Softball BC Competitors

Founded in 1933 as the Amateur Softball Association by Leo Fisher and Michael J. Pauley, USA Softball was named the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States by the United States Olympic Committee in 1978. USA Softball National Office is located in Oklahoma City. USA Softball has 70 local associations that register teams and organize leagues around the country. USA Softball registers over 245,000 softball teams comprising over 2.02 million players. USA Softball annually registers over 83,000 youth girls' fast pitch softball teams comprising over 1.2 million girls. USA Softball annually registers over 30,000 certified umpires USA Softball conducts over 100 National Championships on an annual basis in which 30,000 players compete USA Softball's website, www.USASoftball.com, averages over 4,000 "unique visitors" per day. The ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City has served as host of the NCAA Women's College World Series more than any other site.

World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the international governing body for baseball and softball. The WBSC has 198 National Federations and 12 Associate Members in 138 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania, which represent a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes and attracts approximately 150 million fans to stadiums worldwide annually.

The Canadian Amateur Softball Association, commonly known as Softball Canada, is a not-for-profit National Sport Organization (NSO) based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 1965. It is recognized and financially supported by the Government of Canada as the National Governing Body for the sport of softball. Softball Canada is administered by an eight-member Board of Directors elected by the country's 13 Provincial and Territorial Associations, and is supported by eight staff members working in the National Office. Softball Canada's Coach and Umpire Development programs are recognized as worldwide leaders in the sport of softball, and all four of Canada's National Teams (Junior and Senior, Men and Women) are perennial medal threats in all international competitions. With funding annually provided by Sport Canada, membership fees, sales and sponsorship, Softball Canada develops new programming to target various segments of its membership, including the very successful Learn to Play (for children aged 5-10 years old) and CANpitch Programs. The Long Term Player Development Guide for Softball in Canada serves as Softball Canada's framework for decision-making.