From NAFA Executive Director Benjie Hedgecock:

Just a reminder about a few things before you head out this weekend.

1) email Robert Hernandez roster to rmh323@roadrunner.com so that we can get all the names loaded into the palm pilots for stats. If you do have the numbers, please send the names. We are planning to add this for the East Masters in 2009 if it works out well at the West Masters this weekend.

2) We WILL have the Homerun Contest Friday Night from 6:30-8pm at the Centennial Park Complex. The Beer garden will be open and we will have souvenirs out that night as well.

3) We have several players that I am still matching to teams that need players. If you need a player let me know asap and if you are a player and want to play in an extra class let me know that asap as well.

4) We have sent directions to the park out to everyone. The City Center is the host motel and has a few rooms left.

5) We will see you all at the coaches meeting at 7pm Friday night at the Complex. Bring the whole team with you if you want.

6) Remember to tell spectators there is a gate admission of $5 a day so they are not surprised when they get there.

We just finished up the East Masters World Series and the Final Standings are now posted. We will have the All World Teams posted on Thursday. We had severe rain and really want to thank all the park workers at Bowling Green Complex who made it happen and to all the umpires, staff and teams that were so patient. We didn’t throw the first pitch until 4pm Saturday night but got all the games in still. One of the main reasons everything went so smoothly was the NAFA Rain Info Line 888-852-1115. Everyone can call it at the same time and did. We updated it every 30 minutes or so until we had a solid start time and then posted the Sunday pairings on it as well. We will probably post the Sunday Pairings on it again in case teams don’t want to stick around the park until their pool is finished.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Carson City, Nevada

Yours in Better Men’s Fastpitch,

Benjie Hedgecock
NAFA Executive Director
503-559-5398 Cell

Airline tickets are one of the largest expenses for any team; we thought this chart of baggage charges might be of some help:

Click here.

The best ? Easy. Southwest Airlines.

No first checked bag fee.
No second checked bag fee.
No change ticket fee.
No window or aisle seat fee.
No curbside check-in fee.
No phone reservation fee.
No snack fee.
No fuel surcharge.

If we sound like an advertisement for Southwest, then so be it. But that is quite a difference, the “no change ticket” charges especially, with most other airlines charging $150 for the privilege of changing your ticket PLUS the cost of a ticket if purchased that day. More often than not, if you need a change, you can toss the old ticket in the trash and start over. If you’re a team eliminated from a tournament, and flying home early, that’s a huge difference (including hotel rooms) if you booked on Southwest.

Airlines that charge even for your first bag:

American
Contintental
Northwest
Spirit
United
US Air

The worst? United Airlines, which just upped the charge for a second bag from $25 to $50. Add that to the $15 charge for your first bag, and it’s $65 for two bags – each way, or $130 on top of each plane ticket. How many ways can you spell outrageous? They’ve come up with another one too — they are now selling “Economy Plus” seats at the front of the coach section with extra leg room. Sounds good, huh? Give you three guesses where they got that legroom? You guessed it – they crammed the rest of the coach seats closer together. Find another place for your knees.