Wow – while scanning the fastpitch softball news online, I learned something new today. According to the National Federation of State High School Association Website, Softball is the fourth-most popular sport among girls at the high school level with 369,094 participants during the 2005-06 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It also ranks third in school sponsorship for girls across the nation with 14,710 schools.
Another thing I learned is that the NFHS rules have been amended to permit metal cleats in 2008. I would have LOVED to play in metal cleats in high school. I always wondered why the baseball boys could wear them and we could not.
One rule change I don’t really like is the one that says a batter shall take her position in the batter’s box within 10 seconds of the ball being returned to the pitcher in the circle. I mean, I can understand the reasoning for it because sometimes batters take way too long. Shucks, I suppose it can be done, but between taking a signal, taking a deep breath to reset, and scanning the defense for cues, that’s not all that much time, especially if the coach is talks to baserunners between pitches and you have to wait to take a signal OR if the coach gives a long set of signals OR if you get confused with the signal and have to ask to see it again.
Anyway – to read more about these issues and other changes, visit
http://www.nfhs.org/web/2007/07/high_school_softball_rules_amend.aspx