Touching Bases

The Official Newsletter for Arizona ASA Umpires

Volume I - Issue 1 January 2014

Arizona Amateur Softball Association Umpires - 29834 N. Cave Creek Rd., Suite 118-294 Cave Creek, AZ 85331 602.999.9392

Geri Magwire, AZ ASA Umpires Webmaster says:

Visit our Web Site www.azasa.org Obtain information for 2014 Umpire Registration, the 2014 Rule Changes, ASA Umpire Insurance by Bollinger, the Organization of the AZ ASA Umpire Staff and contact information and much much more! We want your ideas and opinions too. Please e-mail me at azbluesoftball@gmail.com with suggestions.

2014 National Umpire School Coming to Peoria, AZ 21-23 Feb

TheASA/USASoftballNationalUmpireSchool(NUS)willbeheldattheRio VistaRecreationCenterandSoftballComplex2123February. ThepurposeoftheASANationalUmpireSchool(NUS)istodevelopeach student'sindividualtalentsandskillsasanumpire.Becauseofumpires interest,itisrealizedthatumpireshavetheprideandattitudeittakesto becomeoneofthebestsoftballumpiresinthenation.ThegoalofASAisto bringoutthebestinindividualumpiretalentandability. TheNUShelpsprepareumpirestogobacktotheirLocalAssociationsand homeareasandpassontofellowumpiresthemechanics,positioningand procedureslearnedattheNUS.ThegoalsoftheNUSistomaximizeuniformity inumpiringmechanicsthroughouttheU.S.andthisCANbeattainedby participantsattendingtheNUSandsharingtheknowledgeandexperiencewith otherumpires. TheNationalUmpireSchoolinPeoria,Arizonawillconsistofastaffoffour(4) InstructorsfromtheASA/USASoftballNationalUmpireStaff.Theinstructors forthisNUSare:MalcolmBoyles,DeputyDirectorofUmpires,Western Territory,GeneHarrison,SouthwesternRegion6UIC,RichardCrocker,Texas Region7UICandJoeRobinson,RockyMountainRegion13.Witharatioof approximatelyoneNationalUmpireStaffInstructorandhistwoStaff Assistantsper25students,eachparticipantwillbereceivinghandson personalinstructionthroughouttheschool. AttendanceattheNUSwillimproveumpireorganization,knowledgeumpiring, mechanicsandrulesknowledge. FormoreinformationontheNUSpleasevisitwww.azasa.org,clickonUmpire Informationtolearnmoreandtoregister.Questionsmayalsobeaddressedto theStateUIC/SchoolCoordinator,WallyLatallatwlatall@azasaumps.orgorat (602)9999392.Spaceisfillingupfastandislimitedsosignupnow!

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Joe Coates of Tucson, AZ Selected as an ASA/USA ELITE Umpire

CongratulationsJoe! Seecompletestoryon Page2

Sharewhatsnew,seephotosandupdates. FollowArizonaASAUmpiresonFacebookat:http://www.facebook.com/AzASAUmpires

Commissioner Fishel Announces Umpire Game Fee Increase

AZASAStateCommissionerDonFishel recentlyapproveda$2.00IncreaseinUmpire GameFees.InvitationalTournamentFeeswill gofrom$33.00perumpirepergameto $35.00perumpirepergame.State AssociationHostedChampionshipPlay(other thanNationalChampionships)gamefeeswill increasefrom$35.00perumpirepergameto $37.00perumpire.

Joe Coates Newest Addition to List of AZ ASA/USA Softball ELITE Umpires

Atthe2013ASACouncilMeeting914NovemberinOklahomaCity,OK,theNational UmpireStaffselectedJoeCoatesasanEliteUmpire.Joehasjoinedan"ELITE" groupofMenandWomenwithhisselectionasanAmateurSoftballAssociation "ELITE"Umpire.PleasejointheAZASAUmpireStaffincongratulatingthis outstandingArizonaASAUmpireforhissignificantaccomplishmentsandgreat achievement.TheArizonaASAUmpireStaffaswellasStateCommissionerDon Fisheltakesgreatprideinthesuccessofothersandwecouldnotbemorepleased andproudofJoe.HisselectionasEliteUmpireisatremendousaccomplishment consideringASAhasover30,000registeredumpiresandnow,aftertheselectionof the2013GroupofEliteUmpires,thereareonlyafewover400EliteUmpiresinASA. Withoutadoubt,JoeCoatesisnowamongtheBestoftheBest! ThisrewardprogramisthehighesthonoranASAumpirecanobtainotherthan selectiontotheASAHallofFame.Theprogramwaslaunchedin2003,with153 umpiresapprovedinFebruaryofthatyear. WiththeselectionofJoeCoates,ArizonaASAnowhas23ASA/USAEliteUmpires13 ofwhichremainsActive.InactiveAZASAEliteUmpiresinSlowPitchare:Charles Lundquist,DarrellMcRae,DickPetragallo,HaroldGilbert,Jr.,andMichaelValdez. InactiveFastPitchEliteUmpiresare:DaleWilson,LenFriedlund,MartyMakarand MichaelGump.ActiveAZASAEliteUmpiresinSlowPitchare:DanPeterson,Jim Bronson,RichardEddingsandSteveGibbs.ActiveEliteUmpiresare:AaronBurns, AndyWilliams,DonMcCombs,EmilyAlexander,GeriMagwire,JoeRobinson,Joe CoatesandoriginallyAZ,butnowOhio,TimCooper.AZASAhasthedistinctionof havingtwoUmpireswhobecameEliteinboththeSlowPitchandFastPitch Category;JeffKersch(Inactive)andWallyLatall(Active). FullinformationabouttheASA/USASoftballEliteUmpireProgramincluding QualifyingTournamentsandApplicationProceduresvisittheASA/USASoftball NationalWebSiteathttp://www.softball.org.

FeatureArticle in the next edition of

Touching Bases meetAndy
Williams,AZASADeputyUmpireinChief
andenjoyacandidinterviewinaQ&A format.UntilthenpleasecontactAndyfor opportunitiestotravelandworkinLasVegas, NV,Seattle,WAandPortlandOregon.

Have ASA/USA Softball Information at your Fingertips!

First Championship Tournament Huge Success at Fields at Papago Park Other Opportunities for many Umpires
Six(6)AZASACertifiedUmpireswereselectedandworkedtheFirstAZASA NationalQualifyingTournamentoftheyearon2526January2014.Representing theWestDistrictwasMikeSaboandrepresentingtheSouthDistrictwasJoePorter. UmpiresfromtheCentralDistrictincludedRichardBeals,KaseyBurns,TomManzo andMattOrlando.TheTournamentUmpireinChiefwastheStateDeputyUmpire inChief,AndyWilliams.Therewillatotalofsix(6)ChampionshipEventshostedby ArizonaASAin2014providingexcellentopportunitiesforourumpires.Theyare:
18UGoldFPRegionalQualifierJune0708Phoenix 16UAFPNationalQualifierMay2425Phoenix 16UGoldNationalQualifierJune0708Phoenix 16UFPRegionalHallofFameQualifierMay2425Phoenix AZASAA&BStateChampionshipsKingman,AZ ASA18UAFPWesternNationalChampionshipJul30Aug03Tucson

From the Plate of the State UIC, Wally Latall Mechanics Tip and Empasizing Rules MECHANICS TIP IS:
MovementfromtheplateinSlowPitchandFast Pitchonabattedballwithnorunnersonand onerunneronshouldbeexitingtotheleftofthe catchertotrailthebatterrunner.Trailthe batterrunnerslightlyinsidethefouldlineabout onethridthewaytofirstbasetohelptheBase umpirewithapuledfoot,swipetagorbobbled ball. ContinuedonPage3

InadditionaltotheseeventstherewillbeseveralotherTournamentsaroundthe StatethroughouttheyearincludingtheeverpopularannualBeattheHeatOpen InvitationalinPrescott2122JuneandtheBestoftheWestOpenInvitationalin Prescott1820July.ForacompleteTournamentlistingforAZASAHosted Tournamentsvisitboththeazasa.organdTournamentASAWebSites. Page2

Meet Your AZ ASA District Umpire-in-Chiefs

AZ ASA Establishes a Fourth District Western District and John Vecs Appointed as District UIC Ken Stoll Appointed District UIC of the Northern District with New boundries
TobetterserveourUmpires,TournamentDirectors,TeamsandParksand RecreationDepartmentsafourthDistricthasbeenestablished.ThisDistrict,which manywillrefertoastheRiverDistrictwillservetheArizonaCountiesofMohave, LaPazandYuma.TheDistrictUICandtheCountiesinArizonathattheyare responsibleforarelistedbelow. WestDistrictUICJohnVecsIncludestheCountiesofMohave,La PazandYuma;NorthDistrictUICKenStollIncludesthe CountiesofYavapai,Coconino,NavajoandApache;CentralDistrict UICRichEddingsIncludestheCountiesofMaricopaandGila; SouthDistrictUICTimJacksonIncludestheCountiesofPinal, Pima,SantaCruz,Greenlee,GrahamandCochise

Ken Stoll North District UIC

Tim Jackson South District UIC

2014 Umpire Registration NOW On-Line and Features On-Line Payment

Rich Eddings Central District UIC
Continued from Page 2

John Vecs West District UIC

From the Plate of the State UIC, Wally Latall Mechanics Tip and Empasizing a Rule RULES TIPS ARE: ExtraPlay(EP)SlowPitch:IfaTeamusesanEP
inmustbeindicatedonthelineupcardatthe startofthegame.TheTeammustendthegame with11playersofplaytheusingtheshort handedrule.All11palyersbat,butonly10can playdefense.Defensivechangesmaybemade atanytime,butthebattingordermaynotbe changed.

DesignatedPlayer(DP)andFlexFastPitch: AlwaysrememberthattheDPandtheFLEXmay NEVERbeonoffenseatthesametime. DelayedDeadBall:Therearefivesituationsin whichaviolationofarule,theumpirerecognizes theviolation,buttheballremainsaliveuntilthe conclusionofthepaly.Thosesituationsare:An IllegalPitch,CatchersObstruction,PlateUmpire Interferrence,Obstructionandwhenabattedor thrownballcontactsdetachedequipment.

AZASAUmpireWebMasterGeriMagwirehasannouncedthatthelongawaitedPay PalandCreditCardPaymentmethodsforUmpireRegistrationsisfinallyavailablefor theconvenienceofourUmpires.Thisisanocostfeaturetoourumpiresandthe 2014UmpireRegistrationFeeshaveremainedthesame;$55.00forCertified, $45.00forRegisteredand$30.00forYouth.StateUICWallyLatallsaidUmpire RegistrationFeesforAZASAareamongthelowestintheRockyMountainRegion13 andtheborderingAssociationsaroundourStatefromRegion14,NevadaASAand SouthernCaliforniaASA.TheASAisusinganewCompanyfortheBackground CheckssowhenregisteringitisveryimportanttothecompletetheFormaccurately andcompletelyandPRINTINGlegibly.Also,IfyouareanewUmpire,anUmpirewho DIDNOTregisterlastyear,ORifyouhavehadachangeinyourDriversLicense Information,suchasachangeofaddressoranewexpirationdate,youmustsubmita photocopyofyourdriverslicense.WiththeForm.UmpiresandParksand RecreationDepartmentswhopayfortheirumpireregistrationfeesareencouraged toregisterearly.TheonlymethodofRegistrationthisyearisonline.Handwritten RegistrationsFormswillnotbeaccepted.Theonlineprocessisvitaltocapture informationrequiredtosubmittotheNationalOfficeaswellastomaintain informationintheAZASAUmpiresDataBasethatassistsAZASAtomanageand administertheUmpirePrograminandefficientandeffectivemanner.IfanUmpire,a ParksandRecreationDepartmentoraLocalAssociationUmpireGroupneeds assistancewiththeOnLineUmpireRegistrationProcess,pleasecontactAndy Williams,viaawiliams@azasaumps.orgorbyphoneat(602)2920176.

UMPIRE ASA!
SeveralASAJOTournamentsotherthanChampionshipPlayareplannedfor2014 andprovidedanexcellentopportunitytoUMPIREASA!ForacompleteTournament listingforAZASAHostedTournamentsvisitboththeazasa.organdTournamentASA WebSites.SavethesedatesandUMPIREASA:March89(Tucson),April56 (Phoenix),May1718(Florence),May31June1(Pinetop),June1314(ShowLow), June2122(Prescott),July46(Pinetop),July1920(Prescott),August2324 (Prescott),September1314(Payson)andOctober2526(Cottonwood).Inaddition tothesedates,theAZUmpiresareplanningtwocharityeventsbenefittingCancer AwarenessandTheWoundedWarriorProject.
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YOU Make the Call! Legal or Illegal

ARIZONA ASA UMPIRES WORK DOUBLE HEADER FEATURING WOUNDED WARRIOR AMPUTEE SOFTBALL TEAM (WWAST) AND FCA ALL-STARS OnSaturday,14December2013,six(6)ArizonaASAUmpiresparticipatedinthe2013 GodandCountrySoftballEventatthePeoriaSportsComplex,SpringTrainingFacilityfor theSanDiegoPadresandSeattleMariners.ThiseventfeaturedtheWoundedWarrior AmputeeSoftballTeam(WWAST)playingaDoubleHeaderagainsttheFellowship ChristianAthletes(FCA)AllStarTeam.MembersoftheFCAAllStarsincludedNational SoftballHallofFamePlayersandOlympicGoldMedalistsDotRichardson(UCLA)and LeahOBrien(UniversityofArizona)andOlympicGoldMedalistShellyStokes(Fresno State). TheUmpireswereALLVeteransoftheArmedForceswiththeexceptionofonewhoisan Umpires and the Wounded Warrior Amputee EmployeewithaDepartmentofDefenseContractor,GeneralDynamicsandworks Softball Team (WWAST) at the God and Country closely withtheNavyandCoastGuard.Healsohasabrotherwhoisproudlyservingin Softball Event at Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, the United StatesMarineCorps.Betweenthesementheyhaveover100yearsof AZ 14 Dec 2013. Umpires pictured are Top Row dedicatedMilitaryServicetotheirCountryandover140yearsofumpiringexperience. Left: Rich Eddings, Top Row Center Mike Alexander, Top Right Row Tim Jackson, Center Theseumpiresproudlyworecapsofthebranchofserviceinwhichtheyservedor Row Right Wally Latall, Bottom Row Left Wayne representedandworetheASARedShirtthatsignifiesASASoftballHonorsVeteransfor Fulton and Bottom Row Right Shem Smalls seen theirService. holding his Grand Daughter, Payton. How Well Do You Know the Rocky TheUmpireswere:MikeAlexander,U.S.AirForce;RichEddings,representingonbehalf ofhisbrothertheU.S.MarineCorps,WayneFulton,U.S.Army,TimJackson,U.S.Air Mountain Region 13 UIC Joseph Force;WallyLatall,U.S.NavyandShemSmalls,U.S.MarineCorps. N. Robinson (Papa Joe) TheFCAmissionistopresenttocoachesandathletes,andallwhomtheyinfluence,the OurRockyMountainRegion13UmpireinChief, challengeandadventureofreceivingJesusChristasSaviorandLord,servingHimintheir JoeRobinsonhasbeenanASARegistered relationshipsandinthefellowshipofthechurch. Umpireforover47years.Heservedasthe ArizonaASAAssociationUmpireinCheffrom 1981until2007.In2007hewasappointedas ThemissionoftheWoundedWarriorAmputeeSoftballTeam(WWAST)istoraise RockyMountainRegion13UmpireinChiefand awareness,throughexhibitionandcelebritysoftballgames,ofthesacrificesand assuchbecameamemberoftheNational resilienceofourmilitary,andhighlighttheirabilitytoriseaboveanychallenge.Ourgoal UmpireStaff.HeisanASA/USASoftballElite istoshowotheramputeesandthegeneralpopulation,thattheseathletesthrough UmpireinSlowPitch,isamemberofthe extensiverehabilitationandtrainingareabletoexpresstheirdesiresandperformthe NationalIndicatorFraternityandhasattained sporttheyloved. theGoldLevelofExcellenceintheMedals Program.HispracticalexperienceattheASA TheWWASTiscomprisedofyoung,competitive,athleticveteransandactiveduty NationalChampionshiplevelhasincluded soldierswhohavelostlimbspost9/11,whileservingtheircountryinthemilitary/war. umpiringin19NationalChampionship Theteamincludesindividualswithavarietyofamputationsofthearm,aboveknee, TournamentsandseveringasUICatover16 belowknee,bilateralbelowknee,andfoot.Somearestillintheservice;othersare NationalChampionships.Joehasumpiredatall attendingcollegethankstothePost9/11GIBillwhileothershavemovedontonew levelsofMens,Womens,CoEdandJunior careers. OlympicFastandSlowPitchsoftballandtypes ofplayincludingleaguesandtournamentsand ThevisionofWWASTstatesthatathletesareexamplesofamputeeswhocontinueto militaryvarsityandintramuralleagues.Joehas pushthelimitsofmodernprosthetictechnologywithmoreandmoreapplications.Of umpiredHighSchool(NFHSAIA)andCollege, course,ourdreamwouldbethereturnofoursoldiersfromharmswaywithoutthe includingArizonaInterscholasticAssociation resultinglossoflifeandlimb.Untilsuchatime,ourvisionistosupportandhonorour (AIA)StateChampionshipPlayoffsandNCAA soldiersandveteranssacrifices,andtoshowotheramputeesandeveryonewhoseesor Division1andNJCAARegionalChampionships. hearsaboutusthatlifewithoutalimbislimitless. JoeumpiredtheWomensCollegeWorldSeries in1978,MajorMensFastPitchattheNational ThenationalWoundedWarriorAmputeeSoftballTeam(WWAST)representssomeofour SportsFestivalin1982andGayWorldSeriesin nationsbravestandmostdeterminedheroes,soldiersandveterans.Theseyoung 1993inAtlanta,GA.HeservedtheWestern extremelyathleticmenhavesustainedsevereinjuriesresultinginamputationwhile AthleticConference(WAC)andPacificCoast servinginthemilitary/war,andthroughextensiverehabilitation,theyhavebecome Conference(PAC10)asaConferenceSoftball competitiveathletesagain. Umpireduringtheperiodof1977to1983.Joeis alwaysavailableforruleinterpretationsand Theirarmornowincludesprostheticlegsandarms,alongwithextremeperseverance questionsregardingmechanicsandmaybe andattitude.TogethertheycomprisetheNATIONALWOUNDEDWARRIORAMPUTEE contactedbyemailatazasaump1@aol.comor SOFTBALLTEAM. onhismobilephoneat(520)9913494. Page4

WEB SITE LINKS

STAY INFORMED INSURANCE INFO VIEW PHOTOS AND VIDEOS LEARN ABOUT EQUIPMENT STANDARDS VIEW NONAPPROVED BAT LISTS

www.azasa.org www.arizonasoftballfoundation.org www.bollingerasa.com www.asasoftball.com/umpires www.azblueump.com(UmpUniforms&Equipment) www.nfhssoftball.arbitersports.com www.ahssug.org www.cactusumpires.com www.naso.org RockyMountainRegion13OtherAssociations www.coloradoasa.org www.nmasa.org www.utahasa.com

ForWyomingASAContactInformationuseLinkBelow RULE DIFFERENCES http://www.asasoftball.com/about/getContacts.asp?associd=77. RULE

CLARIFICATION AND PLAYS

UMPIRE UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT

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