1 September 2010
ADVANCEMENTS IN COSTA RICA
With Costa Rica having been awarded the 2013 Central American Games, the national softball federation there is already at work preparing a host team to compete at the multi-sport event. As far back as the 1970s and 1980s the private schools in Costa Rica had softball through Physical Education and now radio advertisements are running to invite women to participate. The response has brought out players from ages 15 to 40 and now Carlos Hercule Chaves, a player from El Salvador, is coming for seven weekends to help with pitching (for the men’s team also). The national federation is hoping to build this momentum into the form of women’s leagues and, of course, good representation by the time of the 2013 Games.
The Costa Rica women going through a recent training session
UMPIRE ACTIVITY COMING IN THAILAND
The day after tomorrow an ISF umpire certification course will begin in Thailand. Umpires who wish to officiate in an ISF tournament or an event sanctioned by the world governing body must be ISF-certified. This is one such opportunity for men and women to gain their certification. The four-day seminar will take place in Bangkok. ISF Director of Umpires Bob Stanton and Regional Umpire Coordinator Tommy Wang Fu-Shiung will conduct the course. A large turnout is expected, with attendees coming from nine different countries. There will also be an Umpire-In-Chief Seminar during that time. All umpires around the world – certified or not – are reminded to utilize ISF UmpSchool, an online area that provides manuals, practice tests, and more. Visit www.ruleboxsoftware.com/isf.aspx.
ISF REPRESENTATIVES IN SOUTH AFRICA
ISF Secretary General Ms. Low Beng Choo and Director of Competition Laurie Gouthro have been in South Africa, meeting on next year’s (age 19-and-under) junior women’s world championship (fast pitch). The ninth edition of the tournament will take place in Cape Town from December 6-17, 2011. An ISF Coordination Commission had been in place for the world championship that took place this year (women’s, in Venezuela) and a similar group will be formalized for next year’s event as well.
SOCIAL MEDIA SITES DRAWING MORE IN
The numbers continue to grow on all of the ISF’s social media websites. More and more people are following, ‘liking,’ and viewing on a daily basis. From the homepage of the ISF’s official website there are links to the ISF page on Facebook, the official ISF YouTube channel, and the ISF’s Twitter page. Even the Facebook page that had been set up for the BackSoftball campaign, which had been seeking Olympic reinstatement in 2009 for the 2016 Games, continues to get new people becoming a fan. Join the legions of others who are logging on and interacting, then spread the word!
FEMALE THEME THROUGHOUT
It’s no coincidence that the Costa Rica and South Africa items in this UPDATE center on female involvement – on and off the field – in softball. In last week’s UPDATE there was an item on an umpire certification seminar that was held in the Netherlands. A component of that was geared toward recruiting more females to become umpires. Also, there is presently an article on the homepage of the ISF website describing the world governing body’s proactive efforts on roles for females within the sport. Expect more news to – always – continue to be made on this front.
VALUABLE AID: ISF LIBRARY
The library set up this year inside the ISF world headquarters in Plant City, Florida (USA) continues to be a good resource for the Secretariat staff and outsiders seeking international sports and Olympic information too. The room (pictured below) gets additions on a somewhat regular basis and its contents are catalogued for easy and quick review. Visitors are welcome to peruse the various publications Monday thru Friday during normal business hours.
