All umpires involved with NCAA Softball should be getting an email from Sharon Cessna.

Sharon is one of four championships directors with oversight responsibility for all NCAA Division I Championships, she has been with the NCAA for 20 years and has had the opportunity to oversee the DI softball championship for the past 8 years. Sharon coordinates all aspects of NCAA softball, the most publically visible responsibilities being oversight of the SUIP, the 64 team DI championship and especially the Women’s College World Series. In addition, she is the liaison to the DI Softball Committee and the NCAA contact with the NFCA. One of her most recent responsibilities will be to coordinate and oversee this transition and the search process.

Yeah, I'm going to that camp. The bad thing is that we were supposed to be evaluated by Emily and Ed for possible consideration for post season. I'm sure we'll still be evaluated by them, but don't know what this will do for our post season chances. Nevertheless, still looking forward to going to camp with both Emily and Ed.

Serg

I think it would have both aspects.

I would think ASA would be pretty much forced to open up a little bit to different ideas.

It would still be as political as it is now.

There will be umpires that are not as good as some trying to work their way up the ladder through politicking and gladhanding, which already happens to some point, but I don't think as much in the NCAA game.

Maybe, just maybe, it would bring to fruition Billy P's philosophy that it should not be an Advance Umpire School (which isn't as strong as it should be), but a School for Advance Umpiring which would be restricted in attendence. If there is one thing most good ASA umpires will agree, the ASA national schools have become diluted through unrestricted admittence.

Umpires in my area come home frustrated.

This

It was pretty fruitless to be in college station last year. The weather didn't help much, but the instructor/student ratio was close to 1 to 40. Lots of down time and 'standing around'.

Just in from where?

Ronald and I went to the NUS in Virginia last year, and the student/instructor ratio was around 20 to 1. There were also numerous UICs and Deputy UICs (5 or 6, I think) present to assist in the instruction and drills. I was quite satisfied with the school.

I do wish that we could have higher level schools that aren't just once per year. I would like to advance, but it's difficult when there is only one advanced slow pitch camp per year. If there were more choices or locations, I think attendance would improve.

It's unfortunate that ASA, at least in my experience here in Houston, does a poor job of enticing experienced umpires to volunteer to help train at clinics.

Case in point; I was asked to be a clinician at a youth certification clinic a couple of years ago. I accepted and thought I could pay my yearly ASA dues and get my certification. Unfortunately, I was told that even though I would be one of the clinicians and present for the entire 8 hr clinic, I would still have to attend another clinic to be ASA certified. So the young people attending the clinic would be fully certified, but I wouldn't? Completely asinine. I canceled as a clinician and have not certified ASA since.

So, for me, the prospect of ASA involvement in NCAA officiating is a bit unsettling.

Yes.

My question is, what does the NCAA get from hiring ASA to manage training, evaluating, and post-season assignments? These are two big organizations and this segment of ASA will be under the direction of NCAA; that can't sit will some of the people at the National level of ASA. With some of the egos that could be involved on both sides, I can see alot of butting heads between organizations.

And, how does ASA manage their responsibilities within the organization at both a National level and a local level? My biggest concern has to do with the 'old guard' of the ASA. It has been my experience that this group within ASA has had contempt for the NCAA; to which I can sympathize as the NCAA has had more success (IMO) promoting softball at HOF stadium than ASA has.

I guess the way I envision this possibly shaking out would be ASA creates a new 'branch' within the National office; the NCAA liason, for example. That person fulfills Kathy's role as head of the SUIP. ASA then assigns people to roles similar to those of Emily and Ed, possibly regional directors similar to ASA's existing structure (Regional UICs). These regional directors would be in charge of working with Conference Coordinators (whom they have no control over in terms of who fills these roles), regional evaluators, umpire training, and post-season recommendations.

A couple of the problems I can foresee:

~ The manual; I don't think ASA will be very accepting of what Emily (and many others in support) have put together. To your point, Mike, regarding Billy P's philosophy (which I completely agree with); the fact that his philosophy has not been more widely endorsed throughout ASA is the heart of this issue. On the other hand, maybe this provides the ASA with an opportunity to create this alternate advanced umpire training because they no longer have to always be 'of the masses'.

~ Non ASA registered umpires working NCAA softball. I don't see how ASA will not want to require umpires to register with ASA, nor do I see the NCAA allowing the ASA to make such a demand. Someone will have to give in to the other.

A couple benefits (for ASA and its umpires) I could see coming from this:

~ ASA could provide umpires with additional avenues to Elite and ISF status by adding NCAA post season assignments to their list of 'Major' tournaments.

~ By teaming with the NCAA, ASA would enhance their connection to the highest levels of Women's fastpitch softball. With the loss of the Olympics, the International game is dwindling; countries are not funding their teams to the same level and that is reducing ASA's exposure at the top level of televised (therefor widely visible) softball. The top draw (I think, no actual numbers to back this up) is the WCWS. ASA's only connection to this event has been HOF stadium. By taking over the SUIP, ASA would increase its exposure.

I'm sure there is alot more but I've written enough for now.

Just where do you think umpires for these games came from before the NCAA got involved in softball officiating?

In many cases, if not most, the schools would contract local associations, many of which were ASA. Not that long ago, the NCAA softball rules were nothing more than an addendum to the ASA rule book.

So, this really isn't something new. ASA registration does include the insurance coverage and I don't see an issue with making a deal with the carrier, Bollinger, Markel or whoever, in including NCAA games as part of the coverage. This would also allow the umpire to register once for both. For that matter (God help me for thinking this out loud), this may be the predecessor to ASA taking insurance "in house".

I can only see a positive for the umpires as it comes to the administrative side of the issue. Obviously, a lot of legalese will be bantered about between the two.

How it turns out on the training side, I'd rather not even guess on that point.

came from one of the regional uics.

According to the NCAA (Sharon Cessna) this statement is not accurate.

That regional UIC is inaccurate, thinking wishfully , or wrong.

Or that regional UIC was mis-interpreted or mis-quoted.

Or visa versa with the NCAA.

could be any of the above. don't know why he would say what he did unless he got it from somebody up in the national office. we will see what plays out.

I agree.

Might be a an opinion, a guess, a possibility, wishful thinking, or "important" talk, or an actual insight.....

Supposedly nothing is scheduled......

Let's see how it plays out.......

Considering who it may be, I would say this was not an original opinion, but something repeated.

Whatever it may be, at least talking about it cannot hurt and may actually be a positive if people can keep egos and preferences out of any discussions.