Mechanics Meeting

Our next baseball meeting is scheduled for next Sunday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. This is scheduled to be outside at the East Troy softball field. We will find another location, TBA, in case of inclement weather.

2012 Rules Interpretation Meeting

Our 2012 mandatory rules interpretation meeting is Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1:00 pm at Troy High School. You must attend an interpretation meeting to remaining in good standing with PIAA.  Our district interpreter, Kurt Reichenbach will be there with some additional information. Be there or attend another chapter's meeting!

Begins on Sunday!

First baseball meeting is this Sunday (Feb. 12) at 2:00 p.m. at Troy High School. A couple of interesting rule modifications! Be there!

ACT 24 clearance for contrators

Guys, In case you didn't see this email from PIAA. This is important. After Dec. 7 (and preferably before we start our meetings) go to the PIAA website to complete this information. It is my understanding that if you don't complete this information, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO UMPIRE this season!

Many of you have been contacted regarding the process to handle Act 24 clearances by registered officials. This Act was passed in June by the legislature and directed the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to have all independent contractors that come onto their schools’ campuses sign this form indicating they have not been arrested or convicted of certain crimes. This email is to inform you of a new process for officials to submit their Act 24 clearances with schools. Please share this process with all of your chapter members. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has graciously decided to allow PIAA to serve as the clearinghouse for these clearances therefore, eliminating an official from sending numerous copies to all the schools in which they have contract for contests. Our process will be as follows:



EFFECTIVE & ONLINE, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011.


All PIAA sports’ officials, as independent contractors, must complete the Act 24 Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form for all PIAA member schools by Tuesday, December 27, 2011. This form is to report any arrest, or conviction, of an offense, or offenses, enumerated under 24 P.S. §1-111(e). See offenses detailed below.


To assist PIAA-registered sports’ officials in this process, we have developed an interactive Act 24 form for submission to the PIAA Officials’ database. Please click on this link; www.piaa.org/officials and click on Act 24 (blue box), enter your access code and complete the Act 24 interactive form. PIAA will only accept this procedural electronic submission of this report.


Once completed with your electronic signature, please follow the instructions to submit to PIAA. This form will be saved in the PIAA Officials’ database and will be able to be accessed by all PIAA member schools as they confirm your registration as a PIAA registered sports’ official who is on active status and in good standing.


By completing this form on the PIAA Web site, it will only have to be completed one time for all schools to access at their convenience, therefore, eliminating an official from sending numerous copies to all the schools in which they have contract for contests.


These forms will only be accepted by completion through the PIAA web site by using their unique access code, which is the first four (4) letters of their last name in capitals and the last four (4) numbers of their identification number (social security number). This process and the website will be EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011. A PIAA registered sports’ official only needs to complete this form one time (one form for each individual official, not by sport).


The crimes they detailed were listed in Section 1-111 (e) of the crimes code and include the following: (1) criminal homicide; (2) aggravated assault; (3) stalking; (4) kidnapping; (5) unlawful restraint; (6) luring a child into a motor vehicle or structure; (7) rape; (8) statutory sexual assault; (9) involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; (10) sexual assault; (11) institutional sexual assault; (12) aggravated indecent assault; (13) indecent assault; (14) indecent exposure; (15) sexual intercourse with an animal; (16) incest; (17) concealing death of a child; (18) endangering the welfare of children; (19) offenses dealing with infant children; (20) prostitution and related offenses; (21) obscene and other sexual materials and performances; (22) corruption of minors; (23) sexual abuse of children; (24) unlawful contact with a minor; (25) solicitation of minors to traffic drugs; and (26) sexual exploitation of children. The list further includes (1) equivalent or similar crimes under federal law or of another state, United States territory, the District of Columbia, a foreign nation, or under a former law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and (2) a felony offense under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act. This list may be modified, reduced, or expanded by Act of the General Assembly. The list of offenses in effect at the time of violation by the sports official shall be applicable to proceedings to remove or suspend that sports official.

2012 NTL Baseball Meeting Dates and Times

Below are the meeting dates for our NTL Chapter meetings for the next season. Remember you MUST attend a rules interpretation meeting and six chapter meetings each season. The District IV clinic will count as one of the chapter meetings. Our meetings will be held at Troy High School. (guys, if any of you have different dates and times, please let me know!)


February
12   2:00
26   1:00 Interpretation Meeting

March
4     2:00
17   District IV Baseball Umpire Clinic - Danville High School
18   1:00
25   2:00

April
15   1:00
22   2:00
29   1:00

May
6    2:00
19  Banquet Tentative Date. Location TBD

There also appear to be some changes in our schools this coming season as Elkland will be closed and the students will attend either Cowensque or Williamson, depending on where they live. We will see what  transpires!

District IV Baseball Umpire Clinic

The 2012 District IV baseball umpire clinic will be held Saturday, March 17 at Danville High School. Please notice the change to the 3rd Saturday in March instead of the 2nd Saturday in March. This was done to accomodate PIAA basketball playoffs scheduled for the 2nd Saturday. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Lunch will be at 12:30 followed by an additional classroom session. Cost for the clinic will be $32 per person if registrations are to Kurt Reichenbach by Feb. 28, 2012. After the 28th the cost will be $37 each. Information on registration, on-line, will be available in December. Please check back here for registration information. This is a great opportunity to learn new techniques and hone your skills. Attendance at the clinic does qualify for one of your mandatory 6 chapter meetings. I have attended all but one of these clinics since beginning my umpire career. I plan to be at this one, too! Well worth my time and money, I think it will be for you as well.

Non-approved Composite Bats

As we talked about, I will keep an updated list of teams where we have found non-approved composite bats. You need to notify me when you have a team with these bats so I can keep them listed. This will give all of us a heads up. Please check this often as I will be updating it regularly (as I get feedback from you). Also, click here to go to the Washington State University Sports Science Lab for a list of unapproved composite bats. To my knowledge this is a complete list.

Blue Ridge
1 - (DeMarini CF3)

Wyalusing
1 - (Easton) (maybe two more)

Athens
1 - (Easton)

Mansfield
1 - (Easton)

Cowenesque
1 - (Louisville Slugger)

Sullivan County
3 - (Easton)

Northern Potter
3 - (Easton)