GeorgiaASA.com

Georgia ASA Annual Meeting and J.O. Meeting Date Set for January 10
Happy Holidays from all of us here at Georgia ASA! 2008 was a fantastic year. We're already getting ready for 2009. All staff members should attend the 2009 Annual Meeting on January 10 at 9:00 a.m. at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex in Woodstock. The meeting will last until approximately 11:30 a.m.

JO TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS: All JO Tournament Directors are required to attend the annual Staff meeting listed above.  Requirements for qualifying as an ASA tournament director and other requirements will be covered.  It is of the utmost importance that anyone who will be serving as a director of an ASA sanctioned tournament in 2009 be present.  Tournaments (other than the Georgia berth tournaments) will not be sanctioned or listed on the Georgia ASA web until after this meeting and all directors are familiar with and meet all requirements.

An open meeting for all Junior Olympic Coaches will be held at 1:00PM on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at Twin Creeks Softball Complex in Woodstock. We will cover changes mandated by ASA, berth tournament schedules, etc. The meeting will last as long as necessary.

Georgia ASA to Award FIVE Berths/Age Group To ASA Nationals in 2009
As a result of a legislative change approved at the ASA National Council Meeting, Georgia ASA will be awarding FIVE (5) berths to National Tournaments in 2009. One berth will be awarded at each of four berth tournaments and the fifth berth will be awarded at the Georgia ASA State Tournament. The Georgia ASA staff is currently working on the dates of these five tournaments and will get them published on this Web site as soon as possible.

In addition to the five berth tournaments, the following tournaments will also be held in Georgia: 10A and 12A South Atlantic Region Tournaments, 18A South Atlantic National Qualifier, 12A Hall of Fame Qualifier and the 18 Gold Territory Tournament. Dates and locations of these tournaments will be posted as soon as possible.

2009 Individual/Team Registration Information
ALL "A" and "B" J.O. teams must utilize individual registration through RegisterASA.com. All others may either utilize individual registration or team registration. The cost of individual registration is the same as last year. Due to an increase passed at the National Council Meeting, the cost of team registration for both J.O. and Adult is as follows:

• Non-league team registration (individual team) $30.00
• League registration - $25.00/team
• Registration through or associated with Georgia Recreation and Parks Association - $18.00/ team

Twin Creeks Softball Complex Selected ASA Softball Complex of the Year
Congratulations to Cherokee Recreation and Parks Association for having Twin Creeks Softball Complex selected ASA Softball Complex of the Year. This prestigious award was presented at the 77th Annual ASA National Council Meeting in Oklahoma City, November 7-14. Congratulations again CRPA!

Background Checks Required For ACE Coaches
Beginning in 2009, all Georgia ASA Junior Olympic coaches who participate in ASA Championship play MUST be ACE certified and have a yearly background check, per the ASA Board of Directors policy. The background check will be part of the ACE program.

New to the 2009 ACE Program, background checks will be provided through the online certification process beginning December 1, 2008 for the 2009 calendar year. There will be no additional fees to conduct the background checks.

“The Board of Directors feels this policy will continue to ensure ASA participants and parents across the country that ASA is creating an appropriate environment for youth softball," said ASA President Joey Rich. "With background checks, the ASA is taking one more step to protect the athletes and build confidence in the coaching process.”

Any questions, please contact Al Dattolo (Georgia ASA Commissioner), Katie Kay (Georgia Junior Olympic Commissioner) or Kim Hamilton (Georgia Junior Olympic Commissioner)

Georgia ASA to Host 10 National Tournaments in 2010
At the 77th Annual ASA National Council Meeting in Oklahoma City, Georgia ASA was awarded 10 ASA National Tournaments for 2010. Georgia will be hosting a combination of slow pitch and fast pitch tournaments for both J.O. and adult. the 2010 ASA National Tournaments in Georgia are as follows:

• Girls’ 10-U Slow Pitch – LaGrange, Ga.

• Girls’ 12-U Slow Pitch – LaGrange, Ga.

• Girls’ 14-U Slow Pitch – LaGrange, Ga.

• Girls’ 16-U Slow Pitch – LaGrange, Ga.

• Girls’ 18-U Slow Pitch – LaGrange, Ga.

• Girls’ 10-U Class A Fast Pitch Southern – Cumming, Ga.

• Girls’ 12-U Class B Fast Pitch Southern – Marietta-Powder Springs, Ga.

• Coed Major Slow Pitch – Columbus, Ga.

• Coed Class A Slow Pitch – Columbus, Ga.

• Coed Class B Slow Pitch – Columbus, Ga.

Section IV will also be hosting an additional eight National Tournaments in Tennessee and North Carolina. The 2010 National Tournaments in Section IV are as follows:

• USA/ASA Girls’ Class “A” 10-U Fast Pitch – Chattanooga, Tenn.

• Girls’ 18-U Class A Fast Pitch Southern – Raleigh, N.C.

• Men’s Senior East 50-Over Slow Pitch – Burlington, N.C.

• Men’s Senior East 55-Over Slow Pitch – Burlington, N.C.

• Men’s Senior East 60-Over Slow Pitch – Burlington, N.C.

• Men’s Senior East 65-Over Slow Pitch – Burlington, N.C.

• Men’s Senior East 70-Over Slow Pitch – Burlington, N.C.

• Men’s Senior East 75-Over Slow Pitch – Burlington, N.C.

Many J.O. Fast Pitch "A" teams from around Georgia will be working toward a National Title in 2010. The USA/ASA Class "A" National Locations for 2010 are as follows:

• USA/ASA Girls’ Class “A” 10-U Fast Pitch – Chattanooga, Tenn.

• USA/ASA Girls’ Class “A” 12-U Fast Pitch – Bloomington, Ind.

• USA/ASA Girls’ Class “A” 14-U Fast Pitch – Moline, Ill.

• USA/ASA Girls’ Class “A” 16-U Fast Pitch – College Station, Texas

• USA/ASA Girls’ Class “A” 18-U Fast Pitch – Hemet-Menitee, Calif.

• Girls’ 18-U GOLD Fast Pitch – Oklahoma City, Okla.

Check here for a full list of 2010 ASA National Tournament Locations.

Georgia ASA will be hosting five ASA Nationals in 2009. They are as follows:

• USA/ASA Girls’ 14-Under A Fastpitch – Marietta, Ga.

• Men’s Class C Slow Pitch Southern – Augusta, Ga.

• ASA Girls’ 16-Under A Fastpitch Southern – Colmbus, Ga.

• ASA Girls’ 12-Under B Fastpitch Southern – Lagrange, Ga.

• Coed Class A Slow Pitch - Cumming, Ga.

• All 2009 ASA National Championships

National Tournament Results
J.O. teams from around the state will be traveled around the country this summer to participate in ASA National Tournaments. GeorgiaASA.com followed them every step of the way, with the 2008 ASA Nationals Special Section. You may even link the box scores and play-by-play reports for most 18-Gold Games. Many18-Gold games also have live stats via GameTracker. Use GameTracker to follow the 18-Gold games on your computer as they happen. Miss a game? No problem, you can follow the game play-by-play using GameTracker's game replay option. Congratulations to all Georgia ASA Teams at Nationals!

Georgia ASA Adult Slow Pitch Has a Brand New Web Site!!!
Georgia ASA now has an entire Web site dedicated to Adult Slow Pitch - www.gaslowpitch.com

ASA Adult Slow Pitch is growing at a rapid rate in Georgia. This new Web site will keep players and fans updated on news, tournaments, classifications and park locations. The site also features a message board where players and fans can share information.

2008 ASA Rule and Code Changes
ASA has announced its rule and code changes for the 2008 season. The rule changes for 2008 and comments on the changes may be found by clicking on the link below. Rule changes for 2008 include (but are limited to) a pitching distance change for Girls' 18-A, run rule changes for all types of ASA ball, pitching changes in senior slow pitch and 16-inch and removal of the 10-B special classification for championship play.

• 2008 Rule Changes with Comments (requires Adobe Acrobat reader)

Changes to the ASA Code with comments and clarifications may be found at the following links (requires Adobe Acrobat reader):

• 2008 ASA Code Changes with Comments
• Roster Change Deadline Clarification
• Team Registration Clarification
• Complete ASA Code