NSA - National Softball Association
 

I will admit to being very sheltered in terms of my knowledge of associations other than ASA for umpiring. During 30 years of playing softball - in town leagues, military, college club softball, intramural work leagues - I only ever had ASA umpires. I just didn't know there was "something else".

When I got off the couch a decade ago to get into umpiring, it was naturally ASA. It was only then that I began to be exposed to other sanctions.

I bring this up because this weekend at an ASA tournament I found an NSA flipping coin for their 2009 World Series. So presumably, whoever dropped this was a World Series Umpire as noted on the coin.

I replied to the tournament distribution list to see if anyone is missing it. I'm sure it would be a valued memento for someone. So far, no one has missed it.

I checked out NSA website to see what they were about. I couldn't glean much information from their site.

So are any folks here NSA umpires? How big are they and are they radically different from or similar to ASA?

Personally, doing ASA and NFHS is about all I want to tax my brain with. Maybe if I had got into umpiring earlier, I would have considered college ball, but that ship has sailed for me.

I did some NSA ball back a few years ago. I know one of the regional directors and he has actively recruited me to umpire their tournaments. I did a few for them, but only on weekends when ASA didn't have anything going on.

I think that their popularity varies by region. They're fairly big here, certainly smaller than ASA but probably bigger than USSSA. By "here" I mean central Ohio. Beyond that region, I'm not really sure. I know that USSSA is bigger in some corners of the state.

That World Series they have rotates around to different cities and is held here in Columbus every three years or so. It's big. The park where they hold it has 31 fields (about a dozen of them are lighted and have artificial turf) and the tourney goes on all week. Pumps a few million dollars into the local economy.

Both ASA and USSSA is big in Toledo, but only ASA in the Findlay area.

MTD, Sr.

Nashville, Area
 

Mainly NSA here in Nashville, along with USFA. ASA is primarily in the eastern part of Tenn. Not sure about west TN.

Not surprising, since the ASA district commisioner is from Findlay. :D

Do you know Roger?

NSA has really gotten big in the last few years in central california.
NSA California - The Player's Association
Central California NSA

I have known Roger for over 20 years.

MTD, Sr.

I had the opportunity to work a game with him, about this time last year, at the 12U Eastern Nationals in Marion.

Ask him if he remembers the guy who got smacked in the face with a wild throw while the teams were warming up! :eek: