Preseason Softball Memo – Released 4/7/2010

Coaches, a reminder that until the first legal practice date – Monday, May 10 – pitchers and catchers may VOLUNTARILY practice pitching and catching with you. No bats, helmets, or pitching machines are to be used.

8^th grade students may legally practice and scrimmage with the high school squad beginning May 10 and may legally compete with the high school squad beginning May 24.

6^th grade students may not legally practice or compete with the junior high team until they have graduated from 6^th grade. We are well aware of the situation many schools are facing with the prolonged school year due to snow days, but we have no leeway on this rule.

Please take the time to review the PowerPoint presentation about DP/Flex and line-up card management that is posted in the softball and officials information sections of our website. Emily Alexander, one of the best softball umpires of our time, put this outstanding presentation together. She covers numerous common DP/Flex and other substitution situations, and I hope all coaches and umpires will take the time to view this presentation. It is a great tool to help you learn this rule. Our new line-up card is also posted in both sections on our website. Please feel free to print this card to practice proper line-up card management while you’re viewing the PowerPoint.

We’ve gone back to NFHS rule requiring umpires to inspect equipment prior to each game. Coaches, you might consider laying your bats, helmets, and catcher’s masks/helmets in front of your dugout for inspection prior to taking infield. This will keep the umpires out of your dugout and make for less congestion. Bats without a visible 2004 ASA certification mark and those on the ASA non-approved list are illegal. Batting helmets must have a visible NOCSAE stamp and legible exterior warning label, must not be broken, cracked, dented, or altered, and must have a face protector affixed with “Meets NOCSAE Standard.” Equipment inspection only takes a minute and is for the safety of the players. Please don’t argue with the umpires if they rule a piece of equipment illegal. A small crack in a helmet is still a crack. If it’s cracked, it’s illegal. If a bat doesn’t have a visible certification mark, it’s illegal. Judgment isn’t involved here. It either meets the standards and is legal; or it doesn’t, and it’s illegal.

Umpires, if you plan to attend the umpire clinic at Johnston Middle School next Saturday, April 17, please email me ASAP, so I can get you signed up. We currently have over 120 umpires registered, and we’ll take as many as are interested. Image Sport, our official merchandise supplier, will have a booth set up over the 11:45 – 12:00 break for officials who would like to purchase umpiring shirts.

Coaches, if you plan to attend the clinic, please get your registration to Joy Gross by Friday…if you don’t get your registration in by Friday, you can’t win door prizes!!!

The online softball rules meeting and exam will be posted on our website Monday, April 19 and will be available until Thursday, May 19. All head varsity coaches and umpires desiring to work varsity softball must either view the online meeting by May 19 or attend the clinic and rules meeting in Johnston on April 17. Exam answers will be posted Friday, May 20.

I hope your spring is going well so far – softball season is just around the corner!

Joel Oswald

Assistant Director