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May 7, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: weightlifting I do a 22 station weight program 5 days a week (M-F)at my health club. 12-15 reps per station. My body adjusted quite well to this program, often increasing 5-10 lbs per week at each station. Problem:/Result A lot stronger than last year. However, just had 1st tourney of the year. In my 1st 4 games I was so far out in front on my swings, my timing and hitting really sucked. Game 5 it came together and hit the ball hard on all 4 at bats. I intend to not change a thing throughout the season and see what happens. I don't know if anything I did over the winter will transfer to softball, but I did lose 6 lbs and over 3 inches of fat. I feel a whole lot better.
April 25, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Seeding Games udaplaya When you lump your ideas together, they would kill senior softball. A good chunk of us are retired on pensions. No chance that most will spend $$$ to play in "2" and out format. Teams would load up with the best in their region and your 30-40 team fields would be just a handfull. Maybe you could talk USSSA into trying this format.
April 24, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Seeding Games Hate the 4 prelim games. It simply tires out the players and increases the chance of injury before the real tourney begins. The prelims are only used in ring tournies and I want to have everyone healthy. Much prefer 2 prelims and then get on with it.
April 21, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: The Stutter Step I used the step-2 step-shuffle (what ever you want to call it) for too many years to remember. It is like a golfers waggle before bringing the club back. I have heard some claim it can add 10 to 15 feet to a deep ball. I do know you won't walk much. It helps place a pitched ball in your desired window more often than with a static stance. It is very easy to adjust your approach to the ball and go opposite field. There have been tournaments that my timing felt off and I went with the static stance for a while. It can be hard to do if the batters box is deep, full of dust/loose dirt and uneven. I find the batters box is usually very good in the ring tournaments as compared to qualifiers. Some shuffle into the ball without the back foot passing behind the front foot during the steps. Some like to have the back foot pass behind the front before the next or final step. There are a bunch of Chicago area 12" and 16" players who are simply great hitters using the technique. There is so much hitting advice out there, it boggles the mind. Find your comfort zone and go for it.
March 15, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: World baseball championships Saw an interesting thing. We put the last out on second for x-tra inning games to try and help reach a resolution. In the World baseball tourney, when the game reaches the 13th inning, they put runners on 1st and 2nd in hopes of reaching a resolution. Supposed to help from burning out the pitchers. On ESPN they didn't know if the 2 runners were the last two outs or if the manager could send anyone out there.
March 15, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: strange play I think the rule says you can carry a bat to 1st but if in the umps opinion it endangers the 1st baseman, you can be called out. I would think if was simply be carried the play should go on but if his arm/hand made even the slightest move toward the ball with the bat, it should be an out. Would this be the same general area as a throw to home from the outfield that hits a bat on the ground and deflects away from the catcher? Tough luck for the defenders???
March 13, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Bats Discussion: Other bats Just curious: For those of you who play not only Senior ball, but USSSA and ASA etc. How do the composite bats for these associations hold up in terms of durability? Are we talking 300+ hits and then look out. Or are we talking 1000s of hits?
March 9, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Bats Discussion: Talk regarding illegal bats Olie04 Will comment only on what I have seen/heard. No second hand. In a tourney between prelim games, heard a player whisper to another if he was going to bring out the special bat. Guy said hell no, not until the championship bracket play. Another time the opponents, championship bracket play, were hitting rockets against us. Almost the entire team used the same bat. Just kept handing it off even though they had a bat rack full of U2s. ?????????????? I am no longer a big HR threat even though I hit the ball hard. Was playing in a pick up park district game in Florida. A little guy hit the wall twice. I said you have real power. He said it is the bat-try it. 28 oz U2. 1st swing, I hit one about 315. I walked back and said it was the hottest Miken I ever hit. He then said it was rolled. For the 1st time, I understood what rolling could do and why some might give up their integrity just to win. I am a great listener. Have heard at least 4 maybe 5 different conversations in which the general direction of the talk was that rolling a bat was no big deal or cheating. Don't think too many shave bats. From what I have been told is that they won't last but a few swings. You would have to be rich. When I pitch, everytime a real bomb is hit (65 division), can't help but wonder if that guy is a great hitter or did he use an altered bat. In terms of the rules, I don't like that a manager might get suspended if an altered bat is found. He can't control what an adult player brings to a tournament. However, I sincerely believe that if a hitter is found using an altered bat he should be suspend for "LIFE" no second chances and that his name should be given to all the other assocaiations for the same fate. In other words, tell him to buy golf clubs. I can't wonder if a guy wins a ring using an illegal altered bat, does he feel a great deal of pride showing the ring to his grand chidren. Look kids. This is what you can get if you cheat!! P.S. All that hitting your U2 against posts or with hammers to break it in is: When I talked to Corky, he said stupid. Doesn't break it in, just reduces life. Simply hit it and rotate with every swing.
March 5, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Not Pleased with Rating System R-12 Rating is the hardest thing the Staff has to do. They rate based on scores reported but often don't have knowledge of how that score was achieved. My team is currently a 65AAA team. We had a decent year (2012)in qualifers (500). However, our winning scores did not reflect several of the opponents batting "18" guys and one very good team we beat batting "17" with their top four power hitters batting last. Some would say, by the scores above, we are correctly rated. In reality, in the SSUSA ring tournaments, we were 4-5 in prelims and were 2-9 in championship bracket play. In vegas last year (65AAA)there was a huge difference between the top 12 or so teams and the bottom 12 who could easily have been rated AA. Heck, we got blown out by a 70AA team during the year. Sometimes you gotta make a tough decision. My team is half 70s and most of the rest turning 69 this year. My wife overheard some players watching our game, say in Vegas, these Gray Sox used to be good but now they are playing old. "DAH" When considering the influx of 60s moving up to 65, we have little chance. We voted not to go to Vegas this year, but will hang in there and play 11 events anyway and use it as practice to get ready for 70s next year. When making the rating changes, I hope the Staff considers what a team looks like now and not what they were 3 years ago. The best Major team in the Midwest got moved down to 65 AAA last year. We were all pretty pissed. Even though they have a really good player (and good guys) at every position they ended up pretty average. I guess it probably evens out in the long run. The last thing is the opportunity to get rated. Many of you have been playing the 2013 season since January and are constantly being rated/observed. I have "8" inches of new snow in my driveway and we are still 2 months from our 1st adventure.
March 4, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Bats Discussion: Gripping the bat I have noticed a number of softball hitters in recent years and a lot of Major league baseball players who extend the index finger of the lower hand while holding the bat. They keep the finger extended throughout the swing. Does someone know why and how this might improve the swing-power-etc?
March 2, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 1-1 or 0-0 SSUSA Staff I know the next vote is a year away. Don't care about that. I think you guys told me last year that the California teams ,especially, really prefer 0-0. As you have seen from my posts over the years, I am a strong advocate of 1-1. Could someone please post a strong case for the 0-0 and win me over.
March 1, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: 1-1 or 0-0 Being a pitcher/outfielder< I have taken special note of game/speed/time etc. Wife and I spent two grand on the vegas week world championships and didn't gamble. I would spend any amount to play softbal However, If I am going to drop two grand, I want to play "7" inning games and it really grates at me that I played in 5 and 6 inning games this past year at the worlds. There was one stretch, I tracted where in "3" straight games not "ONE SINGLE" opponent swung at the 1st strike. With 1-1 that is never going to happen. Also, with 0-0 the pitcher will throw significantly more pitches and fatique is a real factor if you play 8-9 or more games. Especially in heat. I sincerely believe in the courtesy runner as it allows players to play who otherwise would not be able. My team has all the courtesy runners always assigned before the game starts. I did see, all season, sometimes long discussions by opponents who would run. Maybe in the big tournies, where they usually have 2 umps, have the field umpire count to 10 (1000/1 1000/2 etc)after the ball is declared dead, and if the batting team does not have a pinch runner out of the dugout and moving toward the base, declare too late-no runner. This might force teams to pre-plan and buy a little more game time. Another thought I had was (in the ring tournaments) to go 1-1 count in the prelims and losers bracket play with the time limit. But as long as you stay in the winners bracket go 0-0 with no time limit. Now for my BIG question. I have seen many good rationals/reasons for going to the 1-1 count. Uless I missed it, I have not seen a single good supporting reason for the 0-0 count other than we have always done it. Could someone please list some strong points or reasons for the 0-0 count and how it makes the game better!
Feb. 1, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: NOV 23 Good God!! I was having a great 2013 and then bad memories had to come up!!!
Jan. 23, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Pre-Season Conditioning There are a couple of indoor facilities up here in the Chicago area that have limited (games)leagues. We usually don't get started with BP as a team until late March early April. In the meantime, I work out at the health club "6" days a week doing a 22 machine/weight circut followed by a "30" minute cardio power walk each day. I swing a 42 oz. bat each night "8" sets of 25 reps while watching TV. Turning 69 this summer and will continue the above as long as my body hangs in there. Maybe some of all the above will actually reflect or carry over to the softball field someday???? I do know the above makes it easier for me to horse around my 850 pound Road King Harley.
Jan. 23, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: loosing toenails Started having the same issue with boombahs. Found that with a good pair of socks my toes were really tight against the top of the shoe and also tore the skin on top. Boobahs have little room. Went back to Tanels-no more problems.
Jan. 21, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Players looking to join a team Discussion: Tournment Pitcher from NY looking to join a team The above ain't nothing. At the winter nationals in Ft. Meyers this year, at the 65 AAA level, I pitched a PERFECT game and we won 1-0. In the top of the 1st, I got them 3 up and 3 down. In the bottom, we got 1 run. The skies opened and washed out all the prelim games. Not my fault-inning rules-irrelevant--act of GOD. I am claiming a perfect game, that's my story and I am sticking to it!!!
Jan. 19, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Bats Discussion: combat Centenarian I know "2" guys with MANY hundreds of swings on theirs-no problem. You should talk to the people who sold it to you. Kinda strange-had to be a serious factory defect.
Jan. 11, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: place best hitters last strategy I did observe "2" teams last year who did hit some very good/great hitters at the bottom of the order during the prelims. Those very good hitters batted at the top in the championship bracket play. 2 conclusions: They were giving the lower order hitters the chance of more at bats at the beginning of the tourney to get them ready. Or They were sandbagging and wanted to keep the prelim scores low so as not to reveal a possible ringer team. Possibly a reason I don't know about. There was a 3rd team we scouted in the prelims that won by a run and had all singles to do it. When we met them in championship bracket play, the order was slightly different and the 1st "6" hitters either hit it out or easily burned our outfielders. Interesting All my guys know their role and where they bat in the order. The only changes are when a guy does or doesn't show up and we all move up or down one slot. Makes it a whole lot easier on everyone.
Jan. 9, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Bats Discussion: 2 Piece Bats Pull My Finger Tell ya what I have seen: Corky let us hit a 27oz 2 piece Miken (batting practice)in Vegas. Even though I prefer a 29 oz., the 27oz we hit felt very solid. The black U2s all weigh an ounce more than they show, the 2 piece is right on. We weighed about 6-8 of each with Corky's scale and the above was consistant. In a recent visit to the Woodlawn hitting club in Florida, "3" guys in their upper 60s-70s had the 2 piece. They prefered the heavier 30 oz. All "3" bats had a very solid sound and the the ball jumped off the bat. I plan on getting one soon (2 piece) and use both (black U2)in the qualifers and decide which to go with in the ring tournaments.
Jan. 5, 2013 garyheifner	Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Alternative to 1 - 1 rule. Steve Please don't ever take away the mat. Most umps don't have a clue on what 12 feet is for the top of the legal arc. How are they going to be consistant on what is short or deep for a strike. I remember back in the 80s when USSSA, at an ump training session, tried to tell us that a perfectly legal arc pitch could land 10-12 inches behind the plate and be a ball. How do you think that would go over with a bunch of grumpy old men? Remove the mat and I think the bitching and moaning would become outrageous. I also think the mat is good for the hitters. The pitchers have to hit it and the batters have to defend it. I see consistency there.

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