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Originally Posted by Dakota
The snowball is gathering size and speed here, but that has to do mostly with local issues. And, as I said to Mike, it is not an ASA-only issue, but ASA is one of 2 organizations with the clout to lead on the issue.
I don't intend to keep beating this horse. After all, I'm an umpire, not an 18U coach. Hopefully, ASA has the wisdom to form a working group to develop consensus on this issue before next fall. It would be even better if that working group included representatives from the NFHS.
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Based on information from several top movers and shakers in NFHS, including representatives from that group will make sure there is no consensus that makes a larger group move to 43'. It
IS A MAJOR SNOWBALL here in Georgia, making ASA 18A a problem child to address, and the consensus of teams, players, and coaches is that 43' is where they feel they need to play that game. Nonetheless, NFHS is adamently opposed, going on record that making that change even for 18A will hurt the high school game.
They (the NFHS rules committee) believe that there are significant numbers of schools, areas, and even complete states, where the pitching level is already so bad that they cannot mandate two feet on the pitching plate, let alone 43', without making the "have-nots" even worse competitively compared to the "haves". They believe that toughening the pitching rule in either of these two categories runs the risk of schools without competitive pitching disbanding their teams if no one can or will pitch for them. In face or that possibility, it would be inappropriate to adopt a rule making the game more competitive for the more advanced participants, if the result is reduced participation.
The obvious counter argument is that bad pitching will remain bad pitching, so why not make the game more competitive offensively, and force feed the creation of the higher level of play. After all, does NFHS baseball pitch from 55' feet to compensate for lesser pitching? Do they shoot basketball free throws from 14' to compensate? As long as ASA remains at 40', NFHS can remain at 40', being a national standard for those of high school age. If ASA moved to 43', there would be increased pressure on NFHS to change (although they have steadfastly ignored and refuted the pressure to force two feet on the pitching plate).