BEGINNING THIS 2010-2011 SOFTBALL SEASON, THE MOVE BACK TO 43 FEET IS MANDATORY FOR ALL SCHOOLS.
SEE NFHS RELEASE BELOW -
Contact: Mary Struckhoff
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 is mandatory beginning with the 2010-11 school year.
After at least 10 years of debate by committee members, the NFHS has extended the fast-pitch 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."
Another rule revision from last year dealt with hair devices. An exception was added to Rule 3-2-12, permitting "hard, unadorned devices, such as bobby pins, barrettes and hair clips, no longer than 2 inches, to be worn to control a player's hair." The rule was changed to allow players more options.
"The exception allows players a practical way of dealing with their hair," Struckhoff said. "The committee didn't see that hair devices would be a nuisance or would pose undue risk to players." The change also maintains consistency with NFHS volleyball rules regarding the same issue.
Softball is the fourth-most popular sport among girls at the high school level with 371,293 participants during the 2007-08 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It also ranks fourth in school sponsorship for girls across the nation with 14,846 participating schools.
This press release was written by NFHS intern Bethany Julka - (edited ny NIAA staff to bring current).
