[Andy]

I received an email from the NFHS earlier this week asking me to participate in a softball rules survey. Eveidently, you can only participate if you are chosen.

At any rate, here are the questions and my answers (in bold). It was just a yes/no option on each question, I would have liked a comments area since some of the questions are more than just yes/no.

Just thought I would throw it out there for discussion.



2008 NFHS Softball Rules Questionnaire



PART I – ARE THESE CHANGES MADE LAST YEAR SATISFACTORY?


1. Permitting players to wear metal cleats and metal toe plates.

Yes
No





2. Restricting the head coach, in addition to the offender, to the dugout when a second unreported substitution occurs.

Yes
No





3. Requiring the batter to take her position in the batter’s box within 10 seconds after the ball is returned to the pitcher.

Yes No








©2008 National Federation of High Schools
Developed by the NFHS





2008 NFHS Softball Rules Questionnaire



PART II – OBSERVATIONS – ARE YOU SEEING IN YOUR AREA?


1. An increase in serious lacerations due to permitting players to wear metal cleats.

Yes
No





2. A decrease in serious knee injuries due to permitting players to wear metal cleats.

Yes
No





3. An increase in sliding injuries from the use of non break-away bases.

Yes
No

(No answer - I have never seen an injury that would have been prevented by a break-away base)



4. An increase in base coaches being struck by batted balls.

Yes
No




5. Teams making their equipment available in a timely fashion prior to the game for inspection by the umpires.

Yes
No





6. Defensive player equipment being discarded during live-ball action.

Yes
No





7. A decrease in the number of unreported substitutions.

Yes
No





8. A decrease in batter delays.

Yes
No





9. The DP/Flex rule generally understood by coaches.

Yes
No




10. The DP/Flex rule generally understood by umpires.

Yes
No





11. An increase in the number of teams using the DP/Flex option.

Yes
No





12. An increase in the pitching rules being properly enforced by umpires.

Yes
No







©2008 National Federation of High Schools
Developed by the NFHS





2008 NFHS Softball Rules Questionnaire



PART III – ABOUT RULES FOR 2009 – WOULD YOU FAVOR?


1. Moving the pitching distance to 43 feet (current distance is 40 feet).

Yes
No





2. Requiring a double first base for all interscholastic contests.

Yes
No





3. Requiring the use of break-away or releasable bases.

Yes
No





4. Reducing the COR (coefficient of restitution) of fast-pitch softballs (current max is .47).

Yes
No




5. Reducing the compression of fast-pitch softballs (current max is 375 pounds).

Yes
No





6. Requiring adult and non-adult base coaches to wear protective head gear (currently, only non-adults are required to wear protective head gear).

Yes
No





7. Prohibiting defensive player equipment (i.e., face/head protection) to be discarded and requiring it to be worn throughout the entire half-inning.

Yes
No




8. The umpire declaring a bunt attempt when a player holds the bat in the strike zone.

Yes
No





9. Requiring the pitcher to start with two feet on the pitcher’s plate (currently, only one is required).

Yes No








©2008 National Federation of High Schools
Developed by the NFHS