NFHS 2005 Rule Changes

[WestMichBlue]

1. As expected, “about to receive” has been removed from the obstruction rules (copying the 2004 ASA change).

2. Finally some common sense about foul tips as the phrase “not higher that the batter’s head” is removed. The rule says “sharply and directly to the catcher’s glove or hand which takes away a need for a head measurement. (ASA should follow this one.)

3. Changed Dead Ball Appeal to allow for either a coach or players to make an appeal. (The ball is dead anyway, why not allow a coach to make an appeal and eliminate some of the confusion when the bench sees a violation and they are trying to communicate it to the players on the field.)

4. Face mask/guards required for helmets starting 2006. (ASA requirement goes into effect in 2005; schools get a year to budget for equipment changes.)


WMB

[justmom]

I guess I should get a facemask for my daughter's helmet and get her used to using it. She just finished 7th grade, and the summer rec. season ended last night. So, next year will be a warm-up to high school ball. I wish more people knew about this rule change. The kids will probably need to become accustomed to using the face mask!

And, speaking of rules...
My daughters (14U & 12U) play in a VERY unorganized fastpitch league with 3 other towns. No-one seems to know which rule book we're using. Since they allow the pitcher to "step back" it can't be ASA. I've sort of assumed they must be following NFHS. Anyway, last night in 14U a pitched ball hit the ground in front of the batter and then hit the batter (who attempted to jump over the ball) in the ankle. Umpire calls a dead ball, but wouldn't award the batter first base. Her ruling was that the batter wasn't entitled to first base because the ball hit the ground first. Now, I have a 2004 NFHS rules book, and 8.1.2.b says it does not matter if the ball strikes the ground before hitting the batter. The REALLY sad thing was that the coach on the other team agreed with my rule book interpretation, but said he'd observed the same call in high-school fastpitch several times last season!!! Do other fastpitch rulebooks use a different ruling, or was this ump (and apparently others) just plain wrong?

I was thinking about volunteering to umpire next year in this league, and maybe eventually umpiring at the high-school level. The above examples have made me think that maybe there is a lack of competent umpires in this area. I've spent a lot of time studying the rule books, but where would I go (in mid-Michigan or Grand Rapids area) for an umpire school or clinic?

Thanks for reading my ramblings!

[Dakota]

Welcome to the board, mom.

Originally posted by justmom
And, speaking of rules...

When you completely change the topic of a thread, that is called hijacking the thread. You really should have posted this as a new topic. But, since you didn't, and in the spirit of polite response to new posters...

Originally posted by justmom
My daughters (14U & 12U) play in a VERY unorganized fastpitch league with 3 other towns. No-one seems to know which rule book we're using.

Then how can you possibly complain about a ruling?

Originally posted by justmom
Anyway, last night in 14U a pitched ball hit the ground in front of the batter and then hit the batter (who attempted to jump over the ball) in the ankle. Umpire calls a dead ball, but wouldn't award the batter first base. Her ruling was that the batter wasn't entitled to first base because the ball hit the ground first.

In slow pitch, the ball is dead if the pitch hits the ground prior to reaching the plate. Maybe she was a slow pitch umpire.

[Dakota]

Originally posted by WestMichBlue
1. As expected, “about to receive” has been removed from the obstruction rules (copying the 2004 ASA change).

Hopefully, the year of ASA experience with this change will result in less turmoil in HS with all the silliness about the major "new rule" and the re-education of umpire instincts. I know there are a lot of NFHS-only umpires, but there are also quite a number of dual/triple registered officials, too.

Originally posted by WestMichBlue
2. Finally some common sense about foul tips as the phrase “not higher that the batter’s head” is removed. The rule says “sharply and directly to the catcher’s glove or hand which takes away a need for a head measurement. (ASA should follow this one.)

Even if ASA, AFA, Pony, Dixie, LL, etc., etc. adopt this, this will never die - it will just move onto the myth list. Bet anyone a beverage of your choice that a coach will bring up "higher than the batter's head" in a game in 2010.

Originally posted by WestMichBlue
3. Changed Dead Ball Appeal to allow for either a coach or players to make an appeal. (The ball is dead anyway, why not allow a coach to make an appeal and eliminate some of the confusion when the bench sees a violation and they are trying to communicate it to the players on the field.)

Didn't NFHS actually allow coaches to make a live ball appeal a couple of years ago? (Maybe that was baseball). Anyway, I don't like this one. The players should make the out, not the coaches. Limiting coach's appeals to things like BOO, illegal subs, etc., is where it should stay, IMO.

Originally posted by WestMichBlue
4. Face mask/guards required for helmets starting 2006. (ASA requirement goes into effect in 2005; schools get a year to budget for equipment changes.)

ASA teams had a year, too. The ASA rule changed last year, effective next year.

Personal editorial: This rule change makes more sense for NFHS than ASA. If the face guard is not prohibited (which it has never been) any minor child playing ASA ball has an adult guardian somewhere who is responsible for that player's safety. There was nothing preventing concerned parents from buying the face guard. These kinds of rules are because of lazy parents (don't want to make their kid do something no one else is doing) and busybodies (want to impose their life-choices on everyone else). JMO.

[WestMichBlue]

JUSTMOM

E-mail me at [email protected] for info about training. I am Softball Training Director for umpire's association in GR and have Rookie and Advanced Rules Classes and Mechanics clinics planned for next Feb/March.

WMB

[IRISHMAFIA]

2. Finally some common sense about foul tips as the phrase “not higher that the batter’s head” is removed. The rule says “sharply and directly to the catcher’s glove or hand which takes away a need for a head measurement. (ASA should follow this one.)

Even if ASA, AFA, Pony, Dixie, LL, etc., etc. adopt this, this will never die - it will just move onto the myth list. Bet anyone a beverage of your choice that a coach will bring up "higher than the batter's head" in a game in 2010.

Actually, the "not higher than the batter's head" has rarely been the issue on the foul tip. The problem was that it was always assumed to also be the yardstick on what establishes a batted ball as a fly, and catchable for an out, ball.

3. Changed Dead Ball Appeal to allow for either a coach or players to make an appeal. (The ball is dead anyway, why not allow a coach to make an appeal and eliminate some of the confusion when the bench sees a violation and they are trying to communicate it to the players on the field.)

Didn't NFHS actually allow coaches to make a live ball appeal a couple of years ago? (Maybe that was baseball). Anyway, I don't like this one. The players should make the out, not the coaches. Limiting coach's appeals to things like BOO, illegal subs, etc., is where it should stay, IMO.

This seems to be a step backward toward the "they are not smart enough to make the proper appeal" theory that previously placed the onus on the umpire to make the automatic call.

4. Face mask/guards required for helmets starting 2006. (ASA requirement goes into effect in 2005; schools get a year to budget for equipment changes.)

ASA teams had a year, too. The ASA rule changed last year, effective next year.

Personal editorial: This rule change makes more sense for NFHS than ASA. If the face guard is not prohibited (which it has never been) any minor child playing ASA ball has an adult guardian somewhere who is responsible for that player's safety. There was nothing preventing concerned parents from buying the face guard. These kinds of rules are because of lazy parents (don't want to make their kid do something no one else is doing) and busybodies (want to impose their life-choices on everyone else). JMO.

Cannot argue with that because that is exactly how this rule came about.

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by justmom
I guess I should get a facemask for my daughter's helmet and get her used to using it.
And, speaking of rules...

I was thinking about volunteering to umpire next year in this league, and maybe eventually umpiring at the high-school level. The above examples have made me think that maybe there is a lack of competent umpires in this area. I've spent a lot of time studying the rule books, but where would I go (in mid-Michigan or Grand Rapids area) for an umpire school or clinic?

1. Facemasks are a great idea. I've only been at this for 11 years, but I've seen too many people take foul balls off the nose or, especially with more wild-high speed pitchers, get plunked in the face with a pitch. And, in an unofficial estimate, I think over 50% of HS players in this area are wearing the face mask (and of those, a great majority play ASA summer ball).

2. Indiana ASA is scheduled to host a national school next year. It is looking at being in the northern half of this state. More information will be posted on ASA website when available.

http://www.asasoftball.com

[CecilOne]

And I will further hijack this topic to say two things:
- any person who is this conscientious abou the rules and cares enough to ask questions is more than welcome to join up as an umpire, Michigan or anywhere, and even if there seem to be competent umpires in the area (preaching to the choir?).
- the handle "justmom" seems intended to say "not a participant"; but there is no "just" to being a mom.

[Stat-Man]

Originally posted by WestMichBlue
4. Face mask/guards required for helmets starting 2006. (ASA requirement goes into effect in 2005; schools get a year to budget for equipment changes.)

I'm all for safer helmets. But our high school is closing after 2006, so we'll have to buy helmets that will only be in use for a year. Ah well, such is life.

[Roger Greene]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA

[

This seems to be a step backward toward the "they are not smart enough to make the proper appeal" theory that previously placed the onus on the umpire to make the automatic call.

[

I'll join with the don't like crew. This now will match the Fed baseball rule that alows coaches to make a dead ball appeal. The BB coaches don't understand it either. They generally have their players throw the ball around and give the runners an oportunity to advance!!

Roger Greene

[CecilOne]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Roger Greene

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA

I'll join with the don't like crew. This now will match the Fed baseball rule that alows coaches to make a dead ball appeal. The BB coaches don't understand it either. They generally have their players throw the ball around and give the runners an oportunity to advance!!

Roger Greene

Not that I like the change as such, but is it possible that the throwing around won't happen if the coach knows he/she can just say "I appeal"?
Then again, telling a coach the appeal is not upheld might become more of a problem than telling the player.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by CecilOne
Not that I like the change as such, but is it possible that the throwing around won't happen if the coach knows he/she can just say "I appeal"?
Then again, telling a coach the appeal is not upheld might become more of a problem than telling the player.

But in recent years (15 or so), there never was a need for anyone to throw any ball anywhere on a dead ball appeal.

Even if they throw the ball away, it means nothing.

Preventive umpiring would tell the umpire who hears an improper appeal from the coach to turn to the closest defender in the infield area and ask, "What did s/he say?"

[Robmoz]

Originally posted by CecilOne
- the handle "justmom" seems intended to say "not a participant"; but there is no "just" to being a mom.

and Rhode Island is not a road nor an island...



[Edited by Robmoz on Jul 9th, 2004 at 10:23 AM]

[lildani14]

you learn to adjust to them REAL quick. last summer we had a high school team camp at a local college and it was probably our second or third game. i squared to bunt and pitch came high and inside and i basically used my bat as self defense and it fouled off directly into the cage on my helmet.

previous to that weekend i HATED the masks, couldn't bat with them, bothered me too much. but thats all we had so i figured i had to learn to live with them. personally, it all depends on the type of mask. some come too low so they sit on my shoulder but the ones i actually wear now are perfect. now I cannot bat with out a mask, feels too weird.

[oatmealqueen]

Originally posted by justmom

I was thinking about volunteering to umpire next year in this league, and maybe eventually umpiring at the high-school level. The above examples have made me think that maybe there is a lack of competent umpires in this area. I've spent a lot of time studying the rule books, but where would I go (in mid-Michigan or Grand Rapids area) for an umpire school or clinic?

Thanks for reading my ramblings!

justa,
You can always go to the MHSAA website to inquire about officiating in Michigan.
http://www.mhsaa.com