NCOA Softball 2015 Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 3 January 24, 2015 Touching All Bases Let s Play Ball!! The only General Session Meeting is Tuesday, January 27th starting at 6pm at Jesuit HS in Sacramento. Please arrive early to pick up your rule book so we can start the meeting on time. On Deck Registration Info Online registration is open and available through January 31st. Upcoming Schedule: General Meeting Tues Jan 27 6:00pm Jesuit HS Various Regional Study Groups Any M-Th in Feb 6:30pm Various Online Webinars February Flexible Online Group Leadership Corner It is getting hectic as we write this article since we have our first and only general meeting on 1/27/15. We are very appreciative of the efforts put forth by the Leadership Team members who are working to make your NCOA Softball experience the very best that it can be. One of the new features we have this year is small Study Groups. These were designed to give you flexibility to attend and a casual atmosphere in which to work with your current and new friends to get into the rule book. There are two groups meeting each day Monday through Thursday, each week of February. (See schedule elsewhere in this newsletter) Study materials have been prepared for each week so you will be able to get the same material at any of the groups you select. You don t have to attend the same group each week. It is flexible to fit your busy schedule. You just can t attend two sessions in the same week and get credit for 2 sessions of Training Hours! Each of the groups is being held in a local Round Table meeting room to allow for a casual setting where you can have food and beverage if desired. All food and beverage is on your own. Hopefully, we will build on our camaraderie and mentoring as all levels of umpires will be attending together to learn and help one another. We look forward to your feedback as we continually try to make your experience a good one while we prepare to provide a great product on the field. Frank and Carl, Co-Group Leaders
For Your Toolbox Having a Good Pre-Game with your Partner By Phil Perkins This is a quick overview of a Pre-Game discussion with your partner. Most umpires don t realize or know that a good Pre-Game is just as important as a good strike zone, rule knowledge, hustle, and/or uniform. I can t stress the importance of the Pre-Game enough. When does the Pre-Game start? Once you have accepted the assignment! The first thing you should do is communicate with your partner. This can be done by e-mail or phone. It doesn t matter which umpire reaches out first. At this point, things you should go over would be: Confirm the game site and time; decide on a meeting place at the school, on the field, or somewhere along the way; what time you will meet; which uniform will you wear. So now we have established all the above and we are at the field. Hopefully, each umpire was able to meet at least 30min. prior to game time. Some of the basic things we should cover now should be, but not limited to: field conditions; any special circumstance; problems or dangerous conditions; fly ball coverage; tag up responsibilities; new rules be aware of them. These are just a sample of what a Pre-Game should be. We will be giving you more information, examples, tip s & tools as the instructional program begins. Good luck this season, looking forward to seeing you in the class room and on the field. Basic Skills Boot Camp - This year NCOA will co-sponsor a Basic Skills Boot Camp with GSSA on Sunday, February 15 th. If you are a first, second, or third-year official, you can attend this training session to brush up on basic mechanics. Online Webinars This year webinars will replace most of the in-class training sessions offering flexibility and viewing at your own convenience. Regional Study Groups This year study session groups will be scheduled during February and throughout the greater Sacramento area and will focus on the NCOA study guide and new rules. On-Field Clinic Back by popular demand will be the mandatory on-field clinic! Bring full gear and be uniform ready for live games. You will be rotated through various stations, one of which will be a lunch break on NCOA! The training staff will be there to assist throughout the day. It s a great way to get some helpful hints. Scrimmages Scrimmages are mandatory with a minimum 2 hour commitment and will be held in February, multiple days of the week. Video Scrimmages - We will broaden our Video Training Program this year. There will also be one scrimmage scheduled that will be dedicated to video feedback scheduled on Saturday, February 21 st and/or 28 th at TBD. Other Important News Arbiter Remember, being prepared for assignments also includes keeping Arbiter up to date. Arbiter is WYSIWYG to the assigner. It tells the assigner, If it s not blocked, I m available for a game. So, is your calendar up to date in Arbiter? Have you blocked out the days you are not be available? Let s try to minimize the number of turnbacks this year. There is much more to Arbiter than just your schedule. Now is the time to log onto the JSS Baseball/Softball site (where you get your assignments), use the Switch Views tab to toggle between these web sites, explore the
different tabs, update your personal information, etc. Here are some good places to start exploring: NFHS Central Hub--Softball: Great resources for you here. Your rule book and other books are on this site, as well as a list of the new rules for 2015. The latest interpretations and corrections to the rule book and case book are a must read for you. The ASA bat list can also be downloaded here. NFHS Tier Two Hub : The 100-point NFHS Certification test will be located here. NCOA Central Hub: This is our NCOA site for all sports. Click the Softball page. You ll see a calendar of events, important dates, info about NCOA, and more. (Don t forget to click the more button.) Certification Exam- The 100 point certification test will close on February 28th. You must receive at least an 80% to pass and 90% to be considered eligible for playoffs. You can take it up to three times, or when you have scored at least 90 percent, whichever comes first. Please note the NCOA group has no control over the certification exam and a maximum of 3 attempts is a requirement set by the NFHS. Member in Good Standing and qualifying for playoff games - Criteria for being a member in good standing for basic assignments and for playoff selection will be detailed in the General Session and available on the NCOA Softball Hub. Qualifying for post season assignments will be enforced again this year. Stump the Ump This portion of the newsletter is intended to address the "Rules of the Game". The Instructional Team would like to provide a forum for its members to address rules questions, rules interpretation, or any topic related to the "Rules of the Game." During the course of the year this forum will address questions related to the rules that may arise during the general session, group study sessions, on-field situations, post game meetings with your partners, or at the dinner table. Answers will be researched using related resources such as the NFHS 2015 Softball Rules Book or any other resource deemed necessary and provided through the NCOA Executive Board and Training Team so a standard answer can be provided. Fitness Focus - Fitness is a topic of interest again this year. Remember, first impressions go a long way towards credibility, ability, and character. Uniform and Equipment The official uniform for NCOA Softball umpires: Powder Blue or Navy Shirt (Short or Long Sleeve) Heather Gray Slacks Plain Navy Jacket (No stripes or piping around shoulders) NCOA Navy Blue Hat Gray or Navy Ball Bag For uniform and equipment needs you can contact Bernard Walker at (916) 548-2821 or email him at bmwump@yahoo.com.
Official s Profile Throughout the year the newsletter will profile officials within the Association so you can get to know them a little better. Who knows, you may be next! Name: Frank Moreno, Co-group leader Nickname: Frankie, PAPA Frank Age: 55 Son Casey Grandson Jayce 6 Daughter Shannon and son-in-law James granddaughter Kaley 19 months. What do you (or did you) do for a living? How long? I have worked for the California Department of Food Agriculture, Currently my title is Telecommunications Systems Manager. I have been at Food & Ag 35 years in various job titles. Started in the mailroom, did some printing on an offset press, property management and then into the Telecommunications unit. 33 years ASA 26 years High School and College Do you officiate other sports? What are they? Years of experience Yes. 20 years Football and 30 years Basketball Spending time with the grand children. I use to do a little wood working projects. Officiating is my main hobby. Being involved with a game lets all other aspects life take a break!! Tell us a little bit about yourself I am married for 20 plus years to my wife Carla and we enjoy our Grandchildren and children. As retirement nears we are looking forward to more travel. I am an avid Giants fan and overall sports fan. I am also looking forward to the next stage of officiating that would be assigning. Do you have any short officiating story you d like to share with us? I had the pleasure of being selected to umpire the Olympic Softball team in an exhibition game. It was quite an experience that I will always treasure. While working the game I was the plate umpire. I engaged the catcher in conversation as we sometimes do as plate umpires she says to me come on Blue, the fans aren t here to see you! (meaning to open up the strike zone!). As it would happen, she didn t feel the same way when I called a strike on her!! I had the pleasure of attending the ASA Hall of Fame dinner when she was inducted in the ASA Hall of fame this past year She is Stacey Nuveman.
Name: John Morrisroe, Instructional Staff Nickname: The Zone (self-named) Age: 66 2 delightful children (boy and girl) and 2 incredible grandkids What do you (or did you) do for a living? How long? Special education teacher for the most involved students in the Elk Grove District, for the past 7 ½ years 26 years Do you officiate other sports? What are they? Years of experience I still do collegiate and high school volleyball. Used to work collegiate baseball and softball, plus high school hoops to stay in shape. Waterfowl hunting and fishing. Tell us a little bit about yourself Softball Group Leader 1995 to 2010. Thoughtful, collaborative, I enjoy teaching. I am all about giving myself and others the best chance for success in all aspects of life, being true to myself, and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy life. If you can t be happy, stay home. Do you have any short officiating story you d like to share with us? This still brings a warm feeling to me: I worked with a new umpire 20 years ago and told him about getting a better angle at 1 st base from the A position. Explained why it was important to get the angle, not necessarily the distance, and how to do it. The next week, at a tournament game, I was watching this umpire work 1 st, and the banger that had confused him last week became an easy call on this day.a look of wonder came over his face, he grinned and ran over towards me, and beamed, I saw it, I saw it all! That umpire is now one of our finest umpires, and he will know who I am writing about. A very warm feeling, indeed! Name: Allen Weihe, Instructional staff Age: 59 2 children Jordan 29 Kristan 26. 2 grandchildren Lily 10 Easton 1. What do you (or did you) do for a living? How long? Frito Lay 20 years 14 years Do you officiate other sports? What are they? Years of experience Only softball Like to travel national parks places that have great scenery. Lots of hiking. Tell us a little bit about yourself Married for 31 years. Lived in California for 28 originally from Nebraska huge Husker fan. Do you have any short officiating story you d like to share with us? My daughter played softball for years and I just fell in love with the game. Started umpiring Bobby Sox softball to help out and here I am 14 years later. Have done three national tournaments for ASA.
Name: Gary Butler, Instructional staff Age: 68 2 children, 1 grandchild What do you (or did you) do for a living? How long? Truck mechanic 36 years 25 years Do you officiate other sports? What are they? Years of experience None Play golf, Genealogy Name: Dominic Mercier, Instructional staff Age: 50, this month 2 teenage daughters What do you (or did you) do for a living? How long? Senior Account Manager for a technology company. Approx. 10 years. This will be my 4 th year with fast pitch. Do you officiate other sports? What are they? Years of experience I did 2 years of HS basketball. Retired after foot surgery. Travel, poker, and sports. Tell us a little bit about yourself I am motivated, and loud. I have had people tell me to use my inside voice when working the plate Do you have any short officiating story you d like to share with us? I was traveling back to Sacramento from Atlanta when I took my seat on the plane. In the magazine compartment I found a copy of the current Referee magazine. I read it from cover to cover and contacted my local association to get started. I now leave my monthly subscription in the back of an airline seat every chance I get. I would like one more person to be inspired the way I was. It is also a topic of conversation every time I fly and read Referee Magazine.
NCOA Softball Sacramento 2015 Meeting Schedule Date Day Time Session Location Jan 27 Tuesday 6:00pm General Meeting Jesuit HS February Various 6:30pm Study Session Groups Various February Flexible Webinars Online Feb. 15 Sunday 8:30am Basic Skills Boot Camp Jackson Sports Academy Feb. 21 Saturday 8:30am On-Field Clinics Antelope HS, Freedom Park, Vanden HS Feb. 28 Saturday 8:30am On-Field Clinics Freedom Park, TBA Feb. 28 Saturday Classification Exam due date Online Other important dates and events: Feb. 13-15 Friday-Sunday ASA National Umpire School Manteca Mar. 1 Sunday 8:30am GSSA Clinic West Sacramento Jesuit HS 1300 Gordon Lane Carmichael, CA 95608 West Sac Civic Center 1110 West Capitol Ave. West Sac, CA 95961 Vanden HS 2951 Markeley Lane Fairfield, CA 94533 Antelope HS 7801 Titan Drive Sacramento, CA 95843 Jackson Sports Academy 5209-A Luce Avenue McClellan, CA 95652 Freedom Park 5839 Dudley Blvd McCellan, CA 95652 https://dfsoftball.com/fields/fp maps.html
2015 Softball Training Options 18hrs required by CIF/SJS # Hrs. Total Mandatory for All Umpires Required Credit Req. Hrs Study Groups 2 of 4 2 2 ea 4 Classification Exam 1 1 1 Webinar Sessions 4 1 ea 4 Mandatory for New umps and those in 0-71%ile of Ratings On-Field Clinic 1 5 ea 5 Mandatory for New umps and those in 1-51%ile of Ratings Video Scrimmage 1 2 ea 2 Basic Skills Boot Camp 1 6 ea 6 Optional Training Hours Organizational Meeting 2 Vet. Scrimmages (verified) (2 max) 2 ea Video Scrimmage (not assigned) 2 On-Field Clinic 5 Boot Camp 6 Study Guide (80% +) 2 Extra Study Group 2 GSSA Clinic 2 ASA National School 4 ASA National Fast Pitch School 8 NOTE: Mandatory 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.
2015 Softball Study Group Information Day Location Dates Facilitators Monday 2319 Sunset Blvd Rocklin Roseville/Rocklin 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23 Phil Perkins Owen Steen Gary Butler Monday Tuesday Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Thursday 5110 Laguna Blvd #119 Elk Grove 2234 Sunrise Blvd Rancho Cordova 4680 Natomas Blvd Sacramento 8795 Elk Grove Blvd Elk Grove 4949-C Marconi Avenue Sacramento 888 Alamo Drive Vacaville 2319 Sunset Blvd Rocklin Elk Grove 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23 Folsom/Cordova 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24 Natomas 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24 Elk Grove 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25 Carmichael 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25 Fairfield/Vacaville 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26 Roseville/Rocklin 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26 All meeting times are 6:30 to 8:30pm Kevin Okino Kevin Nicholson Jim Halstead Rich Reynolds Don Postle Frank Moreno Burt Corral Jack Wendell George Green Rick Post Dennis O'Leary Al Weihe Dusty Marx Tracey Canady Rudy Aguillio Dominic Mercier