A little over two weeks ago, ASAU/USA Softball announced its event called the USA Softball Junior Olympic Cup (“JO Cup”) which will run July 26-August 1 in Chino Hills, Calif.

You can read the details on the event here.

As was mentioned in the article from February 13, invited teams who wanted to participate had a deadline of March 1 to submit the deposit of $2,000 to go towards the total entry fee of $6,000.

It was expected that the list of the participating teams, be it 24, 28 or 32, would be announced shortly after the deadline which was Sunday.

I reached out to ASA/USA Softball today to see when the teams would be announced… here was the response received through e-mail:

“We are extending the invitation timeline in order for teams to review this information with their coaches and parents.  This extension has been prompted by communication with several coaches who received invitations and want to take time to explore options.  We are hoping to announce the teams no later than April 1 and will keep you posted.”

There has been discussion as well regarding the cash payout to teams and perhaps players. Many wondered if this is legal or would be a violation of NCAA policy.

The email received today from ASA/USA Softball indicates that the organization has spoken with the NCAA and received the following, NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2.1.5:

Payment Based on Performance. Any payment conditioned on the individual’s or team’s place finish or performance or given on an incentive basis that exceeds actual and necessary expenses, or receipt of expenses in excess of the same reasonable amount for permissible expenses given to all individuals or team members involved in the competition. (Revised: 4/25/02 effective 8/1/02, 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13)

Finally, one of the surprises around the launch of the JO Cup was that it will be held the same week as the Premier Girls Fastpitch (“PGF”) Nationals in Huntington Beach, Calif. On February 20, the PGF issued its response to the JO Cup which can be read here.

It will be interesting to see how the next month goes regarding the number of teams who will confirm and who these teams will be… stay tuned, we’ll update as the news comes in…

 

— Brentt Eads, Full Count Softball