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Welcome!
Since 1977, the primary purpose of the OCSOA has been to provide an educational and instructional program that will make it possible to officiate California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) softball games with efficiency & competency.
Orange County Softball Officials Association serves Orange County located in Southern California. OCSOA is an organization that schedules umpires to officiate all California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) games at every level (Freshman, JV, and Varsity) of High School Softball in Orange County, including the Southern Section(CIF-SS) playoffs.  We cover the 800 square miles of Orange County High Schools under its charter. These schools represent some of the best in the country and many of them year to year are ranked in the top 25 on various websites including maxpreps.com.
OCSOA is regularly positioned to serve the upper division’s playoff finals every year with some of the best softball teams in the country, many of which go on to play collegiate level softball. We regularly look to invite new members into the association to learn, participate, and adopt the mechanics and rules knowledge to officiate with proficiency in high school softball in Southern California.
With a mutual exchange of ideas, including constructive criticisms of rules, game situations and softball mechanics, our nearly 150 members can take the field with confidence and help promote the advancement of softball by encouraging the spirit of sportsmanship among schools, coaches, players, spectators and each other.
Association Goals
- Complete knowledge of CIF rules, the intent of these rules, and access to the latest rule interpretations
- Comprehensive NFHS softball mechanics knowledge and its execution on the field
- Game management skills to handle difficult situations and promote the integrity of the game
- Professionalism in all actions on and off the field
- Adherence to the proper protocols for high school umpires
Membership FAQ's
Here are a basic list of general FAQ's. Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions that may not be answered below.
Q: I have several years experience, Will that experience count?
A: OCSOA assigns games based upon performance and not years of service (seniority). New umpires generally start out calling Freshman/JV games and advance to higher levels based upon their performance.
If you have prior experience at higher levels (college, etc.) or are transferring from another organization, the board may approve a schedule of higher-level games based upon that experience.
The bottom line is that your experience may have some bearing on your assignments, but it really depends on your performance as an umpire.
Q: How much does it cost to join?
A: OCSOA annual dues are currently $125(2024) through the normal registration time-frame. You will also need to provide proof of sporting insurance, which OCSOA requires NASO. The cost through OCSOA is currently $89.00.
Q: I have more questions. Who can I talk to?
A: Send an email to join-us@ocsoa.info. Someone will get back to you within a few days to answer your questions and get you on the road to having a lot of fun and making a few bucks at the same time.
Q: I don’t have any experience. How do I get started?
A: First, have a conversation with one of our board members, who can get an idea of your knowledge of the game. You’ll be mentored, offered various training clinics throughout the year, and given the tools you need to be successful.
Q: What is the time commitment involved?
A: High School games are played in the late afternoon, evenings or weekends. Weekday games usually start around 3:15pm, and are completed in about 2 hours.
Q: Why do I need insurance?
A: You should carry both personal medical and personal liability insurance. Medical insurance should cover any injuries you may sustain while working. Liability insurance(NASO) protects you, and your assets, in situations where you are named in legal action(s) that may be brought against you.
There is an excellent explanation of the liability insurance issue on the NASO website.
Q: Is it expensive to get started? How much does the equipment and uniforms cost?
A: You should estimate that one complete uniform (shirt, hat, pants, plate/base shoes, ball bag, indicator, brush) will cost you approximately $200 – $250. Here are the basic NHFS uniform requirements.
For Fast Pitch, you will also need to invest an additional $250-$300 in protective equipment including mask, chest protector, shin guards, plate shoes, plate pants. (Used equipment is often available via online sources (i.e., CraigsList, eBay, etc) if you need to manage expenses until you get established. Some members have excess equipment for sale as well that would be an option for new officials.)
The minimum protection required per the NFHS rules is a facemask, however, serious injury could occur if you were to not utilize all the available protection recommended.
The initial investment will be recovered within a couple of weeks of working games.