Q&A with OlympiAn JessicA mendOzA - pg. 43 see whAt’s gOing On thrOughOut the AsA! - pg. 44 Looking for the Best in Softball Instruction? Join Mike Candrea, Head Coach of the USA Softball Women’s National Team, along with some of the all-time great players as they show you the tips and techniques they use to perform among the Mike Candrea world’s best. THE SIX TITLES INCLUDE: Featuring USA Softball Two- • Fundamentals of Pitching time Olympic head coach Mike Candrea, Two-Time • Fundamentals of Catching Olympian Cat Osterman and • Fundamentals of Hitting 2008 Olympians Andrea Duran • Slapping and the Short Game and Caitlin Lowe, and former National Team member Amy • Hitting Drills Hillenbrand. • Defensive Drills Each Series breaks down the fundamentals of the game in order for you to understand and improve your skills. Order now from ASA’s official merchandise website. For more Information: www.softballoutlet.com or call 1-800-654-8337 Looking for the Best in Softball Instruction? 7 Women's Open Slow Pitch: Hawks/Miss Kitty's claims title in 2008 The team from Iowa uses a come-from-behind effort to win 8 Men’s Class A Slow Pitch; ABS Easton claims 2008 title TCP/Easton forces "if game" with 20-19 win but ABS Easton takes title 9 2008 Hooters Championship Series a Success in Oklahoma City! Five Champions crowned with an excitement packed weekend of softball 12 A Message of Hope The journey of the 2008 Olympic Team 16 The Gold Coast Hurricanes Bringing the ASA 18-Under GOLD title to the state of Florida for the first time If You Build It, They Will Come. 17 ASA Hall of Fame Complex and ASA Associations provide top notch facilities Vote 2016 19 The fate of Olympic softball will be determined in October 20 2008 National Championship Results 21 2009 National Championship Schedule 22 2009 Playing Rule Changes 25 Ageless Umpire Lloyd Bailey of Ohio has called over 5,000 games 26 Officialgear.com Get everything you need to be ready to umpire the first game of the season 29 Bernie Profato – Saying Good-Bye After 39 Years One of ASA’s finest retires after a stellar career 30 Class of 2009 - ASA Hall of Fame Eight more added to the membership bringing total to 353 Executive Director 34 Circle of Prayer Ron Radigonda Players show spirit to help an ASA family member in need Editors 36 I Wish To Watch U.S. Olympic Softball Julie Bartel A young girls’ wish granted to travel to Beijing to support the U.S Olympic Team Holly Krivokapich 37 What’s The Difference? Try to find the six things different in the two photos Contributors 39 The Game America Plays: Celebrating 75 years of the Amateur Doug Arnold Softball Association- Book gives insight into the development of the ASA Dennis Andersen 40 Meet the USA Softball Men’s National Team Ron Jackson The team hopes to bring home a medal from the 2009 World Championships Bill Plummer III Kathryn Roethel 42 Thank You from the USA Softball Women’s National Team 43 Mulling It Over With Mendoza Design & Layout Two-time Olympian Jessica Mendoza answers your top questions Old Hat Creative www.oldhatcreative.com 44 What’s Going On In The ASA? 48 The End Of An Era Balls and Strikes magazine goes online in 2009 The Official Publication of The Amateur Softball Association / USA Softball Balls and Strikes Softball Magazine is published annually by the Amateur Softball Association 2801 N.E. 50th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73111, (405) 424-5266. Balls and Strikes Softball® is a federally registered trademark of the Amateur Softball Association of America © Amateur Softball Association 2008 Visit us on the Internet: www.asasoftball.com & www.usasoftball.com ASA Balls&Strikes 4C Ad:Layout 1 11/18/08 1:02 PM Page 1 NNeeeedd aann eeaassiieerr wwaayy ttoo mmaannaaggee yyoouurr lleeaagguuee?? CLUBSPACES IS YOUR BEST SOLUTION! Clubspaces is the Official League Website & Online Management System of ASA. Our tools are designed to help you easily manage your league and increase communications between players, parents and coaches. And it gets better — this program is FFRREEEE to all ASA Leagues. • League and Team Websites "ASA is thrilled to offer Clubspaces • Professionally Designed ASA Website Templates to all of our ASA members. We truly believe that leagues that use Clubspaces • Online Registration will find it dramatically easier to manage their league, saving time and resources, and • Auto Game Scheduler increase communication between players, • Central Calendar parents, volunteers and coaches. ” • Group Email Ron Radigonda, Executive Director of ASA • 24/7 Customer Support & No Hosting Fees Get Started Today! www.clubspaces.com/asa 5 Balls & Strikes Softball Magazine 2008 Women's Open Champions Hawks/ Miss Kitty’s comes from behind to win Women’s Open Coming from the loser’s bracket, Hawks/Miss Kitty’s of Des Moines, Iowa captured the 2008 ASA Women’s Open National Championship in a 6 -5 walk-off decision over the Armed Forces. It was a long day for the winning team as they played five games tallying a 4-1 record. The Hawks forced the “if” game five when they skunked Armed Forces 2008 Women’s Open 10-0 in game four. In the final championship win, the Hawks Sirene Johnson. “And that we did. We lost to Armed Forces Champions Hawks/ were led by catcher and tournament MVP Sirene Johnson twice and we really needed to combine our mental focus with Miss Kitty show off their (Tallahassee, Fla.) who led the way going 2-for-4 in the final our physical talent to win this. We changed our defense due Championship Banner! game with three RBI. Armed Forces put up a great fight with to their base hits in the game before and we finally started four batters each contributing two hits. But they couldn’t hold hitting the ball. Our team never gave up! And we love Okla- the lead as Hawks/Miss Kitty’s scored two runs in the bottom homa City!” of the seventh for the eventual walk-off win. The home run champion went to Hawks/Miss Kitty’s Ruby “This team has a great group of talent, but we just needed Nugent while the batting champion went to extra hitter and to pull together our mental game,” said tournament MVP head coach of Hawks/Miss Kitty's Christan Dowling. 7 »ALL AMERICANS Tournament MVP Sirene Johnson hit .643 (9-for-14) for the The following is the 2008 ASA Women’s Open Championship All American Team. champion Hawks/Miss Kitty team. Infield: CHRISTAN DOWLING , Hawks/Miss Kitty Infield: LETICIA PA C HE C O , Armed Forces Infield: CARA COUGHENOUR , Hawks/Miss Kitty Infield: BRAN D I JA C KSON , Armed Forces Outfield: RU B Y NUGENT , Hawks/Miss Kitty Outfield: BRITTANY SHANNON , Armed Forces Outfield: TRA C Y DOUGERE , Hawks/Miss Kitty Outfield: KARRIE WARREN , Armed Forces Utility: STA C IE SYMON D S , Hawks/Miss Kitty Utility: BUFFY ARMS , Hawks/Miss Kitty Utility: LAURIE DOUGHTY , Armed Forces Utility: AMY SC HWEINFUS , Hawks/Miss Kitty Utility: RENA ENGELHAR D T , Armed Forces Pitcher: MARY HOFF , Hawks/Miss Kitty Catcher: SIRENE JOHNSON , Hawks/Miss Kitty Batting Champion: CHRISTAN DOWLING , Hawks/Miss Kitty HR Champion: RU B Y NUGENT , Hawks/Miss Kitty MVP: SIERENE JOHNSON , Hawks/Miss Kitty ABS Easton of Hartley, Delaware celebrates the 2008 National 2008 ASA Men’s Class A Slow Championship title at ASA Hall of Pitch National Champions Fame Complex. A three-way tie with nine home runs a piece, (from R to L) Andrew Shiltz (Davenport, Iowa), Brett Helmer (Cicero, NY), and Chaun Demars (Becker, Minn.) all received Home Run Champion honors. LIVE WEB STREAMING! NEW to the 20008 tournament was live streaming through www.asasoftball.com. With live commentary and online chats available, it proved to be a successful venture that will definitely take place during the 2009 tournament. Men’s Class A Slow Pitch; ASA 2K SERIES! Long Haul/Phonemasters/ Miken won the inaugu- ABS Easton claims 2008 title ral 2008 ASA 2K Series with a total of 120 points! ABS Easton of Hartley, Delaware traveled the furthest for the ASA Men’s Class A Slow Pitch They received an ASA National Championship in Oklahoma City. And the trip was well worth it. Prize Pack valued at over They completed a weekend of outstanding play taking home their first ever Men’s Class $2,000 upon arrival to A National title. The team of slow pitch sluggers opened the weekend blanking Ptown Boyz Oklahoma City for the 21-0 and never looked back until the championship round. In game two, All Star Plumbing Men’s Class A National fell victim to ABS Easton in a 25-6 defeat before TCP/Easton of Burlington, Iowa saw ABS Championship. The prize pack was a combination of ASA Easton for what would be the first of three meetings in two days. With the 18-4 win, ABS merchandise, Hooters Restaurant gift cards and sponsor was cruising as they knocked off Team Combat/Pytch Blakk in a 26-8 win for the 4-0 record equipment. into the championship round. The ASA 2K Series started in 2008 and consisted of seven A determined TCP/Easton team rose to the occasion in the championship game forcing designated tournaments serving as ASA 2K sites meaning 8 the ‘if game’ with a 20-19 seventh inning victory. But the power and defense of ABS endured that each event will award a $2,000 travel certificate to the as they claimed the title in the final game of the tournament with a 15-10 championship first place team.