CENTERVILLE – The Ohio High School Athletic Association and USA Softball of Dayton will sponsor an all-Ohio softball umpires school on March 11 and 12 at Centerville High School.

The school is targeting female and minority participants but open to all. This is the only class of its kind in the nation – an opportunity to obtain an OHSAA officiating permit and USA Softball (formerly ASA) registration in a two-day session and in time to start the season.

Class sessions will be from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on March 11 and 12 and include instruction in OHSAA and USA Softball rules as well as umpire mechanics. This is an accelerated classroom and participation school designed to help new umpires learn as quickly as possible. Participants are asked to wear comfortable clothes and gym shoes.

The OHSAA online examination and two required scrimmage opportunities are part of this course and will be offered in participants’ home area after the conclusion of the school.

The cost is $125 per student and includes all instruction, books, materials, testing fee plus both OHSAA permit fee and USA Softball registration including insurance packages. All registration is handled online with payments by a Visa, Mastercard or Discover.

There is a tremendous need for new softball officials. The OHSAA and USA Softball will work to ensure that umpires begin their career at a level where they are comfortable – whether it is school games or recreation softball.

While most students have typically been adults, OHSAA regulations now allow high school students of all ages to participate in these classes. The instructional team has successfully trained hundreds of officials of all ages using this popular and effective accelerated schedule.

For additional information, contact Class Director Jerry Fick at 513-563-2755 or by email at [email protected]. He will be joined by other OHSAA and USA Softball certified instructors who will give participants individual and small group instruction in our mechanics sessions.

This class is approved by USA Softball of Dayton and also the USA Softball of Ohio and USA Softball of Cincinnati Associations. Out of town participants may email for hotel discount information.

Also available is a Cincinnati session on March 18 and 19 at Cincinnati State College

To begin the registration process, visit http://officials.myohsaa.org/Logon and then click on register.

Anyone with questions may contact Class Director Jerry Fick at 513-563-2755 or by email at [email protected].