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Alberta Softball Umpires Association’s (ASUA) Webinar series is back by popular demand!

The ASUA Education Team will host “Designated Player/Flex Rule Simplified” Webinar on Monday June 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Do you get confused by the intricacies of the DP/Flex rule? Join a couple of ASUA Education committee members as they explain the ins and outs of this confusing rule.

Ryan Webber (Level 5) and Adrian Gaudet (Level 4) will discuss what a coach can and cannot do related to the Designated Player / Flex…

This live webinar is a great refresher for coaches and umpires of all divisions that can use the DP/Flex in their games as our seasons start up around our province.

Monday June 21st from 7:30pm – 8:30pm

Link to Zoom call: 

https://zoom.us/j/2140595969?pwd=ZnZzYTFPSDhTOUJxem9QTDVhN1FXQT09

Meeting ID: 214 059 5969

Password: Education

The Red Deer Ladies Fastball Association generously donated and presented $125 cheques to be used for equipment to two new young umpires as selected at the CASUA mechanics clinic in Lacombe a couple of weeks ago.

The honorees were

Natalie Obst of Eckville

and

Sarah Mcpherson of Stettler.

CASUA thanks the Ladies League for assisting new umpires begin their officiating journey

CASUA President, Malcolm Murray one of the selectors represented the Association

EFFECTIVE JUNE 10, 2021, Youth, and adult sports – resume with no restrictions, indoors and outdoors

The Softball Alberta “Return to Play” is based on an overriding objective of providing an opportunity for as many participants to safely return to softball activities in 2021.

Government of Alberta requirements will always take precedence over Softball Alberta requirements.

Our guiding principles include the following:

1. Distancing and masking requirements remain in effect.
2. Mask as needed in areas where physical distancing cannot be maintained (ex. when not actively playing, washrooms, concession, spectating, etc.).
3. Players & coaches should be encouraged to monitor / screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to arriving to practice and play.
4. Minimal shared use of equipment.
5. Commonly touched equipment used for game play (e.g., game ball) should be routinely replaced or disinfected during practice or play.
6. Spectators are directed to the baselines / outfield where they are advised to maintain physical distancing by household.
7. Spectators must stay out of designated areas for players and coaches.
8. Outdoor fixed seating facilities (bleachers) – 1/3 seated capacity or 150 people max per diamond for non-fixed seating. This number includes spectators, athletes, umpires, and coaches. 2 metres of physical distancing must be always maintained, and groups must remain within household.
9. All players and coaches should have their own water bottles/sports drink. Community water jugs or shared cups should not be used.
10. Coaches plate meeting: one coach allowed for each team and must maintain physical distancing.
11. Conferences should be allowed at the pitching area only with the coach and pitcher/catcher while maintaining proper physical distancing.
12. No player should lick their fingers during softball activities. No shaking hands, high-fives, etc.
13. Participants must not compete if they are feeling unwell.
14. Contact information of the coaches, officials and players should be recorded by the home team and maintained to assist with AHS contact tracing if necessary.

TOURNAMENTS

• Participants are to follow any Facility/Municipality Protocols in place.
• Game times should be staggered to ensure there is an unencumbered pathway to enter and exit the facility.
• The hosting club will have diamonds set up under the park/venue and diamond preparation, and it will be the responsibility of the host to communicate with visiting teams about any protocols to be followed at each specific park or facility.
• AHS guidelines of 150 maximum people per diamond or 1/3 bleacher capacity. This number includes spectators, athletes, umpires, and coaches. 2 metres of physical distancing must be always maintained, and groups must remain within household.

Please Note: these guidelines may be updated should circumstances change or should relevant guidelines and AHS orders be revised.

• Welcome email
• Accept or decline assignments
• Blocks dates & Times when you can’t work
• View your schedule

• Arbiter Mobile is an app for iPhone and Android – go to your phone and download from the iPhone or Android store.

The following are currently scheduled or are pending sanction approval by ASUA.

This list will be updated as information changes.

If you are not available for these events, or regular league games, be sure to block the appropriate days and times in Arbiter or you will be assigned to work games.

Start Date	Location	Categories
Jun 12 – 13	Elnora	Ladies & U19
Jun 18 – 20	Ponoka *	Minor divisions (probably U12, U14, U16)
Jun 25 – 27	Elnora	U19 & Ladies
Jul 9 – 11	Stettler	Minor divisions (probably U12 to U19)
Jul 16 – 18	Innisfail *	Minor divisions (probably U12 to U19)
Aug 6 – 8	Blackfalds	Gary Mah Memorial Ladies
Aug 27 – 29	Blackfalds	Ladies Provincials

* Waiting for ASUA sanction approval

If the province Covid situation continues in the current direction it is likely that there will be a season starting on or about June 10^th.

Leagues are now actively booking games as well as tournaments.

Everyone who completed the theory course held online will be receiving a call this week from a board member to confirm your continuing interest in officiating this season.

Based on those who completed the theory course we have only approximately a third of umpires that we had in 2019.  So, the opportunity to work frequently exists.

Once that is done, those who continue to be interested will be entered into the Arbiter assigning system.  You will receive an introductory email on how to use Arbiter.

We have a variety of equipment available that has been generously donated. You can check on available equipment here. 

Officials who need to take the mechanics portion will be contacted.

Remember to officiate you must have completed your

• Online theory session
• Shown your mechanics competence.
• Successfully written your exam (use this link to write your exam)
• Paid you annual fee.  Fees have been reduced this year and will be as follows.
  • Level 1             $90      Rookies or one year of experience
  • Level 2             $110
  • Level 3             $120
  • Level 4             $130

Payment by cheque or cash only, we cannot accept credit cards or bit coin! You may pay using e-transfers make payment send your payment to Brad Lyon at aeiou357@gmail.com

Provincials

There appears to be significant interest by several teams in hosting multiple provincial championship in our zone, meaning that we will need officials into August this year.

If you have questions, please contact a member of the executive.

Day	Canada is	Teams	Daily games start in Alberta at
Tues, Jul 20	3rd. game of the day	Mexico vs Canada	6 p.m.
Wed, Jul 22	1st game of the day	United States vs Canada	6 p.m.
Fri, July 23	1st game of the day	Australia vs Canada	7 p.m.
Sat, July 24	2nd game of the day	Canada vs Japan	7 p.m.
Sun, Jul 25	2nd game of the day	Canada vs Italy	7 p.m.
Mon, Jul 26		Softball Bronze Medal Game	10 p.m.
Mon, Jul 26		Softball Gold Medal Game	5 a.m.

Thank you for attending the mechanics clinic in Lacombe for our rookie and newer umpires.

Hope you found it interesting and picked up some useful tips to start you in your softball umpiring career.

Anyone still needing shirts or pants, the website has been updated with new items.

As a side note, my wife is especially thankful that most of the equipment and clothing was taken!

If you have not written your exam, please do so while the information is still fresh in your mind.

Anyone who still has to pay for your membership, you can make an e-transfer to Brad Lyon. Remember without your payment you do not have insurance coverage.

CASUA is proud to announce that we have been awarded a grant from the Canada Winter Games Legacy Fund which will be used to promote our program by supporting recruitment, training, and retention of school age umpires.

The grant be put to work once we are back on a solid footing following the Covid pandemic restrictions. For the official announcement, please see this

Our thanks and appreciation to the Canada Winter Games Legacy Fund for helping to promote the growth of sporting officials.

Focus shifts towards Provincial/Territorial and Regional Play

Ottawa, Ont. – After carefully considering the health and safety of its members and consulting with its Provincial/Territorial Associations, Softball Canada’s Board of Directors has made the decision to cancel all of its Canadian Fast Pitch and Slo-Pitch Championships for a second consecutive year in 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Softball Canada annually hosts a total of ten Canadian Championships which were scheduled to be held across eight different provinces between late July and September this year. Softball Newfoundland and Labrador had previously relinquished its rights to hosting the U19 Men’s, Men’s and Master Men’s Canadian Championships last month.
 
“Cancelling the Canadian Championship for a second consecutive year was a decision we did not take lightly and we share in the disappointment of the athletes who were looking forward to competing for a national title” stated Scott Neiles, President of Softball Canada. “With the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became increasingly apparent that the health risks and travel restrictions would not allow for proper representation from across the country. Our focus has now shifted towards supporting regional events to give athletes an opportunity to compete outside of local league play if public health and safety conditions allow.”
 
With the hope that the Atlantic bubble will allow inter-provincial travel amongst Atlantic Canada once again later this summer, Softball Canada has partnered and is finalizing plans with the Atlantic Provincial Softball Associations (NB, NL, NS and PEI) to bring a number of regional events this summer that will be aimed at the provincial team level. Although the Canadian Championships will not be played, this avenue will create an outstanding opportunity for provincial teams from Atlantic Canada to compete at a unique high-level competition. Further information on the format, costs, registration, etc. will be available in the near future. The following dates and locations have been secured for the Atlantic Canadian Championships:

AGE GROUPE	DATES	LOCATION
U14 Girl’s	August 12-15	Newfoundland & Labrador
U14 Boy’s and U16 Boy’s	August 12-15	Fredericton, N.B.
U16 Girl’s	August 12-15	Prince Edward Island
U19 Women’s	August 5-8	Nova Scotia
U19 Men’s	August 5-8	Carbonear, N.L.
Women’s	August 19-22	Prince Edward Island
U23 Men’s and Men’s	TBD	Newfoundland & Labrador

The remaining Provincial Associations will be looking at the possibility of creating similar opportunities for regional play between neighboring provinces providing public health and safety restrictions will allow them to take place.

Currently, all Provincial and Territorial Associations are working towards a safe return to play in their respective areas with the hope of league play, tournaments and provincial/territorial level tournaments. Softball Canada looks forward to continuing to work with its Provincial/Territorial Associations to support play and to assist with potential regional competition opportunities this summer.