The Host Organization The Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association is entering its 53rd year of operation as one of Canada’s largest adult softball leagues. The SASA has 17 Men’s Teams and 25 Women’s teams playing within 5 divisions. The SASA operates Bob Van Impe Stadium, Joe Gallagher Field & the 6 diamonds at Glen Reeve Fields. The SASA is instrumental in building the sport of softball locally by providing top caliber softball action and supporting many programs financially and materially. The Organization was recognized locally as the 2010 Sports Organization of the year and is well known throughout Canada and around the world as one of the most active softball organizations. The Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association is very active within the sports community overseeing the operations of the University of Saskatchewan Women’s Softball program and developing a Softball Legacy Program. Major Softball Events Hosted by the Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association The SASA has a rich history of hosting major softball events thanks to the incredible hard-working volunteers who ensure all visitors enjoy the softball events as well as the City of Saskatoon & the Province of Saskatchewan. Softball Canada Canadian Championships 22 Western Canada Softball Championships 5 Canadian Collegiate Softball Association National Championships 2 International Softball Federation World Men’s Softball Championships 3 International Softball Federation World Women’s Softball Championship 1 Jeux Canada Games Boys & Girls Softball 1 1967 Softball Canada Sr Men’s Canadian Championship 1970 Softball Canada Sr Women’s Canadian Championship 1975 Softball Canada Jr Men’s Canadian Championship 1977 Softball Canada Jr Men’s Canadian Championship 1980 Softball Canada Sr Men’s Canadian Championship 1984 Softball Canada Sr Women’s Canadian Championship 1987 International Softball Congress World Tourney 1988 VII-ISF Men’s World Softball Championship 1989 Jeux Canada Summer Games Softball Events 1994 Softball Canada Sr Men’s Canadian Championship 1995 Softball Canada Jr Women’s Canadian Championship 1996 Softball Canada Sr Women’s Canadian Championship 1998 Western Canadian Master Softball Championships 1999 Western Canadian Pee Wee Softball Championship 2000 Softball Canada Sr Men’s Canadian Championship 2001 3 Nations Challenge Women’s Championship 2002 International Softball Federation Women’s World Softball Championship 2004 Softball Canada Jr Women’s Canadian Championship 2004 Western Canadian Master’s Softball Championships 2005 Softball Canada Jr Men’s Canadian Championship 2007 Softball Canada Midget Boys Canadian Championship 2007 Western Canadian Master’s Softball Championships 2008 3 Nations Challenge Men’s International Softball Championship 2008 Softball Canada Sr Men’s Canadian Championships 2008 Canadian Collegiate Softball Association Women’s National Championship 2009 International Softball Federation Men’s World Softball Championship 2010 Softball Canada U21 Women’s Canadian Championships 2013 U21 Men’s International Softball Championship 2014 Softball Canada U18 Women’s Canadian Championship 2014 Western Canadian Master’s Softball Championships 2015 International Softball Federation Men’s World Softball Championship Perhaps the most successful men’s world softball championship ever. This event attracted more than 50,000 fans including a record 7,800 for the Friday night game and over 6,000 more for the finals. It saw Canada win the gold medal on Canadian soil for the first time and Saskatoon became the only city in the world to host the men’s worlds 3 times. 2016 Softball Canada U18 Men’s Canadian Championship 2016 Softball Canada U14 Boys Canadian Championship 2016 Canadian Collegiate Softball Association Women’s National Championship 2017 Softball Canada Men’s Canadian Championship 2017 Softball Canada Masters Men’s Canadian Championship Plans are underway to host the 2020 Men’s World Cup of Softball featuring the world’s top 8 teams. 2017 Men’s Canadian Championship The Umpires’ "Blue Crew" Name Prov. SC Level 1 Daryl Helmer Alberta 5 2 Lou Davis Nova Scotia 5 3 Adam Hook Ontario 4 4 Michael French Prince Edward Island 4 5 Bob Clothier Saskatchewan 4 6 Bruce Luebke Manitoba 4 7 Marcel Vallée Quebec 4 8 Ed Otterman Ontario 5 9 Aaron Poulin British Columbia 5 10 Justin Van Horn Ontario 4 11 Darryl Bergeron Saskatchewan 4 12 Mike Nalysnyk Ontario 4 13 Brendon Moat Saskatchewan 4 14 Terry Richter Alberta 5 UIC Mitch Zuk Ontario 5 DUIC Gary Skjerven Saskatchewan 5 Working strictly with the Masters Men’s: Gavin Russell (SK), Darryl Fiala (SK) and Mike Kostiniuk (SK). Supervising this Championship are Gary Skjerven and Mitch Zuk. Both Gary and Mitch are level five umpires who have attained their WBSC (World Baseball/ Softball Congress) accreditation. They have both umpired at Men's World Championships, with Gary being on the WBSC Crew in Whitehorse last month, while Mitch traveled to New Zealand in 2013. Both have umpired extensively internationally and supervised numerous Canadian Championships. Gary and Mitch supervised the 2016 Men's and Master Men’s Canadian Championship in St John's Newfoundland. Understanding the skill set necessary for umpires to be effective, in an approachable and purposeful manner, is an important criterion for being a supervisor and a goal that Gary and Mitch will set for themselves. How were the umpires selected? Each empire is selected by their provincial governing body and while at the championship, is representing not only Softball Canada, but their provincial umpiring program as well. Umpire certification level requirement for this championship is a level four or five. Three of the top local umpires have been added to assist the selected umpires, working only the Master men’s category. Level five Softball Canada certification is the highest a Softball Canada umpire can attain. Umpires selected by their provincial governing body are then notified of their selection in early February of 2017. Early notification enables the Umpire to make appropriate arrangements to travel and umpire in late August. It is every umpires goal to be selected to umpire at Canadian Championship. The umpires on the field for this championship have worked a minimal of two Canadian championships in the past. They are well experienced. In preparation for this tournament, each umpire officiated at their provincial men's championship. Many umpires on the current crew have also officiated at international events and games within the last two months. While umpiring at the championship, umpires are totally focussed on the task at hand. Supervisors, Gary Skjerven and Mitch Zuk, meet daily with each umpire crew after their game to discuss the following: umpire mechanics, positioning and teamwork, self-selected goals that each umpire reflects on after their game, general areas that umpire supervisors feel the umpiring are excelling at and/or need to focus on. Doug Schultz our Honorary Vice-Chairperson Celebrating Fifty Years in Blue Can you remember what you were doing in the League, etc. while the Bitz group worked Sr. A Men’s summer of 1967? Montreal was hosting Expo 67, and the Special Men’s division. They had 43 members Canada was turning one hundred and teenagers of which about 24 were rated to do Sr. B Men’s or everywhere were listening to the Beatles newest album higher. For Shultz, every one of those umpires had Sgt. Pepper's Lonely-Hearts Club Band. That was also some sort of impact on him. He estimates he has the summer Doug Schultz was setting foot on the worked with about 1200 umpires over the length of his diamond for the first time wearing the umpire’s blue. career. Doug was part of the many key changes in the Who would have known that umpiring in that umpire organizations in the last 50 years. He saw the Saskatoon Men’s D division game (for which he got Saskatoon Umpire Association changed to Hub City paid 90 cents) would turn into almost 5000 more and a Umpires which later changed into the Bridge City tremendously rewarding career as a softball official? Umpires when the minor and adult umpire’s associations split. Recently Doug became part the Doug’s love for the game was obvious right from the Saskatoon Bridge City Umpires when the adult and time he began playing in the sixties in Saskatoon for minor umpires re-united. the Frozen Foods Penguins under Chuck Porter. One of his most interesting playing experiences was playing Over the years Doug has worked with some of in a Donkey Ball tournament in Warman. A touring Saskatoon and Canada’s greatest umpires including: Ed group supplied the donkey and after you hit the ball Bitz who was the first Softball Canada Umpire In Chief you would have to jump on the donkey and ride it to (1972-1984), as well as Saskatoon Sports Hall of first base. Famers Ed Reimer, Harvey Hildebrandt and Dave Moore. Although always very humble, he was willing His playing experience came in handy in his second to share what he feels are some of his of his career in softball. Under the mentorship of Eugene accomplishments on the diamond. Somewhere near Hearne who supervised the lower men’s divisions in the top was doing the plate for the final game of the Saskatoon, Doug immediately began doing the plate 1984 Canadian Sr. Women’s gold medal game won by and bases and many one-man games. He worked for Ontario’s Milverton-Dorchester. He has also umpired Hearne until The Saskatoon Softball Umpire in the what many believe the most memorable Senior Association (S.S.U.A) was formed in 1972 with the Men’s championship ever in 1980, when 13 Canadian amalgamation of the group led by Ed Bitz and the championships records were broke in what may have Hearne’s group. The Hearne group had been working been the finest display of pitching ever at a Canadian the lower divisions of the S.A.S.A.