On the field, off the field we are on the Web! www.isfsoftball.org ISF on Facebook www.youtube.com/isfsoftball

Covering All The Bases On the field, off the field we are on the Web! www.isfsoftball.org ISF on Facebook www.youtube.com/isfsoftball WWW.

President Published At The Secretariat of The International Softball Federation Secretary General First Vice President Second Vice President Vice Presidents/Africa Vice Presidents/Asia Vice Presidents/Europe Board Of Directors Mr. Don E. Porter Ms. Low Beng Choo Mr. Dale Mcmann Mr. Bob Leveloff Mr. Guillo Marapjane Mr. Marumo Morule Mme. Jiang Xiuyun Mme. Taeko Utsugi Mr. Ami Baran Mr. Andre Van Overbeek Vice Presidents/Latin America Mr. Antonio Morales Mr. Jesús Suniaga Vice President/North America Mr. E.T. Colvin Vice President/Non-Spanish- Speaking Caribbean Vice Presidents/Oceania Mr. Romell Knowles Mr. Darryl Clout Mr. Robert J. Steffy, Jr. INTERNATIONAL SOFTBALL FEDERATION 1900 So. Park Road Plant City, FL 33563 USA Telephone: (1.813) 864 01 00 Fax: (1.813) 864 01 05 www.isfsoftball.org Maison du Sport International Avenue de Rhodanie 54 1007 Lausanne Switzerland Telephone: (41.21) 601 6387 Unless otherwise noted, all stories written by World Softball Magazine Editor Bruce R. Wawrzyniak, ISF Director of Communications. Spanish translation: Teresa Mulqueen President s Message As softball enters a new decade and approaches its 45th anniversary of world championship play, which will be celebrated in June at the women s world in Caracas, Venezuela, we also look back on the great performances of athletes and teams. In the beginning of world play many host countries did not have stand-alone softball venues, so the competition was played on other sport venues including cricket, football (soccer), baseball, and field hockey. Today stand-alone softball venues are available, but our sport is still flexible and adaptable when those venues are not available. That is what makes softball a sport that is emerging and growing in many parts of the world. Of course it is not just the venue flexibility that has opened doors to development but the interest of bringing a new sport into the fold that is dynamic, fun, and easy to adapt in most surroundings. The ISF development program is another reason the sport continues to grow as it is all-inclusive for women, men, and children of all ages with a number of different disciplines that include fast and slow pitch, indoor/ arena, beach, co-ed, and wheelchair play, which incorporate greater and more selective opportunities for participants. ISF participation also supports and encourages school/student softball with its ties to World University Championships and Games. Following its very successful participation in four Olympic Games softball still relishes itself as an Olympic sport with hopes of regaining Olympic status in the future. Advertising rates available upon request. Although advertising is screened, acceptance of the advertisement does not necessarily imply ISF endorsement of the product. 1

2010 9th CENTRAL AMERICAN GAMES (Men s & Women s Softball) PANAMA; MAR. 4-14 IX SOUTH AMERICAN GAMES (Women s Softball) MEDELLIN, COL.; MAR. 19-30 ISF XII WOMEN S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CARACAS, VEN.; JUNE 23-JULY 2 XXI CENTRAL AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN GAMES (Men s & Women s Softball) MAYAGUEZ, PR; JULY 17-AUG. 1 7th MICRONESIAN GAMES KOROR, PALAU; AUG. 1-10 3rd WORLD UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP MACERATA, ITA.; AUG. 29-SEP. 5 16TH ASIAN GAMES (Women s Softball) GUANGZHOU; CHN.; NOV. 12-27 ISF YOUTH WORLD CUP (16-and-under, girls) PLANT CITY, FL, USA DEC. 30-JAN. 6 2011 Calendar of Events 11th ARAFURA GAMES (Women s Softball) DARWIN, AUS.; MAY 7-14 SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD SUMMER GAMES ATHENS, GRE.; JUNE 25-JULY 4 Singapore s third baseplayer fields a ball hit to her during a game against Chinese Taipei at the 4th Asian Jr. Women s Championship in December in Malaysia. (Photo courtesy of SCA) XVI PAN AMERICAN GAMES (Women s Softball) GUADALAJARA, MEX; OCT. 13-30 ISF IX JR. WOMEN S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (19-and-under) CAPE TOWN, S.A.; DEC. 6-17 XXV ISF CONGRESS Site, dates TBA New Year, New Decade, New Logo, New Start...pg. 3 Table of Contents ISF Moving Forward with Olympafrica...pg. 9 2009 Pictorial Year in Review...pgs. 4&5 Behind The Plate...pg. 10 2

New Year, New Decade, New Logo, New Start November 10, 2009 should be given a rightful place in the International Softball Federation s history books. After more than 40 years of the same mark, the ISF late last year unveiled a new logo as the sport s world governing body begins a new year, a new decade, and a new era. Created by the same designer in Spain that had developed the logo for BackSoftball, the Olympic reinstatement campaign, the new ISF logo subliminally carries a little of that over in that the ball portion of the BackSoftball logo dots the i where ISF appears in the new mark. A figure standing next to that, getting ready to swing a bat at that ball, was intentionally created as non-gender-specific or age-specific, for that matter so as to accurately portray the sport s universal appeal to and participation by boys, girls, men, and women. The logo carries over the green from the previous ISF mark, while now incorporating four other colors. The re-branding came on the heels of the ISF Congress where new officials were elected and a new constitution was adopted. Some new playing rules were adopted as well and can be read about in Director of Umpires Bob Stanton s Behind the Plate column further on in this issue of World Softball. At the time of the launch of the new logo, ISF President Don Porter said, This is an important step as we move forward with our sport. Softball is a game for both sexes and for all ages and cultures around the world and is a sport that will prevail for generations to come. As a result, it was important that we reflected those attributes with a contemporary logo that will sustain the ongoing changes and developments within our sport. The launch of the new logo was met with good reviews, as seen by among other indicators the number of people that liked it on the ISF s official page on Facebook. Merchandise bearing the new ISF logo is currently in production beginning with a lapel pin and will be made available for online purchase through shop.internationalsoftball.com. Along with the switch away from the old logo, the world governing body s Web domain also changed, such that the official website moved to www.isfsoftball.org and the email addresses for the administration at the world headquarters were altered to reflect such. The up-to-date list can be found on the Contact Us page of the website. The new logo is shown on the cover of this issue of World Softball and, of course, accompanying this article. But the game itself is everywhere! Another New Logo In 2010 the ISF marks the 45-year anniversary of the first ever softball world championship. To help commemorate the occasion, a logo has been developed and will be used throughout the year. Notably, the ISF as this issue of World Softball closed was talking about patches bearing the anniversary logo that could be worn on the sleeves of all of the athletes jerseys at the XII Women s World Championship in June in Venezuela. The first-ever softball world championship took place in Melbourne, Australia, in 1965 when Japan, New Guinea, New Zealand, the USA, and the host country all competed in women s fast pitch play. Australia won and the next year a first-ever men s world championship took place when eleven countries participated in Mexico City. World championships were later added for junior women and junior men (19-and-under). The 45-year anniversary logo was created by Stacy Kovatch of Blue Heron Media in Tampa, Florida (USA). The design takes one element (the multi-colored contemporary ball) from the new ISF logo while incorporating the number of the anniversary as well as the years that the period covers. 3

(Photo courtesy of JSA) Team USA poses in early August 2009 with their trophy following the 6th Japan Cup in Sendai City. (Photo by John Corley) Belgium kept the home fans happy by winning the European Championship Women B last July in Hoboken. (Photo by Marco Stoovelaar) Dagmar Bloeming was the winning pitcher for the Netherlands in the final game at the European Championship Women A last July in Spain. (Photo by Gary McGinty/ Sue Christie) (Photo by Jose M. Peñalver) The host country, Venezuela, finished third at the 20-team VII Pan American Softball Championship for Women last August. A New Zealand catcher rises from his crouch position to control a pitch thrown in a game at the World Masters Games last October in Australia. (Photo by Shanon Melnyk) The ISF XII Men s World Championship last July in Saskatchewan (Canada) had the full complement of 16 teams, including the Philippines. 4

(Photo courtesy of SCA) ISF Director of Competition Laurie Gouthro (left end) and ISF Secretary General Low Beng Choo (second from right) pose with the Iran team at the 4th Asian Jr. Women s Softball Championship in Malaysia this past December. (Photo by Vision Quest) Australia made another appearance at the 16th Canada Cup last July in British Columbia, where they finished fourth. (Photo by Tomáš Holec) Canada s third baseplayer makes a play on a ball hit to her in a game against Italy at the Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup last August in the Czech Republic. (Photo courtesy of ISSA) (Photo courtesy of Kaohsiung Organizing Committee) A Chinese Taipei baserunner ducks under a Russian infielder catching the ball in a game during last July s softball competition at the World Games in Taiwan. (Photo courtesy of USA Softball) Action from the 8th Senior World Cup in June in Virginia, USA. An outfielder for Team Italy waits for the next pitch to be thrown in a game at the World Cup of Softball 4 tournament last July in Oklahoma City, USA. (Photo from Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel) Men s softball was also played at the 18th Maccabiah Games last July in Israel, but the above shows a USA vs. Israel game from the women s category. 5

Masters Shine With Olympic Subplots As international softball transitioned from the men s world championship last July toward the women s world championship this June, both sexes were in the spotlight in the same tournament. In October in Australia the 7 th World Masters Games took place, with a portion of the softball competition played at the venue that hosted the 2000 Olympic softball games. And as a throwback to the sport s Summer Games, members of the 1996 Australian Olympic softball team reunited to play in the 2009 World Masters Games, calling themselves The Sisterhood of Softball. They had lots of company too. Organizers said that among the 28 sports contested over those nine days, softball was the second biggest in terms of participation. With just under 200 softball teams having taken part there were approximately 2600 people playing the sport that continues to appeal to both sexes and all age and ability levels around the world. International Softball Federation President Don Porter was among those who saw the games that included men ages 35-and-up and 45-and-up as well as women from the same age categories. In addition to the host country, participating teams came from Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and USA. Tournament Director and Chair of the Softball Organizing Committee Cathy Kerr said, It was certainly an honor to host the 2009 World Masters Games. While it had many challenges, I hope the participants enjoyed the event and went away with many memories. The assistance of the three associations that hosted the games at their venues (Campbelltown, Georges River, and Southern Districts) was incredible without them it would not have been possible. ISF Hall of Famer Jenny Holliday a member of the 96 Australian Olympic softball team that won the bronze medals served as a 2009 World Masters Games Ambassador. For the record, the reunited team of 13½ years ago, as expected, did make it to the finals, but then withdrew themselves and played an exhibition game instead. They were awarded the gold medals, however. Among others worth noting that played last October were 76-year old Dorothy Campbell, and two people who give new meaning to the expression, married to their sport. Mark and Mhairi Hutchinson married at the 2005 Australian Masters Games during a softball game after having met at the previous Australian Masters Games. The World Masters Games have been held every four years since they began in Toronto, Canada in 1985. After having hosted the Winter Olympics in February 2006, Torino (Italy) will be the site of the next edition of the WMG in 2013. Men 45+ A Gold - Rossini`s Men`s Fastpitch Team (Canada) Silver - QMAX Cannons (Canada) Bronze - North East Alberta Selects (Canada) Women 45+ A Gold Kiwianaz (NZ) Silver - Kalamunda Knights (Western Australia) Bronze - Perth Cats (Western Australia) Men 45+ B Gold - Saskatchewan Flatlanders (Canada) Silver - Ohio Battery (USA) Bronze - Brisbane 45ers (Queensland) Women 45+ B Gold - Canadian Free Spirit (Canada) Silver Silverline (Canada) Bronze - Southern Masters 45`s (Western Australia) Men 45+ C Gold - Vikings 45 (Western Australia) Silver - Western Australia Warriors (Western Australia) Bronze - Redbacks 5 (Queensland) World Masters Games Results Women 45+ C Gold - Alberta Crude (Canada) Silver - Breakaway Masters (Western Australia) Bronze - ERTS Softball Masters (Queensland) Men 35+ A Gold - PK Pride (Queensland) Silver Bruins (Queensland) Women 35+ A Gold - Sisterhood of Softball (Australia 1996 Olympic Team Reunion) Men 35+ B Gold Krushers (New Zealand) Silver - Team Canada Cornwall Ontario (Canada) Bronze - Rollyview Fastball Club (Canada) Women 35+ B Gold Renegades (Queensland) Silver Cats (South Australia) Bronze - Westminster Mavericks (Canada) Men 35+ C Gold - Wellington Pk (New Zealand) Silver Strikers (Queensland) Bronze - Hamersley Rangers (Western Australia) (Photo by Gary McGinty/Sue Christie) The reunited 1996 Australian Olympic softball team at last October s World Masters Games in their home country. Women 35+ C1 Gold - Penrith City (New South Wales) Silver - Dandenong Masters (Victoria) Bronze - Canadian Silver Bullets (Canada) Women 35+ C2 Gold - Mornington Peninsula Braves 1 (Victoria) Silver Comets (Victoria) Bronze - Western Province Masters (South Africa) Women 35+ C3 Gold - Gawler 35 (South Australia) Silver - Sydney Spirit (New South Wales) Bronze - Lightning Strikes (Queensland) Women 35+ C4 Gold - Blue Thunder Down Under (New South Wales) Silver Boomerangs (ACT) Bronze - Ejays Masters (Victoria) Women 35+ C5 Gold Condors (New South Wales) Silver - Vikings Softball Club (Western Australia) Bronze - Redbacks 2 (Queensland) 6

Softball On The March At Games Again Perhaps one of the best examples of softball s universality is its continued presence on the programme of numerous multi-sport games. Never was that more evident than in 2009 when the sport was played at the Arafura Games, the Maccabiah Games, the World Games, and the World Masters Games. Well, never more than perhaps this year. In 2010 softball will be contested at no fewer than five multi-sport games. Two of those will play during the cover dates of this edition of World Softball. From March 4-14 the 9th Central American Games will take place. Originally scheduled for last August in Honduras, the event was re-scheduled and will be unique in that the sports will be played in more than one country. Softball will have both men s and women s play (fast pitch), taking place in Panama. Ironically, this was the site of the 8th Central American Games in March 2006. In the city of Chitre four years ago, Guatemala took the gold medals in women s play while Panama went unbeaten to win it all on the men s side. Nicaragua s women s team won the silver, followed by Panama in third place. The other men s medal winners were Guatemala (silver) and Nicaragua (bronze). This year s Central American Games softball competition will include Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Jineth Pimentel watches a ball she had just hit in a game at the 2008 Olympics against the Netherlands. (Photo by Qiang FU) Meanwhile, from March 19-30 the IX South American Games will take place in Colombia and feature women s fast pitch softball. That competition will take place at the Atanasio Girardot stadium from March 21-25 and is expected to feature Argentina, Colombia, the Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. The official website for this year s edition of the quadrennial multi-sport event is www.medellin2010.org, which is a reference to the host city. The South American Games, the Central American Games, and the other multi-sport events where softball will be played in 2010 are all extremely important to our sport, International Softball Federation President Don Porter said. For many softball athletes these are some of the highest level international competitions that they will have the privilege to play in during their careers. The fact that our sport s vast reach can be exhibited through these events is a tremendous asset as we continue to promote and develop softball around the world. It is also rewarding to see a number of the multi-sport games that host men s softball too so that those athletes can have significant opportunities to take the field against others like them from various nations. The ISF president s comments about men s play notwithstanding, the South American Games has been a proving ground for some female athletes that went on to display their talents on the world s stage. Venezuela catcher Maribel Riera and outfielder Jineth Pimentel were 2008 Olympic softball participants that had South American Games appearances on their playing résumés. Mr. Porter said the ISF is looking at additional multi-sport games on other continents where softball isn t presently on the program, such as the Commonwealth Games. 7

A Whole New (Softball) World The International Softball Federation s 2009 Congress on Margarita Island might have been the 24th such event for the world governing body, but it was anything but just another Congress. The events of the October meetings resulted in changes that have launched the sport and its global organization into a new era as the future becomes now for the game both on and off the field. Officer elections take place every four years, which means every other Congress, and the session in the latter part of last year was the latest such occurrence. While ISF President Don Porter retained his office after running unopposed, longtime secretary general Andy Loechner retired and Malaysia s Ms. LOW Beng Choo became just the third such person to hold that position. Also retiring was Clovis Lodewijks (Netherlands Antilles) from the 1st vice president position. He is succeeded by Dale McMann (Canada) who had been a regional vice president (North America). In the five regions, a significant change was made in that each now has two vice presidents, plus there is a new position called non-spanish-speaking Caribbean vice president. The complete list of officials following the October elections now looks like this: VP Position 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President Africa North America Non-Spanish-speaking Caribbean Latin America Asia Europe Oceania Elected Mr. Dale McMann (CAN) Mr. Bob Leveloff (NZ) Mr. Guillo Marapjane (RSA) Mr. Marumo Morule (BOT) Mr. E.T. Colvin (USA) Mr. Romell Knowles (BAH) Mr. Antonio Morales (COL) Mr. Jesús Suniaga (VEN) Mme. JIANG Xiuyun (CHN) Mme. Taeko Utsugi (JPN) Mr. Ami Baran (ISR) Mr. Andre van Overbeek (NED) Mr. Darryl Clout (AUS) Mr. Robert J. Steffy, Sr. (GUM) In addition, International Olympic Committee Members Mme. Beatrice Allen (GAM) and Mr. Meliton Sanchez (PAN) remain as active members also. The Congress delegates approved a newly created constitution that took effect immediately and provides for the creation of an ISF Board of Directors. Following two days of specialized commission meetings, another major change came in the form of the approval of a change in the frequency of the ISF world championship tournaments. Rather than each one taking place every four years they will be held every other year, starting in 2012. On a somewhat related note, based on bids that had been presented, the ISF IX Junior Men s World Championship (19-and-under, fast pitch) in 2012 was awarded to Parana, Argentina, and the ISF XIII Men s World Championship in 2013 was awarded to North Shore City, New Zealand. Changes in the form of on-field playing rules that were approved during the time in Venezuela are highlighted in ISF Director of Umpires Bob Stanton s Behind the Plate column further on in this issue of World Softball. But the business of the Congress didn t end there. A new class was elected to the ISF Hall of Fame, including: PLAYERS: Peter Clout (AUS), Naomi Ellis (BAH), Rhonda Hira (NZ), Sally (McDermid) McCreedy (AUS), Nobunori Nishimura (Japan), Mark Sorenson (NZ), Darren Zack (CAN) UMPIRES: Eduardo Jose Falcon (VEN), John McAuliffe (AUS), Wayne Saunders (NZ) ADMINISTRATORS: Ivan Eduardo Briceno C. (VEN), Philippa Griffith-Bailey (BIZ), Viatcheslav Smagin (RUS), Robert J. Steffy Sr. (GUM), Glen Todd (CAN) COACHES: Naomi Shaw (NZ) MERITORIOUS SERVICE: Jacinto David Amaiz (VEN), Don Tricker (NZ) Also, two individuals were announced as recipients of the prestigious ISF Medal of Honor. Retiring ISF 1st Vice President Clovis Lodewijks (AHO) and Secretary General Andy Loechner (USA) became just the eleventh and twelfth recipients of the award. Special guests at the 2009 Congress included Venezuela Sports Minister Victoria Mata, Venezuela Olympic Committee President Dr. Eduardo Álvarez, and Venezuela Olympic Committee Vice President Mrs. Elida de Álvarez. The next ISF Congress will take place in October 2011, with the site to be announced at a later date. (left to right) Venezuela Olympic Committee Vice President Mrs. Elida de Álvarez, Venezuela Sports Minister Victoria Mata, ISF President Don Porter, 2008 Venezuela Olympic softball athletes Rubilena Rojas and Maria Soto, and Venezuela Softball Federation President Jesús Suniaga following a pre-congress welcome press conference. (Photo by Oswaldo Rodriguez) Some of the new ISF Hall of Famers were at the Congress including (left to right) Bob Steffy, Wayne Saunders, Iván Eduardo Briceño C., Jacinto David Amaíz, and Slava Smagin. 8

Isf Moving Sport Forward With Olympafrica Over the years the International Softball Federation has made development one of its top priorities. The world governing body has had a successful program that since 2002 has seen close to USD $3 million worth of softball equipment sent to just under 100 countries around the world. In addition, the ISF has had a hand in numerous coaching, playing, and umpiring clinics around the world, including seminars, symposiums, and more. Furthermore, in addition to the world headquarters complex in Plant City, Florida (USA), regional training centers have been established in the Dominican Republic, Italy, and Russia, all with the aim of helping national softball federations further their programs. Now the latest step taken by the ISF in the area of development will have a direct impact on its current member countries in Africa, as well as potential new national governing bodies for the sport on that continent. In November in Lausanne, Switzerland, ISF President Don Porter met for the second time in three months with Olympafrica. Alassane Thierno Diack, that organization s president, discussed the agreement that the two bodies have signed, which focuses on softball in clubs and schools in African countries. As reported in the News & Notes section of the last edition of World Softball (Sep.-Dec. 2009), the ISF will provide equipment along with coaches to conduct workshops as part of the initiatives undertaken to grow the 19 current African countries currently playing softball. Olympafrica presently has 25 centers throughout Africa where five sports are promoted, with softball set to become the sixth. The expectation is for the number to grow to 27 by the end of this year. Where the centers presently exist, equipment is transported to schools in the region on the weekdays, so that large numbers of school children are exposed to the sport and sporting culture. Each school gets a different set of equipment on a cyclical basis (sport discipline) so that all sports are practiced in the schools. The equipment then travels back so that on Saturdays and Sundays it can be made available for use at the center. Apart from fostering a sporting culture among kids, the centers are also an important training ground for sports teachers from the schools. One teacher from each school will spend a week at the center to be extensively trained on various modern coaching techniques. Apart from these they are also trained on the umpiring and other technical aspects of the sports. This enables some of the teachers to double up as umpires in local tournaments. Overall this is a highly impressive and commendable operation that has yielded great results. Many junior international level athletes have come up through Olympafrica. Mr. Porter mentioned the need to take this model to other continents, especially Asia, as the ISF remains steadfast in its efforts to grow softball around the world. South Africa 2011 Olympafrica s Thierno Diack (left) and ISF President Don Porter following their second meeting, late last year. One African country that s well into softball preparations is South Africa. Although the focus this year is on the ISF XII Women s World Championship, teams are already working toward qualifying for next year s ISF IX Jr. Women s World Championship. (Case in point, the XI European Championship for Junior Girls takes place this July in Austria, for example.) Sixteen countries will compete in Cape Town, South Africa, from December 6-17, 2011, for the world title in the 19-and-under category. Softball South Africa (www.softball.co.za) is the host for next year s fast pitch tournament, which was last held in 2007 in the Netherlands, where Team USA defeated defending champion Japan in the gold medal game. Women s fast pitch softball was also to be a part of the All-Africa Games next year. The multi-sport event was set for Zambia, but has now been moved to Mozambique, so organizers are working to re-establish the plans for the quadrennial event. 9

As you know, the recent ISF Congress held in Venezuela included both a Rules Commission and an Umpires Commission meeting. The Rules Commission made a number of rule change recommendations, which were accepted by the Congress at the general session. The most significant change was to the pitching rule, allowing the pitcher, male or female, to leap from the pitching plate, land, and deliver the pitch. The hands must separate and the windmill motion must start with the push-off, whether the pitcher uses a leap or push and drag. All motion must be continuous. If a leap is used, upon the landing of the pivot foot there may be a secondary push or follow-through, which is permissible providing all action is continuous. The pitcher may not step off and then push off from a point other than the pitcher s plate. Other rule changes for the most part deal with clarification of existing rules and their enforcement. Rule changes can be found at the ISF website under Rules and Standards. At the Umpires Commission meeting the main topic of discussion was changes to our umpire systems. Eight changes were recommended and accepted by the Umpires Commission. The changes involve umpire responsibilities in the 3- and 4-umpire systems. The changes are only minor in nature and again reflect in most cases what we in fact are doing. The mechanic changes will soon be on the ISF website. Last Fall was busy for those involved in our umpiring program, with rule and mechanic changes to be managed and placed in the Rule Book and Umpire Manual. The rules have been updated with the changes from the Congress. As always, when you change something in one rule, it usually has an affect on another rule. Ensuring that rule changes do not result in conflict as well as eliminating unclear wording of other rules took up quite a bit of time, however the end product is more clearly written rules. Again, you can reference the complete document online at www.isfsoftball.org. Our new Umpire Manual will launch soon and will be available on the ISF UmpSchool site, which can be accessed through a graphic link on the various pages of the Umpiring section of the ISF website. The ISF UmpSchool provides a means for testing yourself on the rules as well as providing the following reference materials: the 2010-2013 Official Rules, the ISF Case Book, the ISF Umpire Manual, rule interpretations, and Technical Bulletins. Umpiring at elite levels requires a never ending quest for knowledge. Umpires need to know the rationale for a rule, the interpretations that have been given for a rule, as well as when to apply a rule. Umpires have to keep updated with improvements to umpiring position and systems. As the person responsible to ensure that the game is played fairly and by the rules, umpires have the responsibility to always be at their best. If you continually work at understanding and applying the rules, getting to the best position to see a play and using proper mechanics to communicate your decisions, you will be seen as giving your best. Just as it is beneficial for umpires to understand game strategies, coaches and players need to become students of the rules. Knowing the spirit and intention behind a rule will assist coaches and players to play the game within the rules. If you know how a rule will be interpreted and applied, it is much easier to stay with the intent of the rule. In 2010 the ISF umpiring program will continue to move forward with the refinement of its educational materials and delivery program. A certification seminar is being planned for Europe and training clinics will be held in the various regions on a national or regional basis. The development of an instructor/evaluator manual is close to completion and it is hoped that the first instructor/evaluator clinic will be held in conjunction with a tournament. Regardless of the time of year or where you are, it is always time to improve on your umpiring knowledge and skills. Check the ISF website regularly for information on upcoming clinics, seminars, or conventions. 10

NEWS & NOTES As 2009 closed the International Softball Federation made a key announcement regarding 2010. The XII Women s World Championship which will come during the 45-year anniversary of softball s first-ever world championship will be held in Caracas, Venezuela from June 23-July 2. In early November a joint announcement had been made by the ISF and the Amateur Softball Association of America stating that the event would be rescheduled. The tournament had initially been awarded to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (USA) but the bid s dates were going to conflict with the Central American & Caribbean Games, which would have jeopardized the ability for three teams to play in the world championship. ISF President Don Porter met with Venezuelan officials in December to finalize the agreement, which will provide for upgraded and renovated facilities including the venue used for the 1983 Pan American Games softball competition. There will also be television coverage nationally, so distribution is already being worked on for carriers in other countries. (Photo by f:11 photographic design) At the same time that his successor was being voted in, retiring ISF Secretary General Andy Loechner (left) was being inducted into another prestigious shrine. Late last October he was formally put in to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In the process he became just the second person from the sport of softball so recognized. Among numerous other honors over his long, successful career in the sport, Mr. Loechner had already been an ISF Hall of Famer as well as a member of the ASA s National Softball Hall of Fame. The 10th South East Asian Men s Softball Championship was played at the end of October in Brunei Darussalam, marking the first time that country has hosted a south east Asian softball championship. Fittingly, the two teams that reached the title game were a pair of participants in the ISF XII Men s World Championship that had occurred three months earlier. With the score tied at two after six innings, the Philippines scored the eventual gamewinning run in the top of the seventh, and then held on as their pitcher struck out three Indonesian batters in a row in the bottom half of the final inning to secure the Championship title. A Brunei team (one of two entries from the host country) scored a come-from-behind victory over Singapore to earn the bronze medals. In a display of sportsmanship, the Philippines and Indonesia pose together following the championship. (Photo courtesy of SCA) A Japanese As the year concluded, Japan, Chinese Taipei, and China finished first, second, and third, runner looks to score from third respectively, at the 4th Asian Jr. Women s Championship (19-and-under), which qualified them for base in the gold the ISF IX Jr. Women s World Championship in December 2011 in South Africa. The Asian event took medal game place in Malaysia and had nine teams competing, including Iran participating for the first time in against Chinese such a regional event. The other five participants were India, Indonesia, (South) Korea, Singapore, Taipei. (Photo courtesy and Thailand. Japan designated hitter Yamato Fujita won the tournament MVP award. of SCA) ISF President Don Porter (left) and IOC President Jacques Rogge in Switzerland in November. At their headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, International Olympic Committee President Dr. Jacques Rogge hosted ISF President Don Porter on November 16th to discuss the Olympic legacy for softball and its possible return to the Olympic Program. The IOC president praised the ISF for its very professional BackSoftball campaign and said the IOC would look at providing some assistance to help the ISF in its post non-olympic future. In late September the Zone 6 championship was held in Zimbabwe. The tournament also served as a qualifier for the ISF women s world championship that, as noted above, will be held this year in Venezuela. Botswana defeated defending Zone 6 champion South Africa for the title although both gained berths in the 2010 marquee ISF event. Zimbabwe finished third and Lesotho was fourth. The annual African tournament also features men s play and the final game had the same result, with Botswana defeating South Africa. 11

Sommaire français EN UN COUP D ŒIL Le numéro janvier à avril 2010 de World Softball ouvre sur un mot de Don Porter de la Fédération Internationale de Softball à la section Message du Président indiquant que la flexibilité des installations est l élément clé de la croissance mondiale du softball. Il note que le softball a été joué sur des terrains de cricket, de football (soccer), de baseball et de hockey sur gazon. Le dirigeant de la FIS écrit également que le softball est flexible en terme de disponibilité pour différents groupes d âge et dans différentes disciplines dont la balle rapide et la balle lente, le softball en aréna (intérieur), en fauteuils roulants, le softball mixte et le softball de plage. De plus, M. Porter note que la FIS appuie et encourage le softball scolaire/ étudiant par ses liens avec les Jeux et Championnats mondiaux universitaires. L article principal de ce numéro concerne le lancement du nouveau logo de la FIS en novembre dernier. Créée par un Designer Espagnol, la marque incorpore la balle du logo utilisé dans la campagne de réintégration olympique, BackSoftball. Lorsque la FIS a dévoilé son nouveau logo, le site web a aussi fait l objet de changements. Le site web officiel est maintenant www.isfsoftball. org et à cause de ces modifications, les adresses de courriel de ceux et celles qui œuvrent au siège social de Plant City, Floride ont été modifiées et elles sont disponibles en ligne sur le site web, à la rubrique Contact Us. Accompagnant cet article, on retrouve un écrit sur le lancement par la FIS d un logo commémorant le 45e anniversaire (en 2010) du tout premier Championnat du monde de softball. Le design prendra sûrement la forme d une étiquette qui sera cousue sur la manche de l uniforme des joueuses au XIIe Championnat du monde féminin de la FIS de cette année qui débutera le 23 juin à Caracas, au Venezuela. Une entreprise de Tampa en Floride a créé ce logo d anniversaire. Ce premier tournoi a été disputé par cinq équipes féminines, en 1965, à Melbourne, en Australie tandis que le premier championnat du monde masculin s est déroulé une année plus tard à Mexico. Les deux pages suivantes sont une revue photographique de l année 2009. Il y a des photos des compétitions suivantes de softball: 8e Coupe du Monde senior (juin É-U), 16e Coupe Canada (juillet en Colombie-Britannique, Canada), 18e Jeux Maccabiah (hommes et femmes) (juillet en Israël). Coupe mondiale de softball (juillet É-U), Jeux mondiaux (softball féminin) (juillet à Taiwan), XIIe Championnat du monde masculin (juillet au Canada), XVIe Championnat européen féminin A (juillet en Espagne), VIIIe Championnat européen féminin B (juillet en Belgique), 6e Coupe du Japon (fin juillet/ début août à Sendai, Japon), VIIe Championnat de softball panaméricain féminin (fin juillet/début août au Venezuela), Coupe du monde jeunesse de la Fondation Easton (mois d août en République Tchèque), Jeux mondiaux des Maîtres (hommes et femmes) (octobre en Australie), et les 4e Championnat junior féminin asiatique (décembre en Malaisie). Un de ces derniers tournois, dont la compétition qui s est déroulée à Sydney aux Jeux mondiaux des Maitres, fait l objet du prochain article. Cet événement a non (Photo by Gary McGinty/Sue Christie) seulement permis de réunir l équipe olympique australienne de softball de 1996, mais elle a également permis d établir un lien avec la compétition de softball des Jeux olympiques d été, qui avait eu lieu au mois d octobre, aux installations des Olympiques 2000 à Blacktown, en Australie. Le softball a été le deuxième sport le plus important parmi les 28 sports aux Jeux mondiaux des Maitres en terme de participation avec un peu moins de 200 équipes de softball participantes (environ 2600 joueurs au cours de la semaine down under ). Ensuite, vient un aperçu du softball qui sera joué aux Jeux de l Amérique Centrale (hommes et femmes) et aux Jeux de l Amérique du Sud, qui ne sont que deux exemples parmi de nombreux Jeux multi sports qui ont le softball à leur programme. Les Jeux de l Amérique Centrale se tiendront en mars, la compétition de softball se déroulera à Panama. Les Jeux de l Amérique du Sud sont prévus pour plus tard ce mois-ci en Colombie. Le Président de la FIS, Don Porter, cité dans l article, souligne que pour plusieurs de ces athlètes de softball, ces jeux sont le plus haut niveau de compétition auquel ils auront le privilège de participer au cours de leur carrière. Toutefois, un peu plus loin, il est mentionné que les Jeux de l Amérique du Sud se sont avérés un tremplin pour quelques joueuses qui ont par la suite, montré leurs talents sur la scène mondiale. Les Vénézuéliennes Maribel Riera et Jineth Pimentel, qui ont pris part aux compétitions de softball olympique de 2008, ont indiqué sur leur curriculum, leurs participations aux Jeux de l Amérique du Sud. L article se termine en faisant remarquer que M. Porter a mentionné que la FIS se penche sur d autres Jeux multi sports qui ne comptent pas le softball à leur programme, citant l exemple des Jeux du Commonwealth. 12

Le XXIVe Congrès de la FIS qui s est tenu en octobre dernier à l Île Margarita au Venezuela est ainsi résumé. Une nouvelle constitution a été adoptée, des changements aux règles de jeu ont été apportés, la dernière classe du Temple de la Renommée de la FIS a été honorée, deux prochains événements ont été octroyés: le Championnat du monde junior masculin de 2010 - Parana, Argentine, et le Championnat du monde masculin - North Shore, Nouvelle-Zélande. Ce sont les hauts faits des événements de la semaine. De plus le Secrétaire général de la FIS sortant et le 1er Vice président de la FIS ont été nommés récipiendaires de la prestigieuse Médaille d honneur de la FIS. Ce qui a peut-être été considéré la plus grande nouvelle du congrès fut l élection des officiers qui se tient tous les quatre ans (le congrès a lieu tous les deux ans, donc le prochain événement du genre qui aura lieu en 2011 à un endroit à être déterminé n élira pas d officiers). Don Porter, Président de la FIS a été élu par acclamation tandis que Mme Low Ben Choo (Malaisie) est devenue la nouvelle Secrétaire générale. On peut voir la liste complète des élus sur la première page de ce numéro de World Softball ou dans la version anglaise (et espagnole) de l article portant sur les conclusions du congrès. Un accord entre la FIS et Olympafrica est souligné dans l article suivant. Au mois de novembre en Suisse, pour la seconde fois en trois mois, le dirigeant du softball, Don Porter, a eu une rencontre avec le président d Olympafrica Alassane Thierno Diack. Les deux ont discuté des moyens pour avancer ensemble sur le développement du softball en Afrique, non seulement dans les pays où il existe déjà un organisme national de régie du softball, mais avec l espoir que des pays deviennent de nouveaux membres de la FIS. L organisme mondial de softball fournira l équipement et les entraîneurs/ instructeurs puisque les deux organisations travaillent ensemble pour avoir plus de filles, de garçons, de femmes et d hommes actifs dans le sport, même comme entraîneurs ou arbitres. Bob Stanton, directeur des arbitres de la FIS vient ensuite avec son article Behind the Plate. (Derrière le marbre) Dans ce numéro, il souligne le travail réalisé au congrès de la FIS par la Commission des arbitres, la Commission des règlements de jeu et des résultats qui ont été approuvés pour le jeu sur le terrain. À cette fin, il insiste sur l importance d une formation continue chez des arbitres actifs pour qu ils soient bien au fait de la connaissance du sport, ce qui est nécessaire pour travailler lors de parties des niveaux locaux, régionaux et internationaux. M. Stanton encourage les arbitres à utiliser le site web de la FIS comme ressource, non seulement pour les règlements à jour et pour l information reliée au sport, mais aussi pour s informer des séminaires de certification et/ou des stages organisés dans leur partie du monde. Le dernier éditorial est l habituel News & Notes department. Voici un compte rendu de ce dont il est question cette fois-ci: Premièrement, il y a un point sur le changement du XIIe Championnat du monde féminin qui avait originalement été attribué aux États-Unis. Les dates de l organisateur étaient en conflit avec les Jeux de l Amérique Centrale et des Caraïbes de cette année ce qui aurait empêché trois équipes de se rendre à Oklahoma City pour être de la compétition même si elles s étaient qualifiées pour cet événement de la FIS. Donc, comme des dates alternatives ne pouvaient pas être trouvées, l événement a été déménagé à Caracas, Venezuela, où le tournoi de balle rapide sera joué du 23 juin au 2 juillet 2010. Ensuite il y a un texte sur le Secrétaire général de la FIS sortant Andy Loechner qui a été élu en octobre dernier au Temple de la Renommée des sports de la Pennsylvanie. Il est devenu la deuxième personne seulement du sport du softball à être ainsi honorée. Il est déjà membre d autres Temples de la Renommée comme ceux de la FIS et de l Association de softball amateur. Le troisième bref rapport est une récapitulation des résultats du 10e Championnat masculin du Sud Est Asiatique qui s est déroulé en octobre dernier à Brunei Darussalam et du 4e Championnat féminin junior asiatique (19 ans et moins) en décembre dernier en Malaisie. Ce dernier tournoi a permis de qualifier trois équipes (Japon, Taipei, et la Chine) pour le IXe Championnat du monde junior féminin de la FIS prévu pour décembre 2011 en Afrique du Sud. Ce tournoi réunissait neuf équipes dont l Iran qui participait à un tel championnat régional pour la première fois. Après il y a une note concernant la rencontre du Président de la FIS Don Porter avec Jacques Rogge, président du CIO au mois de novembre en Suisse, pour discuter de l héritage olympique du softball et de son retour possible au programme olympique. Le Président du CIO a louangé la FIS pour sa campagne professionnelle BackSoftball et a indiqué que le CIO examinerait la fourniture d aide pour aider la FIS dans son avenir post non-olympique. L article final porte sur le championnat de la Zone 6 joué en septembre dernier au Zimbabwe. Tout en présentant du softball masculin et féminin, ce dernier était une épreuve éliminatoire en vue du XIIe Championnat du monde féminin de la FIS de cette année au Venezuela. Les deux places ont été attribuées au Botswana et à l Afrique du Sud (le pays hôte a terminé troisième et le Lesotho a fini en quatrième place). 13

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