Diamond Dusters coach facing suspension by league

"Bruce Welling was coaching his Diamond Dusters 16-and-under Red team in this week's Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Western National tournament at Turlock, Calif., all week.Whether he'll have the opportunity to coach the Dusters in ASA tournaments next summer is up in the air like a major-league pop fly.Welling faces a one-year suspension by ASA Washington for use of an ineligible player during that organization's 16-and-under A state championships at Olympia July 14-15, a tournament the Dusters Reds won. The suspension would ban Welling from coaching in ASA-sanctioned tournaments or events through the entire summer 2002 season.According to state ASA commissioner James Rhode, Welling has appealed the suspension, which allowed him to take the field with the Dusters Red team in Turlock for the Western Nationals, which began Wednesday and runs through Sunday.The suspension is on hold until we can hear his appeal, Rhode said. He added that it might be several weeks before all the parties concerned in the appeal process could be brought together for a hearing.Until then, as long as his case is under appeal, he's allowed to coach, Rhode said. Asked about the suspension following the recent ASA Regional tournament at Tacoma's South End Recreation Area (SERA) - in which he also was allowed to coach pending his appeal - Welling said, There's nothing to it. There's nothing there.Numerous attempts to reach Welling in Turlock for comment prior to press time were unsuccessful.Rhode said Welling's suspension stems from the illegal use of a pick-up player - a player not on the Dusters' original roster brought on for a specific tournament or tournaments. He also is accused of signing the player's pick-up form in place of the player's parent.Rhode said it was only because of a mistake by the state tournament's protest committee that Welling was allowed to appeal his suspension.Usually, with an on-site violation like that, the suspension takes effect immediately, and bang, you're gone, Rhode said. But he was told he had 14 days to appeal. The national (ASA) office, after all the rigamarole, said if he was told he had the right to appeal, it should be given to him.Welling also coaches the 10-time Olympic League champion Central Kitsap High School team. Earlier this summer, the Dusters Red team won the National Softball Association (NSA) state championship.The ASA Western National tourney runs through Sunday. "

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