SSUSA STAFF HIGHLIGHT: JOHN (J.B.) BARNER

May 1, 2016

John (J.B.) Barner has been a Senior Softball-USA (SSUSA) National Director since 2004 and has also been the 60+ Commissioner for the Florida Half Century Amateur Softball Association (FHCASA) Board of Directors for the past eight years.

Barner has been involved in the game of softball for 60 years as a player, umpire and coach. He got his start while in the military, where he was a member of the Air Force working Air Traffic and Air Cargo. He retired from the Air Force after 23 years of service.

Barner was inducted into the SSUSA International Hall of Fame in 2011 as an umpire. “JB chalked up a remarkable umpiring career,” said Fran Dowell, SSUSA executive director at the time of Barner's induction. “JB was deputy ASA commissioner of Delaware in charge of umpires from 1984-1990, umpiring the Nationals in Long Island in 1985 and the Class A Women’s Championships in Marietta, GA., in 1989. He was named Umpire of the Year for USSSA in 1999 and was the Disney UIC for seven years. He became the Eastern National Umpire-in-Chief for Senior Softball-USA in the late 1990's and was instrumental in training umpires all along the Eastern Seaboard for more than decade. I am proud to call JB my very good friend.” concluded Dowell.

Barner was also recently inducted into the FHCASA Hall of Fame.