Softball
No Fun Or No Fair?
By Paul Jacoby
There have been many attempts at “gamesmanship” in the history of baseball and softball. The best or most bizarre situation I’ve encountered...
The Difference Between Preventive Umpiring and Coaching
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here tends to be a debate among umpires regarding what should and should not be brought to the attention of coaches when it comes...
Thinking Outside the Box
The NCAA Softball Rules Committee and the Playing Rules Oversight Panel recently approved a significant amount of rule changes for the upcoming 2022 and...
Game-Time Decisions
By Rick Woelfel
Watching an NCAA Division I crew at work is akin to attending an umpiring seminar. I was afforded that opportunity in late...
A Mathematical Dive Into the Strike Zone
The softball strike zone has not changed for a long time; it is still the zone explicitly described in the rules for each softball code. There are slight...
Check This Out
The NFHS Softball Rules Committee approved a handful of rules changes for the 2017-18 school year, but two in particular — allowing intentional walks...
Leap Into the New Year
At its recent annual council meeting in Oklahoma City, USA Softball voted to adopt several new rule changes for the 2022 season. The most...
Your Toughest call?
What do you call when a runner jumps over an infield grounder as a fielder goes for the ball? Usually that play occurs when...
Atypical Interference is More Than Just Runners
There have been many articles written about interference, but most predominantly cover runner interference. The other acts of interference that may be perpetrated by the offensive team are team personnel...
5 Tips for the Tag Play at the Plate
Atag play at the plate is among the most exciting plays in softball. The decision the umpire renders on a close play at home...
Scrutiny on Player Safety Increasing in Softball
Over the years, the NCAA has done many things to try to protect players and prevent injuries. But I have had a couple of...
Tips for Working With Catchers
One of the attributes of a successful plate umpire is the ability to work with catchers. The catcher is a major factor in a...
Slap-Hitters and Bunters Force You To Think Outside The Box
With first base only 60 feet away from home plate in softball compared to 90 in baseball, the left-handed slap hit is a major...
Great Position – Great Look – Great Call
Great Position, Great Look, Great Call
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lthough most umpires would prefer working in crews of three or four, the two-umpire system, if used properly, actually...
Three Major Keys to Success in the Two-Umpire System
The three major keys to success in the two-umpire system include a system of angles, compromises and priorities. Here’s what that means.
Angles
In the two-umpire...
Tag, You’re It
It’s been said location is the most crucial thing in real estate. It could be argued it is the same when it comes to...
In the ‘Try Right Zone’
The plate umpire in fast-pitch softball faces the demanding task of making split-second rulings hundreds of times each game, regardless of the competition level....
Slot Machine
The most important job in a game, and often the most difficult, is calling an accurate strike zone. In order to be accurate, you...
Softball Leaders Give Advice on Making the Most of Your Camp Experience
In 2020, many umpires didn’t have the chance to hone their skills and work on new ones developed in the offseason. As a new...
Getting the Ruling Right Isn’t a Travesty
One of the “catch-all” rules in softball refers to “making a travesty of the game.” That was put in place to take care of those players who try...
An Inside Job
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ne of the toughest jobs for a softball umpire is ruling on inside pitches. There is a lot happening at once and there are...
Adjustments for Better Look at the Plate
Any fast-pitch softball umpire is familiar with the slot position when working a game as the plate umpire: assuming a heel-toe stance behind the catcher, aligned slightly inside the...
Catch to Dropped Ball
Fielders can often appear to make excellent diving catches, but the calling umpire for the play must have patience in that situation before declaring...
Keep Watch on Baserunners Abandoning Their Base
Webster’s defines abandonment as “to leave or forsake completely; to give up possession or control of or to give up, discontinue or withdraw from.”...