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Indiana
In Indiana the requirements are several. Highlighted by...10 Varsity games, Certification in softball every 2 years, IHSAA test each year, membership to a officials association that is recognized by the IHSAA and finally the coachs vote the more often than not becomes a name recognition or popularity contest. Is it a good method ? Probally not but it's the same method they use for every high school sport in Indiana and their is no way that the state is going to do one method for softball and different methods for every other sport. So you have to work continually to educate the coaches that they should be doing the voting instead of thier athletic directors and they should be payiong attention to the mechanics, appearence, and knowledge of the umpires and not if the last call of the game went against their team. Was it the right call or the wrong call. I have been lucky enough to be chosen the last 2 years to do a sectional level playoff game series. We cannot move up in the tournament until you have been doing each level 3 years. So hopefully next year I'll be selected to do a regional. Just finished this years sectional last night. Great series. No team won by more than 2 runs. 5 total games. Speaking of educating those coaches. Just last night I learned that overthows into dead ball area is only a one base award. And was he pisseed when we awarded the winning run across the plate from second after his right fielder threw the ball into the vistors dugout. Oh well...back to the rule book. Gotta get ready for next year. Hope that coach dosn't remember my name or my partners when he receives his voting sheet next spring. :-)
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