Big News: Baja Arizona Girls Softball Association (Baja) has teamed up with the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) to become an ASA Recreational League.
Q: What is Baja?
A: Baja is a recreational softball league for girls aged 4 ½ to 18. Currently, there are seven leagues throughout the Tucson area, with approximately 1200 players participating each spring and 600 each fall.
Q: Why did Baja choose to affiliate with ASA?
A: ASA is a national organization dedicated to girls softball. The Baja organization is a local grass roots program that will be able to benefit greatly from its association with ASA. The impact will be felt immediately with some of ASAs most experienced coaches in Tucson coming out to help train our volunteer coaches get ready for the season. The benefit will be realized throughout the seasons with increased membership and improved skills of both coaches and players. For those players that have really showcased their talents during the season and make their all-star teams, ASA offers an opportunity for those players and teams to compete in tournaments beyond the city tournament and potentially go all the way to nationals. From an administrative stand-point, ASA provides continuity from season to season as volunteers within the invidual Baja leagues move on and others move in.
Q: Why did ASA want Baja?
A: The goal of both the ASA and the Baja programs is to grow girls softball in Tucson. Rather than working independently of each other, both groups determined that the best way to grow was to pool their resources and speak with one voice.
Q: ASA is competitive. Will this change Bajas Everyone Plays philosophy?
A: The reality of ASA is that recreational league players make up 85% of ASAs national membership, so it is not ASA thats necessarily super competitive; it just seems that way in Tucson where there has not been an ASA recreational league. But to answer the question
Bajas philosophy will not change. We are committed to giving every girl in Tucson an opportunity to learn and play the great game of softball.
Q: Will there be a name change?
A: There will be no name change. We will remain Baja Arizona Girls Softball Association. People associate different things with different names. Name recognition of both Baja and ASA will hopefully lead to greater participation, as families realize that we are all about the girls.
Q: Will the recreation league remain affiliated with Jerry Stitt?
A: Yes. Jerry Stitt has a great philosophy and a real understanding of the importance of youth sports. The driving force behind the recreational league is to make sure that kids are having fun while learning new skills, both physical and mental. We appreciate that Jerry continues to offers his wisdom and support of Baja softball.
Q: What does this affiliation mean for the existing ASA travel teams?
A: ASA travel teams are generally considered to be the highest level of competitive play. By improving and growing the recreational leagues that feed into these travel teams, we provide two benefits to the travel teams. First, we enlarge and improve the talent pool from which the travel teams find their players. Second, we will be able to provide a better program for those players that dont meet the skill level of the travel teams, so that the elite programs made up of the most talented players, and the mid-level players will have more opportunities to find teams and comparable competition.
Q: What is the ultimate goal?
A: Our goal is to increase our membership in Tucson and to see that every high school has a Baja league that will feed quality softball players into their program. Ultimately, we would like to see 6,000 girls playing Baja ASA recreational softball each season.
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