NFHS Pitching Distance Change

[fastpitch fool]

Softball Pitching Distance to Increase to 43 Feet in 2010-11

INDIANAPOLIS, IN
(July 7, 2009) — Effective with the 2010-11 school year, the pitching distance for high school varsity softball pitchers will increase from 40 feet to 43 feet.

The new pitching distance was one of four rules revisions made by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Softball Rules Committee at its annual meeting June 8-10 in Indianapolis. The rules changes subsequently were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Although the new pitching distance is mandatory beginning with the 2010-11 school year, NFHS-member state high school associations may adopt the 43-feet distance in 2009-10, if desired.

After at least 10 years of debate by committee members, the NFHS has extended the fastpitch pitching distance to 43 feet. The change to Rule 1-1-2b was made after two member state associations experimented with 43 feet – Florida for four years and Oregon for one year.

Coaches surveyed within these states were overwhelmingly supportive of the change.

Creating a better balance between the offense and the defense was the major rationale for the rule change. Experimentation results from both states indicated more batted balls were hit into
play.

“Our main thrust is getting the defense more involved,” said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee. “When more balls are hit into play, the defense is more involved in the game, thus enhancing skill development.”

[killerbee]

YEAH!!!

[bucketboy]

I would urge everyone that is in favor of this change myself included to send an email to Sandy Searcy at the IHSAA and copy your district rep so that maybe the IHSAA will implement this change for the upcoming year instead of waiting till 10-11 to do so.

My email will go out today.

You can find the name and email address of your district rep at www.icgsa.org


Now if federation will get rid of the stepping back off the rubber for high school we may have something.

[gunshy]

Bucketboy, I have thought about the change in pitching distance for several days, weighing the pros and cons. I know your daughter and a few other very accomplished pitchers will benefit from the experience of pitching at 43 feet in high school, but I can't help but feel that this rule change is for the minority versus the majority. Coming from an area outside of Indy and a smaller high school, neither of which sees the likes of Esparza, Petruzzi, Lewis, Flak, etc, very often. Our area has several legit .500 hitters already and runs scored are NOT scarce, so I am not sure the offense NEEDS that kind of help, at least in our neck of the woods. I am also not sure that our high school saw a single pitcher last year that will pitch in college, which begs the question of why high school is so eager to follow the college game rules. Several of the smaller schools we play struggled to have quality pitching at 40 ft, so I can't wait to see what they field at 43 ft. We don't need any more run-rule games and this rule seems to seperate the haves from the have-nots even further. JMHO

[softball]

With some of the umpire strike zones we see, all I believe it will increase is the girls who are waiting for the walk - won't that be exciting. Hopefully it will work out and maybe it will increase the effort being put into improving the play of some schools - yeah I bet. Lot more base on balls I bet is what we get.

[bucketboy]

gunshy as always very valid points and I do agree on them for the most part, but of course since it is mandatory the following year anyway why not just go ahead and implement it this year since they have the option and the kids can begin practicing at the new distance now.

Yes there will be some kids at the high school level that will have to put an arch on it to get it there, but hopefully it will make a better game and allow those better pitchers mentioned to work year round at the distance they will pitch at in college and gain valuable time at the longer distance.

[coolstuff]

With some of the umpire strike zones we see, all I believe it will increase is the girls who are waiting for the walk - won't that be exciting. Hopefully it will work out and maybe it will increase the effort being put into improving the play of some schools - yeah I bet. Lot more base on balls I bet is what we get.

Great! My DD is pretty smart at the plate. Her OBA is always higher than her BA, and looks like it's only going higher!

[gunshy]

Yeah, the horse is already out of the barn on the pitching distance issue, so it is a little late to shut the door. It probably doesn't matter whether it starts this Spring or next, the accomplished pitchers will be ready and the others will get shelled. Mirroring the college game so closely is advantageous for the minority who are focused on playing in college, but really changes the game for those who are not. We all talk about the differences between HS and travel and seem to settle on the largest differences being talent and coaching; no amount of rule changes to the HS game is going to close the gap on the largest differences. I just continue to scratch my head on the changes made to HS ball to make it closer to college ball
(ie, steel cleats, 43 ft pitching distance, etc) and find it amusing that a HS player will get ejected for having a bobbi pin in her hair. The high school game is not college and I am not sure that we should continue to change HS rules to try to reach something unattainable.

[09softball]

bucketboy-
Who is Sandy Searcy? I searched the site and found the district rep but couldn't find any contact info on Searcy. Can you put her email address on here for us? Thanks.

Aw...never mind. I found it. I'm definately sending out an email this morning!

[Sftbll4ever]

Yeah, the horse is already out of the barn on the pitching distance issue, so it is a little late to shut the door. It probably doesn't matter whether it starts this Spring or next, the accomplished pitchers will be ready and the others will get shelled. Mirroring the college game so closely is advantageous for the minority who are focused on playing in college, but really changes the game for those who are not. We all talk about the differences between HS and travel and seem to settle on the largest differences being talent and coaching; no amount of rule changes to the HS game is going to close the gap on the largest differences. I just continue to scratch my head on the changes made to HS ball to make it closer to college ball
(ie, steel cleats, 43 ft pitching distance, etc) and find it amusing that a HS player will get ejected for having a bobbi pin in her hair. The high school game is not college and I am not sure that we should continue to change HS rules to try to reach something unattainable.

The picthing distance is set up at 43' for Travel too. I understand that most kids are not in it for college, but, if they play travel, seems fitting that they should pitch from the distance that they do in travel in lieu of going back and forth.