Softball Interpretation Meeting
Submitted by bcua on Wed, 02/04/2026 - 6:26pmVirtual
Meeting Handouts / Materials:
Event Date:
Wed, 02/04/2026 - 7:30pm
Location:
Virtual
About Us - Mission Statement
TO BECOME AN UMPIRE, CLICK HERE.
The Bergen County Umpires Association is an organization of baseball and softball umpires certified to officiate high school contests in New Jersey.
Our purpose is:
- promote the welfare of the games of baseball and softball on the county level by uniformly interpreting and administering the rules of those games as set forth by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) and the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS).
- promote and maintain the highest degree of baseball and softball officiating by following a uniform set of mechanics and have available at all times an adequate number of thoroughly trained and capable umpires.
- preserve the traditions, foster the ideals, advance the interests and improve the quality and prestige of the baseball and softball umpires through a comprehensive program of classroom training and on-the-field experience and develop a spirit of friendship and maintain a high standard of ethics among umpires.
BB Meeting Date Change
Submitted by bcua on Mon, 01/12/2026 - 9:13pmTo all BB and Dual umpires,
The Baseball interpretation meeting scheduled for February 2, 2026, has been changed. It will now be held on Monday February 9, 2026. It will still be held virtually.
Any questions please email me at jicalg@aol.com.
John
NJSIAA Pregame Sportsmanship Anti-Bias Statement - Revised
Submitted by bcua on Tue, 11/11/2025 - 10:39amEffective with the Spring 2022 season, the following statement from the NJSIAA must be read before all sanctioned high school games without paraphrasing, regardless of level:
The NJSIAA requires officials to enforce all rules regarding unsportsmanlike conduct by coaches and players. There will be no tolerance for any negative behavior, such as taunting, trash-talking and verbal, written, or physical conduct related to race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or religion. Such behavior will result in being ejected from this event. All participants must respect the game, respect the officials, and respect their opponents.
Electronic Communication by Players Clarified in High School Softball
Submitted by bcua on Wed, 07/09/2025 - 5:17pmNo player shall be allowed to transmit or record audio or video from the playing surface in high school softball. This new language in Rule 1-8-6 of the NFHS Softball Rules Book further clarifies the use of electronic devices and what is permitted in the sport after language was added last year to allow for electronic communication for coaching purposes.
This change was the highlight of the NFHS Softball Rules Committee’s rules recommendations as a result of the committee’s annual rules meeting held June 15-17 at The Alexander hotel in Indianapolis. The NFHS Board of Directors subsequently approved the rules changes to take effect next year.
"While increased media exposure has positively influenced the growth and visibility of softball, the committee determined that the potential risks associated with players transmitting or recording audio or video through devices during live play outweighed the benefits,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee. “As wearable technology continues to evolve, the committee believed it was essential to establish clear guidelines regarding the permissible use of such devices to ensure the safety and integrity of the game."
The proper uniform for an umpire was adjusted in Rule 10-4-2, noting that ‘charcoal gray’ slacks were allowed, instead of ‘heather gray.’
“Manufacturers have ceased production of heather gray umpire pants, and this update will help guide umpires toward selecting pant options that are actively being produced and readily available,” Searcy said.
Finally, the 2026 Softball Rules Book will include a reformatted Rule 8 for improved clarity and comprehension. Longer sections were separated, and additional article references were added to penalties and effects.
A complete listing of the softball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Softball.”
According to the most recent NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, 345,451 girls in 15,635 high schools played fast-pitch softball in 2023-24 making it the fifth-most popular girls sport, while an additional 6,107 girls participated in slow-pitch softball.
Double First Base Introduced into High School Baseball
Submitted by bcua on Wed, 07/09/2025 - 5:17pmBeginning with the 2027 season, a double first base will be required in high school baseball games to minimize the risk of collisions by runners and fielders.
This rule revision was one of 10 proposed by the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee during its annual meeting held June 8-10 at The Alexander hotel in Indianapolis. The rules changes were accepted by the NFHS Board of Directors.
New language was added to Rule 1-2-9 noting that the double first base must be white and a contrasting solid color. The white portion of the base is located in fair territory while the colored half is located in foul territory, split by the first base foul line. There is to be no space between the two portions of the double base.
"Adding the double first base is symbolic to the evolution of the sport. It will immediately address running lane violations, and it will further protect the players from the violent collisions that have occurred at first base,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee. “By reducing collisions and enhancing safety, it preserves both the integrity of competition and the well-being of those who play."
Several subsequent rules changes, including Rule 8-2-2a, outline how batter-runners and fielders shall use the double first base. The batter-runner should use the colored base on an initial play at first base unless a fielder is drawn into foul territory to receive a dropped third strike, in which case, the batter-runner would use the white portion of the base. Once the batter-runner reaches first base, the batter-runner must always return to the white base, including when leading off, returning on a pick-off attempt or tagging up on a fly ball.
A batter-runner may use either side of first base on a base-on-balls or on an extra-base hit to the outfield when there is no chance of a play to be made at first base.
Interference is to be called on batter-runners if they only touch the white portion on a force play at first and collide with the fielder. Similarly, it is obstruction if a defensive player only touches the colored portion of the base and collides with the batter-runner.
Rule 2-5-1h was added to note that it is a fair ball if a batted ball hits or bounds over any part of the white portion of the double first base. Alternately, it is a foul ball if a batted ball hits or bounds over any part of the colored portion of the base (Rule 2-16-1h).
Rule 3-4-6 was added to address defensive player meetings as charged conferences. Each team, when on defense, may be granted not more than one player-to-player meeting during an inning. Umpires shall deny any subsequent defensive team requests for that half-inning. Additionally, Rule 2-10-3 was added to define a player-to-player defensive meeting as having two or more defensive players.
“A player-to-player defensive meeting is a natural and essential part of the game—whether it’s strategy, encouragement or clarification, but having multiple meetings in a half-inning adds additional time that lengthens a contest and is not in the best interest of the game,” Hopkins said. “A charged conference, however, involves direct coaching intervention with either a coach or a non-playing representative and is intended to provide instruction. The distinction ensures we honor both the flow of the game and the role of coaching.”
Two rules changes were approved to bring the Baseball Rules Book in line with all NFHS rules. Language added to Rule 1-4-4 allows a school’s name, nickname, logo, mascot and/or player’s name to be permitted on a uniform top and/or pants beginning in 2027.
In addition, Rule 1-6-3 states that “no player shall wear any audio (microphone) or video (camera) device during the game.”
A complete listing of the baseball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Baseball.”
According to the 2023-24 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, baseball is the fourth-most popular boys sport with 471,701 boys participating in 16,146 high schools across the country.