OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- The Amateur Softball Association (ASA), the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, announced today that Joseph Alfonse of Lexington, Mass., has been named the Massachusetts ASA commissioner. He began his duties earlier this month after serving as Boston ASA commissioner since 2008.
"My goal is to unify Massachusetts, Alfonse said. We're here to let people know that all leagues, teams and umpires will be treated as clients. We want to make softball a fun experience for all and continue to promote ASA national teams at all levels."
In September, by the recommendation of the Massachusetts ASA and Boston ASA commissioners and the action of the ASA Board of Directors, the Boston and Massachusetts local associations were combined into one association that will serve all of Massachusetts.
I'm very excited by the merger of the two associations and I think it was in the best interest of ASA, he said. We're searching for hidden gems to assist us with promoting the ASA product in areas of the state that haven't been reached yet.
As the commissioner of the Boston ASA, Alfonse helped the organization increase the individual Junior Olympic registrations by 23-percent in the last year and he helped recruit 300 teams to ASA in the last 18 months. Alfonse was also involved in recruiting over 100 new umpires and providing a new umpire training plan to ensure better skill sets and umpire retention.
He helped create an up-to-date Boston ASA Web site that provided leagues, teams and umpires with information on upcoming events. Already for the Massachusetts ASA, Alfonse has created a Facebook profile (www.facebook.com/ASAMass) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ASAMass) to help the organization better connect with members.
The ASA National Office looks forward to assisting Joe Alfonse in working through the transition phase of merging the Massachusetts and Boston ASA associations, ASA Director of Membership Services Craig Cress said. Joe brings enthusiasm and a high level of energy to this important task as ASA continues on its mission of delivering quality softball programs to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Alfonse first joined the ASA in 1980 as a player and became an umpire with the Boston ASA in 1988. He served as the Boston deputy commissioner and JO umpire-in-chief before taking his first commissioner role. In addition to ASA, Alfonse is also a member of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and the NCAAs East Coast Umpire Association.
A graduate of Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Mass., with a Bachelor of Science in geography and earth science and a Master of Education in earth science, Alfonse is now a science teacher at Woburn Memorial High School. He is also a retired Army master sergeant.
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation's largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 83 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 210,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit www.asasoftball.com.
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