Sno-pitch- a True Canadian Tradition!

Just hours before setting off to play in the Annual St Valentines Day Tourney here in Calgary, I have to say, this is one of the most Canadian of traditions I have been involved in... Sure, hockey on an outdoor rink/pond or sitting in the stands at an outdoor Grey Cup tapping the ice on the cup to be able to drink the beer are right  up there, but nothing compares to the absolute ridiculousness of trying to hit an orange sponge ball with a bat after starting with a 2 and 2 count while the insults are hurled back and forth by friend and foe alike!!
This winter has been almost like playing fall ball, with barely any snow and double digit temps... that being said with the tourney coming up this weekend , the snow has started ,the temperature has plunged  to minus 10....here we go!
This is still one of the best times for ball and the social aspect that is so key to it... the friends, fun, beer, euchre, chase the ace and the first sneak peek and conversations of who is playing with who and what is the newest "got to have it" equipment for the season.
I look forward to this weekend as it signifies to me that we are close to the season starting and all the good times and hopefully, good weather that goes along with it.

The names from Sno Angels, Butane, Who's That?, various versions of Mitts, Beavers, Sticks, frozen and unfrozen, also make me laugh and the sights of the hoodie and snopant crowds running around, trying to field, bat or stand up never fails to make me love this event and this time of year.

Keep your toque on!

NSA posts new bat policy rules...

So after NSA posted their new bat policy rules for moving forward with the new 1.20bpf testing policies, there was a couple of questions posted and I thought I would answer them on here as well...

First off here is the policy discussion link  NSA Canada posted.....

http://nsacanada.ca/bats/NSAbatpolicydiscussioninfo.pdf

This is how they came to their decision in regards to what the stance would be going forward
Here is the policy

Official Bat Policy

   As of Jan 1, 2012, NSA Canada will be adopting the new 1.20 bpf testing as part of our acceptable standards for 2012 season & beyond.

NSA Canada will also be “grandfathering” all previously approved bats on the NSA Canada approved bat list till Dec 31, 2012. See link below for complete list of approved bats

http://nsacanada.ca/bats/approved.php

As of Jan, 1, 2013, bats must have either one or both of these new stamps.

                                                         

Note:All bats that have prior approval for 98mph testing are of course still legal for play.

Any bats not having these new stamps or prior 98 mph approval will be considered illegal for NSA Canada play.

All bat manufacturers will have to apply to add their “new” stamp bats to the NSA Canada Approved Bat List.

For any questions, please feel free to contact us-   info@nsacanada.ca

Simple enough... -Pre 2012 1.20bpf and NSA canada approved  good till end of 2012

                             -New logo(as above) 1.20bpf approved for play forward from Jan1,2012

                             -As 98 mph testing has always been approved for both the old and the new 

                             1.20bpftesting because of it's lower results comparable, nothing has changed

                              there.

so here are the questions...

"I bought a NSA Canada Approved(old logo)  2 years ago and I can only use it for this season...?"

My thought in regards to this is that if you get 3 years out of bat these days, that is an excellent investment if the bat is 300.00 retail than it cost you 100.00 per year to hit it .... that's great!
most players i know go through a bat a year or even 2 a season and these new rules won't affect 90% of the players as they will purchase the new stamped bats which they will be able to use in both associations, making it an even more inexpensive purchase.


"Does this mean that NSA Bat Policy is more restrictive now?"

No, it actually allows for all players to swing all their old sticks while they work in their new sticks for 2013... there is a grandfather period to ease the change over which we believe helps assist our players.

Your thoughts?