ACE Certification and Background Checks REQUIRED For J.O. in 2012
Effective January 1, 2010, every coach of teams playing in Championship play MUST be ACE Certified with a background check. The background check will automatically be included with the ACE Certification. Also, per ASA National Office, ANY and EVERY ADULT in the dugout MUST have a background check. This includes scorekeepers, trainers, etc. The background check must be done through Georgia ASA and all adults in the dugout MUST wear the ID Card verifying the background check was conducted. Everyone who takes the ACE Certification Training will receive the required ID Card. The cost of the background check not associated with ACE is not yet known. This information will be posted as soon as it is finalized.

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

Time to Register for 2012 Season ... New Registration Deadlines
Softball season is here. Time to get your players and teams registered for the 2012 season. Do so by going to RegisterASA.COM Web site. This Web is not run by Georgia ASA, but all Georgia teams are expected to register their teams through RegisterASA.com. If you'd step-by-step instructions on how to register a TEAM, GO HERE. If you need further instructions on how to register a LEAGUE, GO HERE. NEW FOR 2012!!!...Teams MUST be registered TWO WEEKS prior to the first qualifier the team is registered to participate ... this INCLUDES having ACE/Background Checks completed. Additional players added to the ASA redlined rosters MUST be registered and added FIVE (5) DAYS prior to a team's first game in a qualifier. The last day to add a player to the ASA Roster is Friday, June 29, 2012. The 2012 deadline dates for each qualifier is as follows:

ASA Qualifier Date	Team Registered By...	ACE/Background Check By...	Additional Player Registration By...
April 27-29	April 13	April 13	April 22
May 4-6	April 20	April 20	April 29
May 11-13	April 27	April 27	May 6
May 18-20	May 4	May 4	May 13
May 25-27	May 11	May 11	May 20
June 1-3	May 18	May 18	May 27
June 8-10	May 25	May 25	June 3
June 15-17	June 1	June 1	June 10
June 22-24	June 8	June 8	June 17

ACE Available Online
Coaches can watch the ACE Coaching Certification instructional videos and complete their certification tests at http://ace.usasoftball.com.

The ACE (Achieve, Certify, Educate) Coaching Certification Program is a certification program, developed and designed to provide softball coaches of all levels – from beginning coaches to experienced veterans – an opportunity to certify as a coach with the ASA.

As the National Governing Body of Softball, it is the ASA’s responsibility to ensure that coaches achieve a certain level of understanding of what their duties are as coach of a youth softball team. The ACE certification videos and the ACE Certification Manual are practical guides to the everyday situations coaches will encounter as youth softball coaches. After obtaining the ACE certification, coaches will be well prepared to coach a youth softball team.

The ACE Coaching Certification Program consists of four levels of certification. Coaches will begin with the ACE Level 1 certification. For $25.00, in Level 1 coaches will learn the fundamentals of managing a team. Once a coach has become certified at Level 1 he or she may then move on to Level 2. In this level, coaches will be introduced to the fundamentals of playing the game and will gain valuable instruction tips for players in all positions from USA National Team Head Coach Mike Candrea, all for $20.00. As a Level 2 certified coach, the coach can then work toward ACE Level 3 certification. In this level the coach will continue to gain valuable knowledge of the game from Coach Candrea and other USA National Team Coaches, again for only $20.00. Finally, any coach who has completed ACE Level 3 Certification is eligible to move on to the Continuing Education level of the ACE program. In this level coaches will be tested on their knowledge of ASA Playing Rules and Regulations. ACE Continuing Education costs $20.00. The Continuing Education tests will be updated every year to reflect changes made to the ASA’s Playing Rules and Regulations.

Another feature that the new ACE Online Program will include is the ability for coaches to review the content of the certification videos at any time after they have completed the certification tests. Also, coaches will also be able to view and print their ACE Coaching Certificate and Insurance Forms at any time after completing their certification test. Along with these features, coaches will be privileged to previous ACE benefits which include liability insurance coverage when coaching an ASA registered team, personalized membership card as an ASA/USA Softball ACE Coach, and take-home copy of ACE Coaching Certification manual.

For more information, contact Katie Kay or Kim Townsend.