Greater Ottawa Fastball League Winter Meeting coming up

The 2013 version of the Greater Ottawa Fastball League winter meeting will be held on Wednesday February 6 at the top secret GOFL HQ.  Results of the meeting will be posted on the blog.

If there any teams out there potentially interested in entering the GOFL, please email fastball@fitzroyharbour.com and we will give you the details of attending the meeting.

Coaches' Survey from Softball Canada

from Jeff Whipple, Chair, Softball Canada Umpire Program Review Committee


Coach Survey - Umpire Program Review

Softball Canada’s Umpire Program Review Committee (UPRC) is currently reviewing all components of our national umpiring program. As such, we are gathering input from across the softball community.

s Aa coach (at any level) we are hoping you might take a few minutes and offer your feedback on how Softball Canada’s umpiring program is serving you and your team and how we might get better.

The survey is available at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H6V96Y9.

On behalf of the UPRC and Softball Canada, thank you for any feedback you are able to offer.

Please respond no later than February 8, 2013

Blackburn Men's Fastball League

Message from Nick Bowman, Prez of the BMFL

Hope all of you are enjoying your winter! For those of you who aren’t, we have some good news for you. You can start thinking about the 2013 BMFL season! Registration for the 2013 season will be held on March 4 and 19, 2013 at the Blackburn Arms from 7 pm to 9 pm. The cost will once again be $225 and all games are played at the Blackburn Hamlet in the east end of Ottawa.


During the 2012 AGM, some fruitful discussions were held as to how to obtain league parity. Although no decisions were made as to how this can be done, we invite all players to think about some proposals for the 2013 AGM next year. 2013 will see the use of a new playoff format for the BMFL. The playoffs will be held as a double knockout format with games being played on regular game nights. League members also voted to enforce the bat rule. Should a batter bring a non ASA certified bat to the batter’s box, he will automatically be ejected from the game, without warning. Additionally, players voted to change the reserve list, so that a team may only request a player or a pitcher (not a catcher).

I am also quite pleased to announce that we will be welcoming a new team to the league, the Blue Jays, captained by Andy Barber. We are hoping that players will once again register in strong numbers, so that we can keep the league at 8 teams. We were lucky enough to have Dennis Murphy volunteer his time to help manage the reserve list, but should another non-member of the league be interested in helping Dennis manage the reserve list, please contact me at Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com .

Hope to see you all at registration!

Masters Team fundraiser

from Eric Rosenquist

There is a 35 and over fastball team that's attending the World Masters Games in Torino Italy this coming August. To raise a bit of money for uniforms, car rentals, etc. theye're doing a regular season hockey pool. It's only $10 per entry and 50% will be paid out. Deadline for entries is January 31st.

It's one of those "box pools" with 21 boxes that have 5 players each. You pick one person per box, so sometimes a wild guess is as good as an educated pick, especially given the short season.

The PDF form is at http://tinyurl.com/byk85w6 or you can go online to http://hockeydraft.ca/ , sign in with the name "Italy" and the password "Fastpitch" and use the online form. Real-names only please so that organizers know who to contact for the entry fee.

Cookie Launches new business

Neil Cooke, CEO of I4C Consulting (and sponsor of the GOFL's Carp I4C Victory club) has launched a new business. Read the article in the Ottawa Business Journal and find out more below:

Broker4Tickets offers a unique ticket resell service where season ticket and suite holders are given the opportunity to recuperate some of their cost from unused or unwanted game tickets and where fans can
purchase these premium seats for great prices with no service charges. We have created a leading edge
on-line marketplace that creates a safe and secure buying experience for the passionate sports enthusiast
accepting various forms of payment while providing guaranteed electronic tickets.

By working directly with the season ticket and suite holders we manage the entire resell process which allows us to guarantee the authenticity of the tickets (removing the risk of fraudulent tickets for fans that
purchase in secondary ticket market), while helping offset season ticket investments.

How it works:

For the Season Ticket Holder and Suite Holder.


Broker4Tickets will directly consult with you to discuss our program and how it works. We offer a choice of two separate fund distribution models and we handle the entire resell process offering complete disclosure and hassle free electronic ticket assignment. Our program allows for season ticket and suite holders to still realize the benefits of being a season seat holder (retains specific seats, concerts rights etc.) while aiding in the management of their investment and realizing returns on underutilized tickets.

For the SMART Hockey fan.


Broker4Tickets offers SMART hockey fans a secure and guaranteed medium for purchasing premium NHL hockey game tickets. By working directly with and season ticket holders, we know where our tickets come from and we guarantee their authenticity and validity. Our program allows our FANS to get access to great seats that were previously held by season ticket holders for great prices with NO service fees.

For more information visit Broker4Tickets.com.

Eastern Ontario Softball, "back in the day"

This article submitted by Mike Goodridge, goodridgesoftball@gmail.com

Hello fastball fanatics, my name is Mike Goodridge and I am going to be writing articles semi- regulary for the OASA bulletin and who would like to use them. How appropiate that my first one would be on fastball in eastern Ontario as I grew up in Kingston and lived there until 1981.


I carded with Softball Ontario umpires and volunteered for the OASA as a convenor for many years until moving to Hamilton in 1981. Fastpitch was very strong in the eastern part of Ontario and by this I personally consider an area from Napanee to the Quebec border. Many, many great teams and pitchers. Some that I recall were the Cardinal Pats, Williamsburg Pioneers, Hull Volants, Ottawa Turpins, Stittsville 76ers, Verona Merchants, Odessa Merchants to name a few.

Pitchers like Teddy Hoy, Dave Dixie, Jimmy Cashman, Al McCallum,, Peter Finn. I know I have missed many players and teams but these who come to mind immediately.

Every weekend there was a tournament somewhere in this area usually of a top intermediate quality, and usually about every 3 or 4 years, the OASA would grant the Senior Elimination tournament to Kemptville. Fastball fans flocked to Lions Club fields and Keith Forbes did a great job hosting those tournaments. The OASA always new there would be a huge gate at those events. Teams from Western Ontario grumbled about the long trek across the provice but when they got there enjoyed playing before thousands of fans.Those were truly great days and I was forunate to witness them.

Thats all for now but if you read this and have any ideas about future articles you would like to see drop me a note. Fortunately I have a lot of information on the game in Ontario and would only be to happy to share.

Quest for Gold – Ontario Athlete Assistance Program

Congrats to Andy Barber of the GOFL - see below.

Draft List of Ontario Card Nominations Announced by OASA / Softball Ontario
Softball Ontario and the Ontario Amateur Softball Association are pleased to announce a draft list of athletes and alternates who have been nominated for Ontario Cards under the 2012-2013 Quest for Gold - Ontario Athlete Assistance Program (OAAP). The athletes nominated were selected using the sport specific selection criteria developed by the Ontario Amateur Softball Association approved by its Board of Directors and applied by the Selection Committee.

List of Nominees

Ty Sebastian
Andy Barber
Austin Brown
Adam Stuck
Brett Hall
Cody Skelton
Michael Legace-Roote
Benjamin Heinbuch
Ryan Braithwaite
Zane Walkom
Cole Bolton
Taylor Brown
Greg Hammell
Cody Werner
Trevor Sauder

Please note that this list is unofficial and is subject to change pending the outcome of any appeals and/or any re-selection decisions made by the PSO/MSO Selection Committee or the Quest for Gold Appeals Committee. As a consequence, this list should not be seen as final.

2013 OASA Masters “A” & “B” Tournament

The Ontario Amateur Softball Association is pleased to announce that the 2013 Masters “A” & “B” Tournament will take place in Cambridge Ontario at the Cambridge Sports Park. This tournament will crown the Ontario Champions in each division. This tournament has a rich history and will once again be known as the “Jack Cook Classic.”

All proceeds from this tournament are turned over to the OASA Scholarship Fund.

Tournament Dates : Friday July 12th – Sunday July 14th 2013

OASA Tournament Director : Mike Goodridge goodridgesoftball@gmail.com 289-389-9158

Please contact Tournament Director Mike Goodridge if you have any questions or to express your intent to enter.

Last year there were 6 teams in Bracebridge and the OASA is hoping that a move back to Southern Ontario will attract more teams to the tournament. The Toronto Gators will be back in 2013 to defend their OASA Masters “A” title they won last year in Bracebridge.

More information will be released in the coming weeks including hotel info, affiliation dates and fees, eligibility rules etc.

Mike Goodridge ( Hamilton Ontario )
OASA Masters Tournament Director
goodridgesoftball@gmail.com
289-389-9158
OASA Website : http://www.oasa.ca

UPDATED: Fatal Crash in Pontiac

A crash between a vehicle and a snow plow on Highway 148 near Bristol resulted in the death of the car's driver on Sunday morning, as per this Ottawa Sun story.

The man killed in the accident was Tim Craig, who has played several years with the Quyon Combat Flyers in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League.

Tim was 33, and leaves a wife and two young children.

My condolences, and I am sure those of all involved in the GOFL, to his family, friends and teammates.

UPDATE: Jill Young provides a nice tribute to Tim Craig on her blog.

UPDATE 2: Wake and funeral information are online at hayesfuneralhome.ca

Sports Illustrated article from 1979

This Guy Can Rise It, Drop It And Pop It At 104 Mph is a great article from Sports Illustrated in May 1979, is a feature article on one of the legends of fastball, Ty Stofflet from Pennsylvania. Check it out online in the "SI Vault". (Thanks to Jim at Fastpitch West for highlighting this article).

GOFLers finish 1-4 at ISGU tourney

According to the tourney website, the Bama Fastpitch team featuring several GOFLers finished 1-4 at the ISGU tournament in Florida this past week.

Bama Fastpitch loses both games on Thursday

According to the site for the ISGU tournament in Florida, the Bama Fastpitch team, featuring several GOFLers dropped two games today 5-0 to "Los Socios" and 6-0 to Team Virgin Islands. No other info available unfortunately.

By the way, if my Spanish is correct, Los Socios translates to "The Dirties".

2013 Get in the Game Symposium

2013 Get In The Game Symposium : Saturday, February 23, 2013 from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Softball Ontario is proud to announce the seventh annual Get In The Game Symposium on Saturday February 23, 2013 in Toronto. The Symposium is a great opportunity for Softball Associations across Ontario to come together and work towards improving softball in Ontario.

Based on participant feedback, the 2013 Get In The Game Symposium will take place at a *NEW* location - The Univeristy of Guelph-Humber in Toronto, ON! The 2013 Symposium will feature many valuable sessions, including the following sessions; Review of the New Softball Canada U12 Rules, Sharing Promotional Ideas, Volunteer Screening: The Basics, Communicating With Your Members, and much more! For a complete overview of the 2013 Symposium schedule, visit the Softball Ontario website at www.softballontario.ca!

Travel (mileage) and accommodations will be provided by Softball Ontario for those who qualify. New in 2013, registration payments for the Get In The Game Symposium will take place online! Registration will end on February 8, 2013 so make sure to sign up early!

The Get In The Game Symposium is a great opportunity for Softball Associations to learn from each other and work together to improve our game throughout the province.

Date: Saturday February 23, 2013
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
(Registration and Breakfast begins at 8:00 AM)

Location: The University of Guelph-Humber
207 Humber College Blvd
Toronto, ON
Cost: $15.00 / Participant

Registration Payment can be submitted online through Eventbrite at www.2013GetInTheGame.eventbrite.com, or through the Softball Ontario office.

Attending the Get In The Game Symposium can earn your Softball Association up to 20 points towards your Softball Association Fundamental Excellence (SAFE) Star Rating!

If you would like to register for the Get In The Game Symposium or you have any questions, contact Lisa Crompton via telephone at (416) 426-7150 or via email at lcrompton@softballontario.ca. Let’s make Softball better together!

Softball Ontario Basic Scorekeeping Clinic

Softball Ontario Basic Scorekeeping Clinic


The day after the Get In The Game Symposium, Softball Ontario is offering Softball Associations the chance to participate in a Basic Scorekeeping Workshop taught by Softball Ontario Qualified Instructor Andrea Henry at the Sport Alliance Building on Sunday, February 26, 2012!

Anyone keeping score – whether for a team, tournaments or for their personal information should attend the Basic Scorekeeping Clinic. Accurate scorekeeping is important for naming award winners, applying for scholarships and even deciding the outcome of games. This clinic deals with all notations need to keep score properly, from the basic scoring of hits, walks and strike-outs to marking errors and runner progression (essential for earned and unearned runs), this clinic covers it all!

Location and Dates:
Sport Alliance Building
3 Concorde Gate, Toronto, ON
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
February 24, 2013

Note: Workshops will only run if a minimum of 8 participants are signed up

Price:
The Cost to attend the Scorekeeping Clinic is:
$20.00 + HST
per Participant

If you would like to register through the Softball Ontario office, contact Lisa Crompton at lcrompton@softballontario.ca or call 416-426-7150.

GOFLers to compete in Florida

Some local fastball players will be participating in the new International Sports Group Union (ISGU) tournament being played in Alamonte Springs, Florida on January 17 - 20.
Local GOFLers playing for "Bama Fastpitch" include Trevor Power, Lindsay Medysnski, Paul Ceppi, Cory Alkerton, Kevin Shonfield, and Cody Price. Other players participating are from Kingston, Newfoundland, Alabama and Florida.
Games start Thursday at 9am and 5pm, and Friday at 5pm. Playoffs are Saturday/Sunday. (32 team single elimination).

EXTENDED: 2013 Softball Association Fundamental Excellence (SAFE) Award

UPDATE:

Softball Ontario would like to notify everyone that the application deadline for the 2013 Softball Association Fundamental Excellence (SAFE) Awards has been extended to January 23, 2013.
TORONTO, ON - Softball Ontario will provide eight (8) Softball Associations with awards of $250 to help develop, Coaches, Umpires and Volunteers! Softball Ontario is pleased to provide Softball Associations with the opportunity to win a Softball Association Fundamental Excellence (SAFE) Award! The SAFE Awards will help Softball Associations across Ontario to improve their volunteer development efforts for 2013.

What is a SAFE Award?

A Softball Association Fundamental Excellence Award is an award of $250 for Softball Associations to use in one of four (4) categories:

Volunteer Development
Community Coach Development
Competitive Coach Development
Umpire Development

The Awards will help Softball Associations to train volunteers for the 2013 softball season, thereby increasing their volunteer capacity and the quality of their programs. In addition, the SAFE Award will help Softball Associations to work towards improving their SAFE STAR Rating!

How do I apply for a SAFE Award?

Applying for a SAFE Award is easy! Just follow these three (3) steps:

Step 1: Become a member of the Play Softball Network by 12:00 PM on January 11, 2013

It’s free and easy to join, with lots of benefits for your Softball Association! Download an application form here:

http://network.playsoftball.ca/modules/download_gallery/dlc.php?file=3

Step 2: Complete and Submit your SAFE STAR Rating Application by 12:00 PM on January 11, 2013

Download a copy of the SAFE STAR Rating Application Form here:

http://www.softballontario.ca/content/view/448

Step 3: Complete the SAFE Award Application Form and send it to the Softball Ontario Office by 12:00 PM on January 11, 2013

Download a copy of the SAFE Award Application Form here:

http://www.softballontario.ca/content/view/447

Softball Associations are encouraged to set up a telephone meeting with Program Coordinator Lisa Crompton by email lcrompton@softballontario.ca or by phone at 416-426-7150 to review applications prior to submission.

Complete all three (3) Steps in the SAFE Award Application Process by 12:00 PM on January 11, 2013 to be eligible for a SAFE Award. To assist Softball Associations in their application, sample application materials are available in the SAFE STAR Section of Softball Ontario’s web site at www.softballontario.ca under Association Awards.

If you would like to find out more information about the Softball Association Fundamental Excellence (SAFE) Awards, the SAFE STAR Ratings Program, or if you have any questions please contact Lisa Crompton at lcrompton@softballontario.ca or call 416-426-7150.

Softball Ontario is the governing body for the sport of softball in Ontario. Our goal is to promote and develop the sport of softball for its athletes, officials and volunteers by providing programs and services at all levels of competitions.

OASA Men's Great Lakes Championship Tournament

from Al's Fastball

OASA Great Lakes Championship

Date July 26 -28, 2013
Location: Doug Fischer Memorial Park, New Dundee, ON (note: south of Kitchener)
Cost: $450

The Ontario Amateur Softball Association is pleased to be returning to Doug Fischer Memorial Park in New Dundee for the 2013 Great Lakes Championship. The OASA looks to build on a very successful tournament that was held in Jarvis in 2012.

OASA President Roy Patenuade states “ the 2012 field was very competitive with a number of returning teams and some new teams making for good competition providing fans with entertaining games to watch.”

In 2012 the tournament held a round robin format that seeded teams into a Senior A and Intermediate A Championship and awarded teams with over $3000 dollars in prize money.

With continued communications with Softball Canada, the OASA Great Lakes Tournament will qualify 4 teams (including the host team Shakespeare Falcons) that are interested in participating in the 2013 Senior Men’s Canadian Championship to be held in Stratford Ontario August 25th to September 1st .

Mike Branchaud – Manager of Canadian Championships states “we would like to keep it at 4 for now, but if after the June 7th deadline a need for additional teams is evident, we would be open to discussing adding additional Ontario teams.”

Any team interested in securing a spot in this tournament or have further questions about this tournament please contact OASA Vice President Brad Thomson by email at thomson.brad@gmail.com.