About USA Softball

Formerly the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball, USA Softball has many important responsibilities as the National Governing Body of softball in the United States, including regulating competition to insure fairness and equal opportunity to the millions of players who play the sport.

When USA Softball entered the picture in 1933, the sport was in a state of confusion with no unified set of playing rules and no National Governing Body to provide guidance and stability. USA Softball changed all that by adopting softball's first universally accepted rules of play and by organizing consistent and fair competition across the nation. From this beginning, USA Softball has become one of the nation's largest and fastest growing sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of state/metro associations. USA Softball has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 120,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2 million.

Quick facts

  • USA Softball was founded as the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America in 1933 by Leo Fisher and Michael J. Pauley. Fischer and Pauley laid the foundation for softball's future by adopting a universal set of rules, setting the stage for what would become softball's National Governing Body.
     
  • USA Softball was named the National Governing Body of Softball (NGB) in the United States by the United States Olympic Committee in 1978.
     
  • USA Softball provides people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels. USA Softball offers recreational, league, tournament and National Championship play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch and annually conducts over 100 National Championships.
     
  • USA Softball is the primary funding source and the pipeline to the USA Softball National teams programs.  All six programs (Junior Women, Junior Men, Women, Men, Men's and Women's Slow Pitch) continue to compete at the highest levels because of the efforts put forth by USA Softball to keep athletes in the Red, White and Blue. USA Softball is the only softball association who supports this effort and provides the funds necessary for these teams on their road to representing the United States internationally at the Pan American Games, World Championships, Border Battle and Olympic Games.
     
  • USA Softball continues to give back to athletes and coaches through the National Team Programs. Our USA Softball athletes put on youth clinics, attend our JO USA Softball National Championships and participate on the National Council. Our National Team coaches also promote softball through National Coaching Schools and training camps for youth coaches and athletes.
     
  • USA Softball is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization which means every dollar generated from grassroots softball goes directly back into improving and furthering the sport.
     
  • The USA Softball National Office is located in Oklahoma City and has state/metro associations that register teams and organize leagues around the country.
     
  • USA Softball owns and operates the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex, which is the Softball Capital of the World® and the Mecca of Softball®. Since it was built in 1987, the Complex has become home to some of the most outstanding softball events in the United States such as the NCAA Women's College World Series (WCWS), the USA Softball International Cup (formerly known as the World Cup of Softball), Border Battle, GOLD National Championships and the USA Softball Slow Pitch Championship Series.
     
  • USA Softball registers over 120,000 softball teams comprising over 2 million players.
     
  • USA Softball has established the ACE (Achieve, Certify, Educate) Coaching Education Program to provide softball coaches of all levels an opportunity to become more educated in the game of softball.
     
  • USA Softball runs and completes over 80,000 background checks a year and has adopted a SafeSport policy for coaches and volunteers who participate in our grassroots programs.  Providing a safe environment for the athletes and their families is our number one priority.
     
  • USA Softball registers over 25,000 certified umpires annually and is the ONLY softball association to offer complete training and bi-annual Umpire-in-Chief (UIC) clinics to help umpires achieve their goals and promote a positive experience for athletes and coaches.
     
  • Each year, USA Softball's Equipment Testing and Certification committee examines the current rules and specifications governing various items of equipment.
     
  • The USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. has served as host of the NCAA Women's College World Series more than any other site.
     
  • USA Softball has a national partnership with Special Olympics Softball and assists with the National Games each and every year. USA Softball umpires volunteer their time and efforts and USA Softball donates thousands of scorebooks to teams across the nation to help their programs grow. Several Special Olympic Associations have teamed up with state/metro associations in providing venues and services to grow the Special Olympics' softball efforts.

Vision

USA Softball will be the standard of excellence in softball

Mission

USA Softball is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States.  We develop, administer and promote the sport of softball to provide opportunities for participation and the best possible experience for those involved.

Values

  • Teamwork
  • Fair Play
  • Common Good
  • Promotion and Education
  • Sportsmanship and Civility

Goals

  • Ensure our future success as the leader in softball by improving the leadership and governance of our organization.
  • Continue and enhance our long standing focus on the player, the quality of the game, quality of service, and overall service.
  • Be accountable to each other and our sport in our mutual efforts to be the international leader in the sport of softball.
  • Focus on financial and organization effectiveness that enhances our service, products and image.
  • Craft effective external and internal connections with our players, officials, parents affiliates and the public.
  • Create an internationally recognized, world class venue that meets our needs, and supports our mission and vision.

Objectives

As defined in Article 103 of the USA Softball Code, the objectives of USA Softball shall be:

  1. To promote amateur softball for all persons regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry.
  2. To establish uniform softball rules and regulations.
  3. To provide it with proper safeguards in accordance with the spirit of true sportsmanship and establish principles for ethical behavior and matters relating to conflict of interest as provided by the USA Softball Council and Board of Directors.
  4. To encourage the union of all eligible teams, organizations or groups into such separate associations with active membership in USA Softball as may from time to time be deemed best adapted to advance the cause of amateur softball.
  5. To establish and maintain by allied membership, alliances with non-profit associations or organizations devoted wholly or partially to the promotion and development of the game of softball on a state, regional or national level.
  6. To promote and conduct annual amateur softball championships.
  7. To educate and train in the proper skills of amateur softball play and rules of the game through promoting, organizing, and conducting clinics, seminars and training courses.