Eastern Ontario Umpire Association

Our Female Bursary program has been an enormous success! Over the past few months, we were able to support over 100 women across the country to advance in their coaching and officiating development. Click here to learn more about our recipients: https://softball.ca/femalebursaryrecipients

To wrap up our week of highlighting our work in gender equity, we are asking you to join us and take our pledge to help build up the next generation of female leaders at https://softball.ca/pledge

Fellow officials! Special prices online for umpire base and plate shoes at https://www.joesnewbalanceoutlet.com/ Shoes only ship to a US address and deal in US dollars. Contact Greg Perrin for further details at [email protected]

What a great first episode of Softball Canada’s newest umpire webinar series as Frankie Billingsley hosted guests Bob Stanton (Canada), Carolien Stadhouders (Nederlands), Kevin Ryan (USA) and Pete Saunders (UK). Look for the recording posted here in the next few days.

UMPIRES Fireside Chat - Recipe for Success ----------------------------- The Softball Canada Webinar Series for 2021 has arrived! Join Frankie Billingsley on F...ebruary 1, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. EST for a Fireside Chat with four of the most amazing people in the game of softball! The theme for the evening will be the recipe for success. The four panelists which will be making themselves available on this evening have a keen eye for talent and their resumes speak to their ability to enhance and grow an official’s capacity and realize their potential. Bob Stanton - Canada Bob has been involved in the game of softball for most of his life. Bob was a fast ball player, playing first base and pitching occasionally at the intermediate and recreational level for over 20 years. Bob began officiating in 1982 and has gone on to supervisor at countless world championships and world cup events. Bob was the National Director of Umpires in Canada before taking on the role on the International Level with the International Softball Federation (ISF) which is now the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). Bob has recently taken on another new, administrative role earning a spot on the Softball Canada Board of Directors. A few of Bob's accolades include being inducted into the Softball Canada Hall of Fame and the International Softball Hall of Fame. While he has recently stepped backed from day-to-day duties of his role as the WBSC Director of Umpires Softball (a position he held for 12 years) he will continue to sit on the Rules Commission, work on a few projects and continue as the Umpire in Chief at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. Carolien Stadhouders Netherlands Carolien Stadhouders is currently serving as one of the Regional Umpire Coordinators for the WBSC Softball Division. Carolien started out playing second base and centerfield before her umpiring career began. Carolien was certified as an international umpire in 1995. Upon receiving that credential, Carolien went on to officiate in 4 World Championships and 3 Olympic Qualifying tournaments. Carolien held the top spot, Umpire in Chief, in what is now referred to as Softball Europe from 2012-2020; and was the Director of Umpires from 2016-2020 for Softball Europe. She has received numerous accolades including being recognized as the umpire of the year in Netherlands on two occasions (1995 and 1999). Carolien has supervised three world championships. Kevin Ryan United States Kevin Ryan is the current Director of Umpires for USA Softball and has held this position since 2006. Kevin was an athlete as an outfielder and as a catcher. Kevin began umpiring in 1980 and became internationally certified with the ISF, now the WBSC in 1991. Kevin umpired in 6 Men’s Major fast Pitch National Championships, 1 Women’s Major Championship and 1 Over 40 Men’s National Championship. Kevin has also officiated at the Men’s World Championship in 1996. Kevin served as the UIC for the USA Softball World Cup for 13 years; and has served as a UIC at least once a year at a National Championship. Kevin has received a number of accolades which include election to the USA Softball of Michigan Hall of Fame as an Umpire (2005) and an induction into the USA Softball Hall of Fame (2008). Kevin has supervised two world championships. Pete Saunders United Kingdom Pete has just started a new role as a Softball (WBSC) Europe Trainer (Pete has been a UK trainer since 2012). Pete started playing the game in 1996 and still does to this day! Pete began umpiring in 1997 and umpired his first UK Nationals in 2003. Pete qualified for his European Softball Federation (WBSC Europe) designation in 2006 and officiated at 6 European Championships (in Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Austria, Italy and Hungary). Pete received his ISF (now WBSC) license in 2013 and has officiated at 4 World Cups and 1 Canadian Nationals. Monday, February 1st at 7 PM EST Please register for UMPIRES Fireside Chat - Recipe for Success on Feb 1, 2021 7:00 PM EST at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/regist/5561026760405576462 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Brought to you by GoToWebinar Webinars Made Easy

Deadline open for Level 4 Clinic: On-Line Level IV Umpires Certification Clinic to be held in February 2021. Softball Canada is pleased to announce that an on-l...ine Level IV National Umpires Certification Clinic will once again be held in the February 2021. The clinic dates are tentatively set for five Sunday’s in February and March. Each of the five two-hour sessions, led by experienced Softball Canada instructors, will focus on the psychology of officiating, advanced game management techniques and mechanics and much more. To be eligible to participate, candidates must be a fully certified Level III umpire for at least two years and receive a positive endorsement from their provincial or territorial organization. Successful completion of the Level IV clinic results in Level IV Theory certification. A subsequent successful evaluation at a U-19 (M or F) Fast Pitch or Senior Women’s Slo-Pitch Canadian Championship will leads to full Level IV certification. Clinic Details: Registration fee is $225 and includes a digital Level IV manual, access to the Adobe Connect virtual classroom platform and all other resources. Participants will require access to a computer with high-speed Internet connectivity, a mic/headset and a webcam to participate. Each of the five sessions of the online Level IV clinic will be held beginning at 9 AM (Central) to 11 AM (Central) time on each Sunday. This means 8 AM in BC, 9 AM in Alberta and Saskatchewan, 10 AM in Manitoba and 11 AM in Ontario. Tentative clinic dates are Sundays: February 7, 14, 21 and March 7 and 14. The language of instruction for this clinic offering will be English. To register please complete the attached form and send it, along with payment of the fee. Please note that submission of a completed registration form and fees does not guarantee acceptance into the clinic. Candidates will be advised upon their reception into the on-line clinic. For more information or to register please contact Donna Ozarko at [email protected] See more