NCOA Softball 2018 Newsletter Vol6, Issue 1 Dec. 1, 2017 Let s Play Ball! Touching All Bases Welcome to you all as we get set for the holiday season along with the upcoming Softball Training Season. Get your holiday shopping done early. Make NCOA softball registration one of the gifts you are giving back to the game of softball. Also, help someone else get registered so they can help our cause of providing the best possible umpiring to the players and coaches. The 2018 Softball season REGISTRATION is now open! It must be done online. Log in at www.ncoa.arbitersports.com, click on the registration tab at the top of the homepage, then pick Softball NCOA NORTH (Sacramento). Important News: * Training is necessary to be certified to work CIF High School games. The Training program is a number of different activities and events that will begin in December with one of our Basic Boot Camps for our new or less experienced umpires. You must complete 18 hours of documented training for us to certify you to the CIF Assignors for assigning games. The 18 hours are state-wide requirements. Get it together and get your training planned so you don t get left out. * Training Options Adjusted. We have again adjusted the training hour credits this year a little bit. Check out options you have on the website or see details in this Newsletter for the Training Hour options for 2018. It is your responsibility to plan your training and communicate to us if you have issues IN ADVANCE. * A Basic Skills Boot Camp jointly sponsored by NCOA and the Greater Sacramento Softball Association (GSSA or USA Softball Sacramento) is continuing with three sessions starting in December. Only new and less experienced umpires will be registered for these. We will be hosted once again by the Sunrise Recreation and Park District at their Rusch Park gym. Thanks to our own Robert Morris for all of the site arrangements. Don Heyde is heading up this training element for NCOA in partnership with Mike Machovec and Dennis Hobart coming from the GSSA ranks. We will be focusing only on Plate mechanics and difficult situations on the field. Field mechanics will be at the On-Field Training Clinics. Check info in the Newsletter for final schedule.
* Only ONE General Meeting - January 8 th (MONDAY) 6pm 8pm at Jesuit HS * Regional Study Groups Facilitated Study Groups will meet again regionally for six weeks in Jan.- Feb. Mechanics are being expanded in the study materials. More on specific locations will be out in the next Newsletter. * On-field Training Clinics are back Back this year on three dates. Check in this Newsletter for info on registering. This is where we can do on-field training to help you polish your skills, both behind the plate and in the field. Full uniforms and equipment needed for the live scrimmages. We will be using the popular video as a tool. Rating Committee - The Training Team provided clarification on your ratings that were forwarded to the JSS Assignors for their use last year. The Committee will be at full strength of the first time in three years. Pete Dufour, Chair are joined by Rudy Aguillio, Phil Perkins, Gary Butler and Al Weihe from the Vacaville/Fairfield area. More information will be coming from the Committee in future Newsletters and at the first meeting. Uniform: Check out the article on uniform changes in this Newsletter. Leadership Team The NCOA Softball Leadership Team is made up of elected and appointed NCOA members. The elected members are (with term expiration): Co-Group Leaders Frank Moreno (19) and Carl Clark (20) NCOA Board representative Neil Hillel (20) Ombudsman Phil Perkins (18) Rating Committee Rudy Aguillio (18), Pete Dufour (18), Al Weihe (19), Phil Perkins (18), Gary Butler (19). Appointed Training Team members: Chuck Brabec (GSSA/USA Softball liaison), Gary Butler, John Diaz, Steve Everett, George Green, Jim Halstead, Don Heyde, Neil Hillel, Dennis Hobart, Mike Machovec, Tom Martin, Robert Morris, Kevin Okino, Dennis O Leary, Russ Patty, Rick Post, Rich Reynolds, Greg Savage, Tom Stanchek, Greg Walker, Al Weihe, Jack Wendell. Elections The Softball Group ratified changes in the election procedure and terms for the elected positions. Last year s elections found us making changes to the terms and drawing lots for the staggered terms. In following with the revised Policies and Procedures now that we are up-to-date, the following positions will be up for election this year: Rating Committee 3 positions (3-year terms) More info on the website will be posted soon. Check it out for info. We look forward to working with you to provide our schools the very best umpire services possible. NCOA Softball NORTH Frank Moreno and Carl Clark Co-Group Leaders
New This Year: Uniform New Jackets Required: NCOA is making a change in our uniform jacket this year. We are going with the Navy blue pullover/zip-up jacket with the piping on the shoulders. The piping is on a stretch panel with two white stripes and one wide powder blue stripe in the middle. (See photo.) It is the jacket that NCOA South wears and that college umpires wear. These jackets are warm, comfortable and look sharp! The reason for the change is that we have not been "uniform" in our plain Navy jackets; officials are wearing various colors, fabrics and styles. We have been in need of an upgrade to this part of our uniform for some time. If you want to be in consideration for post season assignments in 2018, you must have this style jacket. Beginning in 2019, this will be the only jacket allowed throughout the season. Cost of the jackets is approximately $45 for the lightweight version of the jacket, which is probably the one best suited for our climate. Jackets are usually sized to go over your chest protector, but be sure to check the sizing instructions from your vendor. You may want to get a second, smaller size for working the bases, but that is not required. Officials are on their own for ordering the jackets. Consider combining your jacket order with other purchases while updating your uniform, because some vendors provide free shipping for orders above $75-$100.
DRAFT Softball Sacramento 2018 Training Options Updated 10/4/17 Training Options (18hr. Required by CIF/SJS) # Hrs. Total All Umpires Recommended Credit Req. Hrs. Study Groups 4 of 6 4 2 ea 8 Classification Exam (required by CIF) 1 1 1 Webinar sessions 4 of 6 4 1 ea 4 Recommended for New umps & optional for 200 500 Ratings On-Field Clinic 1 3ea Recommended for New umps & optional for 300-500 Ratings Basic Skills Boot Camp 1 3 ea Optional Training Hours General Meeting 2 Vet. Scrimmages (verified)(2 max.) 2 ea On-field Clinic (if space available) 5 Boot Camp (if space available) 3 Study Guide (80% +) 2 Extra Study Group 2 GSSA Clinic 2 ASA/USAS National School 4 ASA/USAS National Fast Pitch School 8 NCAA Clinic (verified) (non paid) 2 NOTE: Required sessions can be made up with approval of the Group Leaders on a case-by-case basis with an agreed upon training plan. It is the responsibility of the umpire to submit an email request for an alternate training plan.
2018 TENTATIVE MEETING SCHEDULE Date Day Time Session Location Dec 1 Friday Registration Opens Dec 27 Wednesday 6pm Boot Camp Session #1 Rusch Park Gym Jan 8 Tuesday 6pm General Meeting Jesuit HS Jan 10 Wednesday 6pm Boot Camp Session #2 Rusch Park Gym Jan 15 Mon-Thurs 6pm Regional Study Groups Various Feb 22 Feb Webinars On-line Feb. 7 Wednesday 6pm Boot Camp Session #3 Rusch Park Gym Feb. 17 Saturday 9am On-Field Clinic Session #1 Vanden HS, Antelope HS Feb. 19 Monday 9am On-Field Clinic Session #2 Antelope JV Feb. 24 Saturday 9am On-Field Clinic Session #3 Freedom Park Feb. 28 Wednesday Classification Exam Due Antelope High School 7801 Titan Drive Antelope, CA 95843 Freedom Park Freedom Park & Dudley McClellan, CA 95652 Jesuit High School 1200 Jacob Lane Carmichael, CA 95608 Rusch Park Gym 7801 Auburn Blvd. Citrus Heights, CA 95610 Vanden High School 2951 Markley Lane Fairfield, CA 94533