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The Edmonton & District Softball Umpires Association (EDSUA) offers contracted officiating services for Fast Pitch & Slow Pitch softball leagues in and around the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Umpiring services of the EDSUA are also available for tournaments in our assigned district as well as outside of our district with the proper protocol. We offer well trained and highly skilled individuals for the officiating needs you require. The EDSUA is affiliated with Softball Canada, Softball Alberta, and is a member of the Alberta Softball Umpires Association. The EDSUA is listed as a non-profit organization with the Alberta Societies act.
Alberta is proud to boast one of the best Umpire programs in the country. If you are interested in learning a new avenue of the game of softball, we are always looking for interested individuals. Each year, there are Umpire Clinics held throughout the Province. Alberta is divided up into 14 branches, which all partake in the execution of successful softball events throughout the season.
The Canadian officiating program is recognized as the worldwide leader in training and performance. Over 4,000 umpires are registered with Softball Canada and activities include the certification process (Levels 1-5), specialized learning materials and publications and professional development opportunities at all levels.
If you require our services, please contact us for further information.
What We Do:
In softball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and meting out discipline. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump. They are also addressed as blue due to the color of the uniform some umpires wear. (It should be noted that on the professional level, umpires generally disdain being called "blue", preferring instead to be called by their name.) Although games were often officiated by a sole umpire in the formative years of the sport, from the turn of the 20th century onward officiating has been commonly divided among several umpires, who form the umpiring crew.
Softball:
Fastball or softball is a variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented in 1888 in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, softball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' baseball. The name softball was given to the game in 1926. A tournament in 1933 at the Chicago World's Fair spurred interest in the game. The International Softball Federation regulates rules of play in more than 110 countries, including the United States and Canada. Women's fast-pitch softball has been an Olympic sport since 1996.
Despite the name softball, the ball is not soft. It is about 11 or 12 inches in circumference (depending on the age division and is sometimes larger for slow-pitch), which is 2 to 3 inches larger than a baseball. The infield in fastball is much smaller than in baseball; each base is a maximum of 60 ft from the next (distances are lower for younger age groups), as opposed to baseball's 90 ft. Fastball rules vary somewhat from those of baseball. Two major differences are that the ball must be pitched underhand - from a distance typically 15 to 20 ft shorter than those used by baseball - and that seven innings instead of nine constitute a regulation game.
Softball is a sport enjoyed by up to three million Canadians on playing fields across the country. The sport appeals to all ages, both male and female.
Mixed softball or Co-ed is probably the fastest growing segment. About 85%-90% of the participants play a style of softball called slo-pitch.
Slo-Pitch, as the name implies, differs from fast-pitch in the speed with which the ball is delivered. Because it is a hitter's game, 10 players are used instead of the traditional 9. The 10th player is usually employed as an extra outfielder. The ball is pitched slowly in a high arc making it an easier target for hitters. The game usually features a lot of runs.
FastPitch or FastBall is the more tradional version of the sport and a competent pitcher can dominate a game. With fewer runs being scored than in slo-pitch strategy plays a more important role.
