2023 PRESIDENT’S WELCOME BACK MESSAGE
WELCOME BACK! Your Executive Board has been in session a few times since the end of last season to recap and review the 2022 season to better prepare you for the upcoming season. The focus of our clinics will once again be to better prepare our umpires with updated mechanics, better game management and a working knowledge of the rules. Please remember to review your NYSSO manual and read your USA Rule Book, which is now available on the USA Website. We are currently in search of someone in the organization to take over the management of our website. It is currently NOT up to date and hopefully one of you will step up to be able to manage the content and information we need on our website. Please reach out to me if you can help.
CLINIC/MEETING SCHEDULE: The clinic schedule for weekly topics and umpire expectations will be sent out shortly. The week of February 27th will be the first night for Group 1 (new umpires) AND Group 2 (2-4 yr). All other umpires will report the week of March 6 th for the Business Meeting. This will be the general membership business meeting and is MANDATORY. We always have a “healthy” agenda highlighted by comments from the President, Rules Interpreter and HS assignors.
ELECTIONS: The following positions are up for election this year (w/incumbents in parentheses). Executive Board: North (Burns), Capital (Jette, Fryer). Also up President, for which Kevin Jette and Richard Melnyk have said they are running. Our new Secretary Joe Farron will be in charge of the elections. Area reps are handled by the specific groups at the Business Meeting. Officer elections will be held at the June Business Meeting.
Mechanics Session is in the planning stages. Only groups 1 and 2 will be required to attend at this time. We will make a formal announcement about place and time when we have solidified that information.
USA UMPIRES—IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!!! Anyone wishing to register as a USA umpire MUST DO THE USA BACKGROUND CHECK ON LINE! We all did this last year and must do so every year going forward. Go to www.registerusasoftball.com and complete the information. There is a $14 fee. You must give me your USA ID number when you pass the background check. I cannot register you as a USA Umpire without this number. You will NOT be allowed to umpire any USA sanctioned games if you do not get the background check. Please send me a picture of your ID tag once you receive it. You can either email it to me at [email protected] or text to me at 518-573-4661. Also, remember to do the next Safe Sport Refresher Course. New umpires must do the original course, 2nd year umpires do Refresher #1 and all others do the next Refresher in the succession . This is housed on a new “platform” accessible from the same site as the Background Check. Click the Safe Sport tab and follow directions to sign in. You may need your USA Umpire ID number. Remember, there is NO CHARGE to complete the Safe Sport Curriculum.
See you in a few weeks!
Peg
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
Amendment Proposal Submitted by Jim Berkery:
The proposal seeks to:
Amend the current CDSUA By-Laws
Article II – Duties of the Executive Committee
Add L. – Devise and oversee a fair and equitable procedure for absentee balloting.
Also, within the Constitution and By-Laws:
- wherever it states “mail,” to add “/e-mail;”
- wherever it states “certified mail,” to add “/verified e-mail.”
Amendment Proposal Submitted by Richard Melnyk:
Amend the current CDSUA By-Laws
Article II — Duties of the Executive Committee
G: Appoint Assignor(s) to service Section II schools
Amend to:
Article II — Duties of the Executive Committee
G: Conduct, supervise, oversee and take any measures at its disposal to ensure a fair election of the
three high school assignors, one each in the northern, southern and central areas by the membership of
their respective areas. The membership of each area will be defined by Article IV — Officers and
Executive Committee and Elections Section B, Item 1. A which states:
Northern Area representative that reside in or to the north of Saratoga Springs
Southern Area representatives who reside in or to the south of Selkirk,
Central Area representatives who reside between the northern and southern areas or in Saratoga
Springs.
In addition, the proposal seeks to:
Amend the current Constitution
Article IV Officers, Executive Committee and Elections
C – Elections
Article IV Officers, Executive Committee and Elections
2. Officers shall be elected by the general membership while Area Representative shall be elected by
members of the area they represent.
8. Newly elected Officers and Representative shall assume their duties on January 1 following their
election.
Amend to:
Article IV Officers, Executive Committee and Elections
C – Elections
2. Officers shall be elected by the general membership while Area Representative and Assignors shall
be elected by members of the area they represent.
8. Newly elected Officers, Representatives and Assignors shall assume their duties on January 1
following their election.
Also, the proposal stipulates that since Article IV Officers, Executive Committee and Elections
C requires:
1. Elections shall be held prior to September 1 each year and;
8. Newly elected Officers and Representative shall assume their duties on January 1 following their
election,
that if the proposal passes with the required two-thirds votes of the general membership in
attendance at the June, 2023 business meeting that the steps outlined in Article IV Officers, Executive
Committee and Elections C – Elections —
Be expedited at that same June 2023 business meeting to the extent opening the floor to the general
membership for nominations for the three area assignors, and allowing seven (7) additional days for
nominations after the close of the meeting. Following the June business meeting, the Executive
Committee will secure the consent of each candidate prior to placing their name in nomination. The
Executive Committee would then conduct, supervise and oversee the election of the assignors at a
mandatory meeting, which would consist of a Special Election, to meet the requirement of having the elections prior to September 1, 2023 and newly elected officers and representative assuming their duties following their election.
Instructions for Registering in Arbiter
Go to Welcome Page at https://nysphsaa.arbitersports.com/front/113733/Site
Click on Registration in the Menu on top
Click on the Register tab
(If you already have an ArbiterSports account follow the instructions on the page. EXCEPTION: When it comes to ArbiterPay, do nothing, Just click continue.)
When asked for Sport, choose Softball
Input Personal Information
When asked for the Association, choose Capital District Section 2 from the pull down menu
When you come to ArbiterPay, do nothing. Click continue
Review your information
Finish
Helpful Registration YouTube Video
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