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2003 National Advisory Board recommendations
DALLAS, Texas Fifteen members of the National Senior Softball Advisory Board met here during the Summit on Jan. 18-19. National Advisory Board Chairman Carlos Becerra presented the Boardıs recommendations. Summit delegates then considered the recommendations and Summit Chairman Terry Hennessy presented the Summit response:
1. All Associations should ensure that lineup cards are filled out correctly and given to umpires before games.
Summit Response: All national organizations agreed that correct lineup cards are essential and agreed to make every effort to ensure complete lineup cards were given to umpires or official scorekeepers for national tournament games.
2. If a runner does not step on the safety base at first base, he should be called out. It should not be an appeal play.
Summit Response: This situation is an appeal play for all national associations. Summit Delegates felt it was the responsibility of the manager to watch the game and make the appeal.
3. If there are too few teams in a division, then different skill divisions (Major and Major-Plus, or AA and AAA) should be lumped together in pool play and then broken out for double-elimination play.
Summit Response: ISSA, ISF and SSWS use this format, or plan to use this format, for their national tournaments. Other associations said they use this format for National Qualifiers if there are not enough teams, but rely on the National Ratings to break teams into appropriate divisions for their national championships. Delegates said they would consider this format if there were too few teams in a division.
4. All national associations were urged to adopt the Pitcherıs Box (a chalk-lined box extending the width of the pitchers rubber and 6 feet back from the current rubber) for safety reasons.
Summit Response: ISA adopted the Pitcherıs Box at its convention and SS-USA adopted it after the convention. SPA and the Huntsman Games adopted the Pitcherıs Box at the Summit. All other Delegates said they would bring the concept back to their governing boards or committees.
5. The 70+ Division should have the same geographic restrictions as younger age divisions.
Summit Response: Delegates promised to consider this issue for the 2004 Season because teams had already formed for the 2003 Season and it was too late to make a change.
6. Players should only play in one age group per organization in national tournaments.
Summit Response: Associations differ (See Comparison Chart). Associations will consider the issue individually for 2004.
7. The mechanics for Senior Softball Umpires should be consistent and they should know the rules. The Board recommended that a summary of key rules be given to umpires for reference before tournaments and/ or that they attend clinics.
Summit Response: The Summit formed a Special Umpire Training Committee, chaired by ISSA Delegate Charles Moss, who is also an ASA UIC, to develop training materials for Senior Umpires to be available to all associations.
8. The AA and AAA 65+ division teams should be allowed an 11th defensive player.
Summit Response: The Summit delegates promised to research the issue for 2004, using surveys and other methods.
9. The 5-run per inning rule should be instituted for all AA and AAA division play.
Summit Response: Summit Delegates felt that this issue was an Association Option, meaning that it was one of those issues that differentiate associations. (See Comparison Chart).
10. No game should be won by a 1-up home run in the bottom of the last inning (including last innings in mercy-rule games).
Summit Response: Summit Delegates felt that this issue was an Association Option, meaning that it was one of those issues that differentiate associations. (See Comparison Chart).
11. In the 75+ Divisions, teams should be allowed a 12th defensive man in the field.
Summit Response: The Summit delegates promised to research the issue for 2004, using surveys and other methods.
12. National Tournaments should provide medical assistance on site. One suggestion was alerting National Guard to find out if their medics were available.
Summit Response: Delegates all felt that having medical assistance close at hand was a good idea, but providing medical assistance on site varied from city to city, depending on the cityıs liability rules. Associations commonly alert nearby hospitals when senior national tournaments are being played so that quick response is ensured. In addition, most National Championships are played near hospitals, fire stations or other medical response facilities.
13. The Board recommended that the Las Vegas Senior Softball Association be allowed to join the Summit as a delegate.
Summit Response: The Summit established a committee to set up an appropriate procedure for the Las Vegas Association to petition to join the Summit. (Current Summit rules provide for a 2/3 vote for new member associations, but do not provide any procedure for them to apply for membership in the Summit.)
14. The Board said one umpire was OK for Round Robin play, but there should be two umpires for double elimination.
Summit Response: Summit Delegates felt that this issue was an Association Option, meaning that it was one of those issues that differentiate associations.
The national senior softball organizations in America:
ASA
ISA
Huntsman Games
ISSA
LVSSA
NASCS
SPA
SSUSA
National Senior Softball Hall of Fame
