About Chicago Metro ASA
The Chicago Metro Boundaries include Kankakee on the South, North to the Illinois-Wisconsin Border, as well as Lake Michigan as the Eastern Border, and West to the Rockford Area.
Tom O'Neill is the Commissioner, and has been for about 25 years. He lives in Tinley Park, IL. Besides serving the Softball Community, he is also one of the most revered NCAA Men's Basketball Officials. Tom also sponsors and is the chief instructor for many outstanding Referee's Clinics and Camps, attended by College and High School Officials from throughout the Country. He is also the Guest Speaker at many other Clinics. He can be reached at final497@sbcglobal.net.
The Junior Olympic (Youth Softball) Commissioner is Joe Pavone, who lives in Orland Park, IL. He has been the J.O. Commissioner for about about 10 years, after being appointed by Mr. O'Neill. Mr. Pavone is also an Attorney, admitted to Practice in 1980, with his Main Office in Lombard, IL. Since beginning his tenure with the ASA, Joe has been selected by the ASA President to become the
Vice-Chair: Northern Territory - of the National Junior Olympic Committee. He has also been the Speaker and Lecturer at many ASA National Events specifically reviewing ASA Code and Playing Rules, including the effect they have on new Forms and Documents at Junior Olympic Seminars. He has also been selected by the ASA President to be the ASA Representative at National Championships. Joe can be reached at ChicagoASAJOComm@aol.com.
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 210,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of the only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles including the last seven consecutive as well as claimed four World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com/.
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To see a list of teams already registered for the
2012 Metro Tournaments click on your specific age group:
10U 12A 12B 14A 14B 16A 16B 18A 18B
UIC Softball Summer Hitting Clinic
UIC Hitting Coach Sami Baugh will be offering a summer hitting clinic June 19th- 21st 2012. Athletes will receive instruction from Coach Baugh and other coaches/ UIC softball players, focusing on specialized drills to enhance the fundamentals of the swing.
Date & Times:
June 19th – 21st (Tuesday-Thursday)
12:30pm – Registration
1:00-3:00 pm – Clinic
Facility Location
The clinic will take place at Flames Field, home to UIC Softball on the campus of UIC. In case of inclement weather, the clinic will take place at the UIC Softball Indoor Hitting Facility. The Indoor Hitting Facility is located in the Physical Education Building. As you enter the building, turn right through the doors and walk across the gym.
UIC Campus
901 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Chicago, IL 60608
Parking
There is a parking lot located across the street from the Physical Education Building (Lot 5) or street parking along Roosevelt or Halsted. Please read signs for the cost to park.
Cost and Participant Information
Cost for the 3 day clinic is $200 and final payment is due by June 19, 2012 at 12:30pm. Clinic fees include a non-refundable $75 deposit which is due by Monday, June 11, 2012 to the address listed below. The clinic is available to athletes’ ages 8-18 years old. Please bring appropriate workout gear and softball equipment including a bat, helmet, cleats, tennis shoes, and batting gloves (if needed).
Registration
Registration is first-come first serve with a maximum of 40 clinic participants. Registration will not be guaranteed until the $75 deposit is received. Please arrive by 12:30pm for registration.
Please mail registration form along with exact cash or check (made payable to Sami Baugh) to the address listed below. Allow up to 5 days for mail delivery. Please email Coach Baugh the day you send your registration and payment so it can be tracked. You will receive a confirmation email once your registration is received. Please contact Coach Baugh at sbaugh@uic.edu, 312-355-2391 work, or 989-317-5093 cell for questions or concerns.
Remember: 40 participants maximum. Registration is first-come first serve. $75 non-refundable deposit due by Monday, June 11, 2012. Remaining $125 is due by June 19, 2012 at 12:30pm.
Please Mail Registration Form and Exact Cash or Check to:
Attention: Sami Baugh, Assistant Softball Coach
University of Illinois at Chicago – Softball
839 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608
COACHES! WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM AND COACH WITH
DOT RICHARDSON? READ ON:
How would you like to learn from and coach with Dot Richardson?
Dot Richardson is coaching America's Team Softball that is traveling to the Dominican Republic next summer. The mission for this team is focused on growing the sport of softball, introducing our US kids to a new country, culture and people, and offer a helping hand to the Dominican people through our service.
Coach Richardson is looking to work with coaches like yourself to grow the game at the grassroots level. Coach Richardson has had success achieving this goal in the past, as she has worked with America's Team in Germany and Italy.
Benefits of coaching include :
Learn and share the game with Dot Richardson, a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist
- Improve the level of softball in the Dominican
- Change the lives of kids, from both the US and the Dominican
- A chance to experience the people and culture of the Dominican Republic, and learn about their rich history
- Coaches travel at no cost
If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please call or email me,
and I will contact you with the next steps.
Thank you.
To Changing Lives Through Sports,
MICHIGAN ASA TO HOST UMPIRE CLINIC
Michigan Amateur Softball Association will be hosting a ASA National Umpire School in Holland, MI on April 28-29, 2012. This site is close to Metro Chicago. The cost is $85
and includes two lunches Information is on the ASA Web site or
the Michigan ASA web site at www.masasoftball.org, then
click on the umpire tab. Besides the great instruction, generally you need to have participated in one in order to receive a National Tournament assignment.
IN ADDITION TO THE BELOW LISTED QUALIFYING TOURNAMENTS, PLEASE LOOK TO THE LEFT FOR THE LINK THAT SAYS "SANCTIONED TOURNAMENTS"
FOR UPDATED INFORMATION
COACHES: PLEASE NOTE THAT IF A TOURNAMENT IS NOT LISTED BELOW OR ON THE "SANCTIONED TOURNAMENTS" LINK, IT IS NOT AN ASA SANCTIONED TOURNAMENT AND DOES NOT QUALIFY TOWARD REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFICATION FOR NORTHERN NATIONALS
June
7-10
16U Regional National Qualifier
Naperville, Entry Fee: $625.00, Contact: Mike Vacik
630-334-1467, Fulmetal@comcast.net
22-24
14U Regional National Qualifier
Elgin, Entry Fee: $600.00, Contact: Bill Judge
815-263-6302; BillJudge70@hotmail.com
July
5-8
16U National Qualifier
Lemont, Entry Fee: $600.00, Contact: Bill Judge
815-263-6302; Elgin BillJudge70@hotmail.com
6-7 (8th as Rain Date)
GOLD Mid West (#10) Regional Qualifier
New Lenox, IL, Entry Fee: $275.00.
Please email me for an Entry Form: ChicagoASAJOComm@aol.com
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New from the ASA: Hertz Car Rental Discount!
Please go to our Forms & Docs Link to the laft.
The Entry Form for the Chicago ASA Metro Championship Tournaments, in an editable format, as well as the Instructional PDF regarding registering with ASA, can be found at the Forms & Docs link to the left. Please review the PDF in full prior to registering. ALWAYS REMEMBER: You are part of the CHICAGO ASA ASSOCIATION, NOT the Illinois ASA.
If, for some reason, you have a problem downloading them, please send me an email to ChicagoASAJOComm@aol.com. Thanks.
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TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS!!!!
Please note that the 2012 Tournament Sanctioning Form is now available at the "Forms& Docs" Link to the left. It must be completed and approved before your tournament will be sanctioned.
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You may now find downloadable forms in our "Forms and Docs" Section.
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On behalf of the Amateur Softball Association, we would like to welcome you.
Chicago Metro ASA is proud to announce our partnership with Clubspaces, who will be helping us manage our website with many new features. As new information becomes available, we will update this Chicago Metro webpage.
Thanks,
Tom O'Neill, Chicago Metro ASA Commissioner, and
Joe Pavone, Junior Olympic Commissioner, Chicago Metro ASA
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2012 Metro
Championship Tournaments:
10U "A&B"
Joliet/Romeoville/Lockport
July 5-8
12U "A"
Joliet/Romeoville/Lockport
July 5-8
14U "A"
Joliet/Lemont/Lockport
July 5-8
16U "A"
Lemont
July 12-15
18U "A"
St. Charles
July 12-15
12U "B"
St. Charles
July 12-15
14U "B"
St. Charles
July 12-15
16U "B"
Lemont
July 12-15
18U "B"
St. Charles
July 12-15
Please note: depending upon the number of teams entered, the Metro Tournaments MAY begin on Thursday.
ASA and Bollinger Insurance, through the Individual Registration Program, have increased the Liability Coverage to $5,000.000, from $2,000,000 with NO additional cost to subscribers/members.
To register your team with ASA and Chicago Metro, and obtain Insurance, please go to our 'Forms & Docs' Link, and download the Tutorial, then go to: www.RegisterASA.com, and follow the simple instructions.
Also, remember that all teams that register and purchase their insurance through www.RegisterASA.com, have their Annual Registration fee waived.
Congratulations to Chicago ASA Junior Olympic Commissioner, Joe Pavone, on his election
as the Mid West Region - (Region 10) 2012 and 2013 Regional Player's Representative.
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History of Softball and the ASA
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Softball was invented inside the Farragut Boat Club on a blustery, winter day in November, 1887, in Chicago, IL. A bunch of Yale and Harvard alumni anxiously awaited the results of the Harvard-Yale football game, and when the news came that Yale had defeated Harvard, 17-8, one Yale supporter, overcome with enthusiasm, picked up an old boxing glove and threw it at a nearby Harvard alumni, who promptly tried to hit it back with a stick. This gave George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, an idea. He suggested a game of indoor baseball. Naturally, Hancock's friends thought he was talking about playing a game outdoors, not indoors.
Hancock wasn't kidding, however. Using what was available, he tied together the laces of the boxing glove for a ball. Using a piece of chalk, Hancock marked off a home plate, bases and a pitcher's box inside the Farragut Boat Club gym, with the two groups divided into teams. The final score of the game was 41-40, but what was significant was that Hancock and his friends had invented a sport that would continue to grow in popularity to where today more than 40 million people enjoy playing it each summer, making softball the No. 1 team participant sport in the United States. Hancock's invention eventually caught on in Chicago with the Farragut team challenging other gyms to games. In the spring, Hancock took his game outdoors and played it on fields not large enough for baseball. It was called indoor-outdoor and Hancock emerged as the recognized authority in the 19th century.
Hancock appended 19 special rules to adapt the outdoor game to the indoor game, and the rules were officially adopted by the Mid Winter Indoor Baseball League of Chicago in 1889. Hancock's game gradually spread throughout the country and ultimately flourished in Minneapolis, thanks to the efforts and ingenuity of Lewis Rober, a Minneapolis Fire Department lieutenant, who wanted a game to keep his firemen fit during their idle time. Using a vacant lot adjacent to the firehouse, Rober laid out bases with a pitching distance of 35 feet. His ball was a small sized medicine ball with the bat two inches in diameter. The game became popular overnight and other fire companies began to play. In 1895, Rober transferred to another fire company and organized a team he called the Kittens. George Kehoe, captain of Truck Company No. 1, named Rober's version of softball "Kitten League Ball" in the summer of 1900. It was later shortened to "Kitten Ball."
Rober's game was known as Kitten Ball until 1925, when the Minneapolis Park Board changed it to Diamond Ball, one of a half dozen names used during this time for softball. The name softball didn't come about until 1926 when Walter Hakanson, a Denver YMCA official and a former ASA president and commissioner, suggested it to the International Joint Rules Committee. Hakanson had come up with the name in 1926, but the committee didn't include the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) until 1934. Efforts to organize softball on a national basis didn't materialize until 1933, when Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley, a Chicago Sporting goods salesman, conceived the idea of organizing thousands of local softball teams in America into cohesive state organizations, and state organizations into a national organization.
To bring the teams together, Fischer and Pauley invited them to participate in a tournament in conjunction with the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago. With the backing of the Chicago American newspaper, Pauley and Fischer invited 55 teams to participate in the tournament. Teams were divided into three classes - fastballers, slow pitch and women. A 14-inch ball was used during the single-elimination event.
During the 1934 National Recreation Congress, membership on the Joint Rules Committee was expanded to add the Amateur Softball Association (ASA). Until the formation of the ASA, softball was in a state of confusion, especially in the rules area where the length of the bases and pitcher's box were constantly being changed.
The formation of the ASA gave softball the solidarity and foundation it needed to grow and develop throughout the U.S. under the network of associations proposed by Fischer and Pauley. Pauley and Fischer visited many of the states, inviting teams to participate in the tournament. Fischer and his sports promotion director, Harry Wilson, sold the Century of Progress Exposition on the idea of sponsoring the tournament and providing a field inside the Fair Grounds. The American's sports pages promoted the tournament daily and Chicago businessmen raised $500 to finance the event.
On the opening day of the 1933 tournament, the Chicago American said, "it is the largest and most comprehensive tournament ever held in the sport which has swept the country like wildfire." With admission free, 70,000 people saw the first round of play. Chicago teams won the three divisions of play with Softball Hall of Famer Harry (Coon) Rosen leading the J.L. Friedman Boosters to the men's title, one-hitting Briggs Beautyware of Detroit, MI, in the finals. It was the first loss of the season for Briggs after 41 consecutive wins.
It was evident that softball finally had a foundation from which to grow, and, in 1935, the Playground Association Softball Guide, wrote: "the years of persistent effort, constant promotion and unchanging faith of believers in softball proved to have not been in vain, for in 1934 softball came into its own. All over America hundreds of leagues and thousands of players enthusiastically accepted this major team game.
"The promotional activities of the ASA played an important part in stimulating the interest that has been developing for many years. The battle for recognition of this splendid game is over. Softball has won a place among America's foremost sports."
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