The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) has many
important responsibilities as the National
Governing Body of amateur softball in the
United States, including regulating competition
to assure fairness and equal opportunity to the
thousands of teams, umpires and sponsors who
play the sport.
ASA Distinctions Include:
* The National Governing Body Of Softball
* Member Of The United States Olympic
Committee (USOC)
* More Than 260,000 Teams Registered
Nationally
* More Than 73,500 Junior Olympic (Youth)
Teams
* 64 National Championships
* More Than 56,000 Trained And Registered
Umpires
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The Beginning / Junior Olympic Program / Volunteer Improvement Program
When the ASA entered the softball picture in
1933, the sport was in a state of confusion,
with no formal set of playing rules and no
National Governing Body to provide guidance and
stability.
From this beginning, the ASA has become one of
the nation's largest and fastest growing
amateur sports organizations. It now sanctions
play in every state through a network of 100
state/metro organizations in 15 regions. The
organization annually registers over 260,000
teams combining to form a membership of more
than 4.5 million.
In 1991 women's fast pitch softball was added
to the program of the 1996 Olympic Games in
Atlanta, GA.
Working in conjunction with the USOC, it is the
ASA's responsibility to insure that our
national team has the best possible chance of
winning. That includes providing young athletes
from across the country the opportunity to make
the national team, then preparing them through
international competition and exhibition play.
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The ASA has made an investment in the future of
softball with its ever-growing Junior Olympic
program. Each year, more than one million boys
and girls across the country play ASA Junior
Olympic softball.
This program is helping to develop the
interest, skills and desire of a new generation
of softball players -- skills necessary for
these young people to excel individually and
ultimately insure the continued growth of the
sport. The Junior Olympic program emphasizes
fun and provides for a great exchange of
fellowship and sportsmanship, and an
all-important feeling of belonging and being a
part of something worthwhile.
Play is divided into four divisions: 18, 16, 14
and 12-under, with fast and slow pitch offered
for both boys and girls.
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The ASA's Volunteer Improvement Program (VIP)
is helping to insure the nation's finest
instruction for tomorrow's softball
All-Americans. The VIP program is designed to
help coaches progress through their coaching
careers. They are recognized by the program at
bronze, silver and gold levels as they increase
their knowledge of softball.
Recognizing the need to improve the quality of
amateur coaching in Junior Olympic softball,
the ASA started the VIP program to offer those
"grass roots" volunteer coaches -- who spend
countless hours and effort each summer coaching
youth -- the materials, information and methods
required to improve their coaching techniques.
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Each year, more than 56,000 ASA umpires
officiate games organized and promoted by the
ASA's associations.
ASA umpires are recognized as the world's
finest largely because of the training,
information and study aids available to them.
Formal training includes National Umpire
Schools and local, state and regional rules
clinics and mechanics schools held at locations
across the country.
The ASA also provides a full-service umpire
merchandise program through the national office
in which umpires may order official ASA wearing
apparel and equipment.
The National Indicator Fraternity is an honor
group open to umpires who have been affiliated
with the ASA for seven years, umpired in three
national championships and are recommended by
their commissioner and regional umpire-in-chief
(UIC).
Certification as an International Softball
Federation (ISF) umpire is the ultimate honor
to be achieved by an ASA umpire. Certification
on this level allows the umpire to represent
the USA as an umpire in ISF sanctioned World
Championships, the Pan American Games and the
Olympics.
History / Equipment / Glossary / Rules
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