N.S.A World Series

[Blu_IN]

The 'B' in Indiana is in my backyard. My home is five minutes from the Portage site. My work is 4 minutes from the Hidden Lake site and 7 minutes from the Crown Point site. Its neat finally having one near home, though, I did do Shaumburg back a few years ago and that is only an hour or so away.

Not sure which site you will get, but if you can beg for a location, take Hidden Lake. There is a ton of shade trees on the front fields and if the umpires park in the back, its a nice place to hang out between games. However, if you do get that location, pray you are on the front fields and not the back. The back four fields are a pit. No breeze, no shade.

I have been to more WS than I care to admit, and I do agree with the above posters to some extent. If you get the right site and the right crew to work with, it can be a ton of fun. If you get the wrong site and an bad crew, it can really suck. There are some UIC's that go above and beyond for the umpires, and then there are some that do infact, hide in the shade or air conditioning. I would say that of the years that I attended, its been about a fifty/fifty chance of getting a great crew and location. I can't speak from experience, but I imagine you run into the same thing working other associations.

And of course, the weather makes or breaks some years. It shouldn't be too bad in Indiana, but it can get pretty hot here. However, it won't get nearly as brutual as S.C. and Chatanooga. I am still waiting for our first WS in Minnesota or upper Michigan.

As for my attendance, I am to the point now where I am not going to take off work, just to go work. Seems silly. If I am going to take vacation, I am going to lounge around the house, take a relaxing vacation, or go golfing.

[bkbjones]

If the NSA "world series" is anything like the Western World Series, I wouldn't put it on my resume.

This year's Western Worlds were in Stockton, CA. Eight age group divisions and NO 18s (A or B) with just over 50 teams. TOTAL. At least last year they had almost as many teams in all divisions as we had in the 16A nationals.

I've heard there is a nickname for teams playing NSA over ASA: hardware hunters.

Hope that's not true for umpires.

[Blu_IN]

NSA isn't big out west. I don't know about your area, but the same teams play both associations out here in Indiana, harware hunters is a pretty lame choice of words.

[NEohioref]

Im not going to let anyone rain on my parade. I feel privelged to be able to work the World Series. It doesnt matter ASA,NSA,Pony, or Usssa. Im sure every umpire has there opinion about each and why they will or never go back.If all these teams play in both/all leagues/associations it seems as if they are the hardware hunters.At the end of the day they will all call us blue no matter what association you work for. See u in Indiana!!

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by Blu_IN

NSA isn't big out west. I don't know about your area, but the same teams play both associations out here in Indiana, harware hunters is a pretty lame choice of words.

Yes, harware hunters IS a pretty lame choice of words.

But...I said hardware hunters.

If NSA is so groovy, then...oh, never mind.

My choice is and always will be with ASA, the National Governing Body of Softball, the only youth softball organization affiliated with the Olympics, ad infinitum. You can go Cadillac or Yugo. I prefer Cadillac.