Cleat Question From Dad/Hoops Ref

[Coltdoggs]

Hey BLUE!...Hoops official here...I don't call baseball so I am not sure about this...

My son is a Freshman this year and hopes to be playing for his HS team.

Are any of you Umps from Indiana and can you tell me if there are any restrictions on cleats in the IHSAA. Up to this year his travel and rec teams (there are no Jr High teams in our school district) have not allowed metal cleats.

Before I invest, I'd like to find out what's legal for Freshman and JV baseball.

Thanks guys...

C-Doggs

[johnnyg08]

honestly...call the school...ask to speak to a coach, or the Athletic director...no matter the state...we don't spend much time inspecting cleats...if any esp at the HS level. there's my 2 lincolns

[etn_ump]

Metal.

[DG]

In my playing days cleats were round and on the bottom of football shoes. There was no soccer in my neighborhood, or anywhere I else I knew of, but if there had been they would have been wearing cleats also.

My baseball shoes had spikes on them, as in "Ty Cobb was sharpening his spikes". When did we start calling basebal spikes cleats and why did we do that?

The usual age at which players moved up from rubber spikes to metal was age 13, coinciding with move up to 90 foot bases. Local variations may apply. And it may be notable that you can buy baseball spikes that are not made of metal and everybody 13 and above does not use metal. It's not mandatory to use metal on the big bases.

[mbyron]

FED prohibits using track spikes. Ohio adds nothing to that. I don't know about Indiana.

[DG]

Originally Posted by mbyron

FED prohibits using track spikes. Ohio adds nothing to that. I don't know about Indiana.

Every state should. Track spikes and baseball spikes ("cleats") are two different things.

[LittleLeagueBob]

Metal is fine for IN highschool - not required, but he'd be the only one on the team with rubber cleats! (as others have said, no track spikes)

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by DG

Every state should. Track spikes and baseball spikes ("cleats") are two different things.

Every state should what? I wrote that "Ohio adds nothing to that." Are you saying that, like Ohio, every state should add nothing to the FED rule?

Baseball spikes are not cleats where I come from.

[Delaware Blue]

We have one conference that prohibits metal (baseball) spikes at the Middle School level only. (Don't ask me why - even Little League allows metal for their junior and above divisions.)

[umpjong]

Good grief, no wonder bball officials think umpires are dumb!!!
Spikes, cleats, even I know what he means, and I only gradiated from the 5th grade!!!! Coltdoggs, the poster that suggested calling his coach may be the best bet. Fed. allows metal, and I doubt Indiana prohibits them, but we all know never to assume..

[ManInBlue]

Buy a pair that have interchangeable spikes. If he can wear metal, put them in. If not, put in the rubber ones. Then he could use them if he plays another league that doesn't allow metal. 2 for the price of one.

I got hosed on using metal. They weren't legal except in HS. When I got to HS, VA (possibly FED, I don't know) outlawed them. Then after I graduated, I think they (VA) allowed them again.

[DG]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Every state should what? I wrote that "Ohio adds nothing to that." Are you saying that, like Ohio, every state should add nothing to the FED rule?

Baseball spikes are not cleats where I come from.

You said "FED prohibits using track spikes. Ohio adds nothing to that". I said "every state should".

Every state should prohibit track spikes. Ohio adds nothing to the FED prohibition nor should any other state.

Baseball spikes are not cleats where I come from either, and thus the point of this discussion.

Where I come from:

baseball spikes = metal spikes about half inch wide and half inch long
track spikes = metal spikes about 3/4 inch long and 1/8" round
football cleats = round, about half inch in diameter and 1/2 to 3/4 inch long.

There are quite a few players who wear hard plastic spike shoes. Nothing special about metal, other than the sound they make across a concrete floor.