A female umpire working a game at the ISF world headquarters complex. (Photo by ASPN)

ISF STILL PROACTIVE WITH FEMALE PARTICIPATION
2010-08-18

Today in Haarlem, Netherlands, a seven-day ISF Umpire Certification Seminar concludes. Thanks to the ISF UmpSchool program launched at the end of 2009, this group of attendees came well prepared.

But, that online initiative wasn’t the only highlight surrounding the week-long activities.

A Women In Umpiring session also took place, as the ISF continues to be proactive with the involvement of females in roles other than just as athletes.

Softball Canada recently concluded similar efforts during their Junior Ladies National Fastpitch Championship, and as far back as three years ago the ISF hosted a Female Umpire Forum at its world headquarters complex in Plant City, Florida.

At the recently-concluded ISF XII Women’s World Championship, Assistant Rules Interpreter Marlies Struyvé served as a Deputy Umpire-In-Chief. She had umpired back at the first-ever Olympic softball competition (1996 in Atlanta).

During that world championship, Venezuela team captain Maria Soto was elected to serve on the ISF Board of Directors.

Another female, Low Beng Choo (Malaysia), became the third secretary general in the history of the ISF when she was elected to that post at the XXIV Congress last October.

ISF Director of Umpires Bob Stanton said that he would like to work toward female umpire recruitment during a certification seminar being planned for Thailand this Fall, as well as at the ISF Youth World Cup at the end of this year.