Scoring

Becoming a Softball scorer is one of the best ways to support your favourite team by getting involved with a necessary aspect of the game. You will receive one of the best seats on the diamond, and will be able to provide an invaluable service to players, coaches, umpires, fans and the media. Your knowledge of the rules will improve, which will increase your appreciation and enjoyment of games. You could even end up working at national or international games, and potentially receive exciting travel opportunities around the country, and even the world!

With most Softball scorers, the introduction to scoring is unexpected with a scorebook being put in your hands and being asked to score.

The key is to start slow and build up your knowledge and skills. To become a scorer for Softball you will need a scorebook and a pencil. Your progression through scoring can be as slow or as quick as you desire. Whether you choose to score at a basic or advanced level is all your choice and dependant on how much you enjoy the scoring experience. The order of importance for scoring Softball is runs, outs and the count.

Whether you are a scorer who has started scoring for your child's games at Club level or whether you aspire to score at international games, we have an extensive National Scoring accreditation program and extensive resources to assist you.

There are an estimated 1,270 plus accredited Softball scorers throughout Australia and most scorers come to the field with a keen interest in attention to detail coupled with dedication and a commitment to the game. The motivations and benefits of becoming a scorer are wide and varied – yet all scorers agree that they reap greater rewards from their volunteer role than they had anticipated when they first started scoring.

During the last 20 years, Softball Australia spearheaded the technical development of scoring nationally and internationally. Softball Australia has developed an extensive range of educational and technical scoring resources, for beginner, intermediate and advanced scorers.

Scoring resources
Policies and guidelines
Education and training
Scoring tools for statisticians
Media
Technology presentations
National Scoring Committee strategic planning and forum summaries
Handbooks and guidelines
Game scenarios
Newsletters

Policies and guidelinesAll scorers must familiarise themselves with the policies that govern the conduct of the sport of Softball and impact them as officials of the game.

Prior to accreditation and registration, the NSC requires all Softball scorers to adhere to the Softball Australia Member Protection Policy (MPP), which features the Codes of Conduct for Scorers. The MPP has been developed in conjunction with the ASC as a resource for the protection of all members. It covers issues such as anti-discrimination and harassment, child protection, pregnancy, complaints handling and disciplinary measures.

For example, Softball Australia's Pregnancy guidelines for Associations and Clubs have been prepared to assist in managing issues involving pregnancy amongst Softball players and officials. These guidelines are based on the ASC's guidelines that support the position that the person in question should be given the opportunity to decide for herself, in consultation with her medical advisers, whether or not to participate when pregnant. 

Softball is generally played as a summer sport and it is inevitable that at times games might be played during extreme heat conditions. To assist Clubs, Associations, coaches and scorers with their duty of care obligations, Softball Australia has developed Hot Weather Guidelines which sets out guidelines minimising foreseeable risks such as dehydration, heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

In addition, in order for scorers to gain accreditation you will be required to have complied with your Member States Protection requirements, and have achieved Play by the Rules accreditation.

The NSC has also set specific scoring policy directions, including the Tournament Appointment and Quality Assurance and the NOAS Updating Policy which is useful reading for all scorers.


Education and training
The NSC has developed invaluable resources to help assist with education and training of scoring as follows. 

Averages – A guide on how to calculate averages for individuals and teams 

Beginning Softball Scoring – Starting scoring from the beginning

Blood Bin – The Blood Bin Rules, which are important to understand from a scoring perspective, are covered under the Softball Rulebook – Rule 4 Section 9(a) Section 9(d)

Coaches – An experienced scorer can provide the foundation for a coach to be able to determine the best possible options toward selecting a team for the field, and a strong batting line up

Double & Triple Plays – How to score a double or even triple play

DP Rule – There are a number of critical elements that will help to make scoring the DP a little clearer. It is a complicated rule, but remembering some basic fundamentals may help you understand a complex rule

Earned vs Unearned Run – All you need to know about working out the colour – green (earned run) or red (unearned)

Fielder's Choice – A fielder's choice occurs where a fielder correctly chooses to play an advance runner rather than play the batter – runner at 1st base. There are also instances where the correct play is to not make a play

Game Result – Timed/incomplete games. One of the most common questions on the ballpark is who won?

Sacrifice – A sacrifice is a tactical play that is generally used where there is a need for a runner to be advanced or scored, and generally at the expense of the batter. It can take the form of a bunt, slap hit or fly ball

Safe Hit vs Error? – This is the area that scorers will differ in because it involves the scorer's judgement or opinion as to the potential result of a play and the success or otherwise of the players in making that play

The Scorebook – Detailed explanation of the many columns found in a scorebook. Note that the order and titles of books may vary slightly

Statistics/Analysis – Tallying up the game statistics 

Symbols – Softball games are recorded through a combination of many symbols and specific to each play throughout the game. This summary provides you a listing of the symbols and their meaning.


Scoring tools for statisticians
The following resources are available for downloads for statisticians.
 

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