ACE Coaching Education Program hits 5K as coach awarded with Pocket Radar prize pack

March 12, 2020

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ACE Coaching Education Program hits 5K as coach awarded with Pocket Radar prize pack
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2020
Web Release: Link

 

OKLAHOMA CITY –– USA Softball announced today that PJ Alfrejd (Pleasanton, Calif.) has won a prize pack after becoming the 5,000th coach to complete the ACE (Aspire, Challenge, Encourage) Coach Education Program this 2020 season. The ACE Coach Education Program is designed to provide softball coaches of all levels, from beginner coaches to experienced veterans, an opportunity to further their education as a coach with the National Governing Body of Softball. For the eighth-straight year, USA Softball has teamed up with Pocket RadarTM to provide coaches with a prize pack. At every 5,000th milestone, USA Softball will award that coach with a brand-new Ball Coach Training Tool, courtesy of Pocket RadarTM  ($300 value).
 
Alfrejd began his coaching career in support of his daughter playing a team sport and has been coaching ever since –  now in his fifth year.
 
“I really wanted her to understand what it meant to be part of a team,” said Alfejd. “Since she was young at the time, six, I had to coach for her to try it. I had never coached anything before, but loved the experience of teaching and watching the girls grow throughout the season.”
 
Having taken the ACE Education courses, Alfrejd says the program has provided excellent resources on hot topics. “I really like the information provided on concussions and how to deal with them. I feel more prepared to deal with a possible concussion situation after going through the ACE Program.”
 
As the National Governing Body of Softball, it is USA Softball’s responsibility to ensure that coaches achieve a certain level of understanding of their duties as a coach of a youth softball team. The ACE Coach Education Program videos are practical guides to the everyday situations encountered as a youth softball coach.
 
“To me, USA Softball is a great program as it has the proper priorities in place,” Alfejd said. “At least locally, I don’t see that things are taken too seriously until the girls are much older. From ages 5-12, our league is focused on safety, having fun, and learning the game. We are not about wins/losses and that is a huge reason the parents are manageable, and the kids have a good time learning a great sport.”
 
It is highly recommended that all coaches wishing to coach at the Championship Play level or those coaches wanting to receive full ACE Coach program benefits become an ACE coach. Coaches can do so online using the ACE Online System on RegisterUSASoftball.com. There are four levels to the ACE program and upon successful completion of each level, benefits include RPS Bollinger insurance coverage, a background check clearance and ID card.
 
Alfrejd’s goals for the 2020 season are to build on the learning experiences of the returning players from last year. “My first goal is to always to have fun and teach the girls that sports offer many benefits like exercise, meeting new people, improving a skill, etc., but I think this year will be a big year with my team having multiple years of learning together.”
 
For more information on the ACE Coach Program, please contact your local USA Softball Association Commissioner or visit the ACE Coach Program section of USASoftball.com.


About USA Softball
USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations.  USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch.  USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships.  The USAS umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.

As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.