When working with a partner, communicate; your partner is your best first resource.

When you’re the base umpire, stay out in right field between innings, only come in when you have to talk to the plate umpire.

Get the call right, its not about saving face.

Don’ts

Fastpitch umpires don’t wear shorts

Fastpitch umpires do not wear your hat on backwards under the mask or umpire without a hat, get a plate hat.

Do not wear a ball bag on the bases.

No Umpire should wear a watch during a game.

Don’t pass the buck, if you made a mistake fix it go to your partner for help when needed, but not as a bail out if you’ve made a bad call.

Remember don’t look for trouble while you’re umpiring, it’ll find you all by itself.

LAST UPDATE 04-21-03                       UIC CHATTER

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and prosperous New Year.  Once again softball season is just around the corner, college seasons starting in February and high school shortly there after then league play and the summer ball season.

Some of you may have heard that I had a rough December.  Fortunately I went in to see the doctor over some chest pains and ended up having triple by-pass heart surgery on December 11^th.  I was lucky to have caught this before any damage could have happen to my heart.  The doctor tells me that I’m better than before and should be good for another 30 to 50 years.  It looks like you all will have to put up with me a little longer.

There are a lot of issues to cover this year affecting softball, rule changes, banned bats, pitching, etc.  Instead of trying to cover it all in this one article I’m trying something different and will spread the issues out over this paper is a series of shorter articles to make it easier to digest.  So make sure to read the whole paper so you don’t miss my articles.

When I accepted the position of State UIC the decision was to split the disciplines between Fastpitch/Modifted and Slow Pitch.  I took the Fastpitch and Jim Mitchell the Slow Pitch.  Jim has had to resign his position for personal reasons and we owe him our thanks for stepping forward and serving the as the State’s Slow Pitch UIC.  I have been asked to recombine the UIC position.  I have accepted that challenge and will provide my best effort to all of our softball umpiring needs.  Now some of you may ask what does he know about slow pitch?  Just a little back ground, for 30 plus years I have played, coached or umpired softball in all three areas, fastpitch, modified, and slow pitch.  Each element has its own flavor and I do like them all even when we tease each other.  As a point of information, this last June I was the ISF Liaison working the first Men’s Slow Pitch World Cup and first Co-ed Slow Pitch World Cup events.  I am familiar with game, but as with all things there isn’t enough time to do everything and I will need to rely on my Deputy UIC’s and others to help me manage the State’s Programs.  I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to meet new umpires.

I would like to thank Tim Townsend,  Dan Glodowski, Dick Buskov, Dan Sonnenberg, Lew Smith, Don Baumgart, and Tim Joly for the tournaments that they UIC’d last year for me.  Our State Tournament Series could not be as effective without their help and support.  I would, also, like to thank each one of you that helped out and umpired our State Tournaments; we couldn’t do it without you. 

We had some umpires last year that had an opportunity  work National Tournaments and I would like to take a moment and congratulate them.  Mike Michalsen worked the Boy’s Fast Pitch 18U, Lew Smith, Tim Joly got to Umpire the Men’s “A” Modified Fast Pitch National, Tom Ueberroth, Steve Komorowski the Women’s 23U Fast Pitch, John Peterson worked the Men’s Major Fast Pitch, and Mark Janik the Girl’s 18U “A” Fast Pitch.   Congratulations to all of our National Umpires they represented us very well; several had final game day assignments.  That speaks well for Wisconsin umpiring. Special note Mike Michalsen got the plate assignment for the Championship game, way to go Mike!!!

The National Umpire School held in Milwaukee last year was a great success with over 90 participants.  Tim Townsend and his staff did a great job in organizing this event and deserve our thanks for a job well done.  Tim Townsend showed his dedication to our sport with his efforts in organizing the school, assisting with the transition for the Metro back into the State program and his efforts in being an UIC and umpiring the Northern National Tournament.  For his efforts Tim was award the State Umpire of the Year Award for 2002, congratulations Tim!!!!!!  

Hopefully the umpire web page will be up and running this year.  I hope to have information on there of interest to umpires and a section for rule interpretations.  Check the web site often for tournament information and UIC assignments.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as can in my travels around the State and have another Great Season!!!!!!!!!! 

LAST UPDATED 04-20-03  NATIONAL UMPIRE SCHOOL

LAST UPDATED 04-20-2003

                                                            WISCONSIN STATE TOURNAMENT UIC'S