Softball Canada Umpires prepare for 2010 Blue Convention! (Ottawa, ON) Over the past several months, Softball Canada's Officiating Development Committee has concentrated its efforts on the biennial Blue Convention, which will take place from April 1-4, 2010 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Umpires from across Canada and the United States travel to this event every time it is held, as it provides an excellent lineup of workshops and opportunities for socializing and networking among the "Blue Crew".
The organizing committee of the 2010 Blue Convention has put it a lot of time and effort to make this the best event possible. The workshops will be moderated by quality presenters, with a variety of topics covering skill and personal development, team work, communication, stress management, case plays, game situations, technical rules, and mechanics. Other key workshops include a female perspective on umpiring, a presentation on Softball Ontario's "Respect my Game" initiative, and "Officiating in the age of Google".
In addition to three days full of workshops for umpires, they have also included a Junior Development component for younger umpires, which will be instructed by International Softball Federation Director of Umpires Bob Stanton, among others. Topics that will be covered in this session include rules knowledge, basic mechanics, dealing with the pressure of umpiring, and setting and achieving your goals.
"Holding a Youth Umpire Clinic in conjunction with the Blue Convention provides a unique opportunity for those young umpires who attend" stated Bob Stanton. "Not only will they receive valuable information from some of the most informed instructors in the country, they will have a chance to experience the umpire network. As experienced umpires know, umpiring is more than rules and mechanics, it's about being part of a family and there is no better place to be introduced to the family than at the Blue Convention. Nancy Morrison, Greg Pipher, Lyle Balogh and I are really excited and looking forward to working with these young umpires."
Also added to the event is a very interesting Companion package. Realizing that most umpires often bring their spouse or companion with them, the organizing committee has organized two days of activities (concurrent with the workshops) allowing them to visit some of Saskatchewan's key attractions in Regina and Moose Jaw, including the Casino Regina, the RCMP Heritage Centre, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the Tunnels of Moose Jaw, and the Yvette Moore Gallery.
The deadline to register for all events surrounding the 2010 Blue Convention is
March 1st, 2010. For more information about the 2010 Blue Convention, visit the official website at www.blueconvention2010.com or the Softball Canada website at www.softball.ca
