Time is Running Out on Background Checks and ACE
Attention J.O. Managers/Coaches: Time is Running Out! Less than a month until the first 2010 ASA Qualifier. Don't forget ... Background Checks and ACE MUST BE COMPLETED FOR ANYONE ON THE FIELD WITH THEIR TEAM. If you haven’t already, get checked and get certified.

If you are having problems, please contact Katie Kay or Kim Townsend NOW to get it taken care of ... DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! As of April 2, there would be a lot of teams without their complete coaching staffs on the field.

Also make sure to check your team invoice to make sure it has been approved and there are no issues. If there are issues, please get them corrected.

ACE Certification and Background Checks REQUIRED For J.O. in 2010
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 Hamilton (Georgia Junior Olympic Commissioner)

ACE Available Online
Coaches who had an active certification as of 2007 can access the online system with their prior information and continue their certification beginning with the next appropriate level. New coaches can begin certifying online with Level 1. 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 Hamilton.