Charlie Davis, the new Colorado state commissioner for adult slow-pitch softball for the AMATEUR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION is planning for a big 2009 season.
"I would like to let you and everyone who plays softball in the state of Colorado know that A.S.A is back and we will be putting on ASA sanctioned tournaments for men's, women's, coed, and church divisions for both competitive and rec teams," announced Davis.
Davis is looking forward to serving and helping anyone and everyone who needs information about A.S.A which is also the governing body for the U.S.A WOMEN'S OLYMPIC SOFTBALL TEAM.
ASA has numerous slow-pitch softball offerings for players and teams. Look for additional information in the coming weeks on this site. Anyone with questions and suggestions for making this a successful season may contact Charlie Davis directly at softball1980@gmail.com.
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ILLEGAL BATS
If your league is anything like most leagues in Colorado, you probably receive a list of illegal bats at the beginning of each softball season. Maybe the list is handed out at your manager's meeting, or maybe it is posted on your softball league's website, either way, you need to be conscience of that list when selecting a bat.
Why are there illegal bats?
There are two main reasons that softball leagues issue illegal bat lists. The first is for the protection of the players, mainly the pitcher. Every day the bat companies are inventing new technologies that are equipping players essentially with bats that more resemble artillery launchers than traditional softball bats. This puts the pitcher, in particular in danger. Depending on your league rules, the pitcher will be around 40-50 feet from the mound after the release. (Also, depending on your league rules, the pitcher may be 4 or 5 beers into the evening after the release). The strength of some of the players, combined with the new technology of the bats put the pitcher in a very precarious position as a line drive comes scream towards his/her head. And don't forget the pitcher isn't the only one who should be concerned for their safety, infielders, particularly third base and shortstop, when righties are up, and second base and first base, with lefties, also can get quite a lump on the noggin from a hot shot off some of these enhanced technology bats.
The second reason behind issuing illegal bats is fairness of play. Recreational softball should not be won by the team that can pay the most for bats, and rest assured the newer the technology, the higher the price.
Recreational softball is played by millions so that they can go out and have fun for an hour or so a week. If a team is plunking homerun after homerun into the lake on the other side of the fence, the game will get tedious and boring. Restricting the power behind the bats, will keep more balls in the park and make the game more fun for both teams.
These are the two main reasons that recreational softball leagues issue an illegal bat list. Before you purchase a bat, make sure you check the illegal bat list for your league.
Who's In First is an online league management system for recreational athletics. For more information visit http://www.whosinfirst.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Evan_Pfaff
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Danger may lurk in athlete's mouth guards
JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News - Seattle
Most athletes, and parents of young competitors, know a mouth guard can be essential in preventing injuries while they play. What they may not know is that the same piece of equipment that offers protection can also lead to life threatening illnesses.
"He used to wear it where they were attached to the cage. We never took it off, and then he'd put it in his mouth. I mean, we never cleaned it. NEVER," said Patricia Howell, the mother of an athlete.
But the results of a new study from Oklahoma State University may have athletes rethinking those actions. After swabbing dozens of mouth guards, researchers found that germs keep on multiplying dramatically.
"The mouth guard becomes highly, highly contaminated. In other words, every time the athlete puts the mouth guard into his mouth, it's like putting a handful of dirt in his mouth," said Dr. Tom Glass, a microbiologist.
Mouth guards look solid, but are actually porous. That makes them flexible, but also encourages bacterial growth, from staph to strep to pneumococci.
"Not only are we worried about the effect right there in the mouth, we're worried about the effect in the lungs, with exercise-induced asthma from molds, and we're worried about the bacteria in the stomach that will produce toxins that will cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea," said Dr. Glass.
And researchers say if the mouthpiece cuts the tissue of the mouth, germs can get into the bloodstream, which is even worse.
"We have found staphlycoccus aureus in the mouth guards that are methicillin resistant and, of course, this can be a fatal episode," said Dr. Glass.
But mouth guards are important, helping prevent not just tooth damage, but other facial injuries. So what should you do? Experts say rinsing a mouth guard, even boiling it, isn't enough. Their best advice:
"Change the mouth guard at least once every two weeks. Simply throw it away," said Glass.
At about $2 each, that's a easy solution.
Dr. Glass is now conducting a new study looking into the best way to store mouth guards, and if there's an effective way to kill bacteria. Results are expected in May.
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