Will ASA legalize metal

[WestMichBlue]

for JO next season? Does anyone have a clue? If the girls are wearing metal cleats in H.S play next spring are they going to be willing to give them up for summer ball?

WMB

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by WestMichBlue

for JO next season? Does anyone have a clue? If the girls are wearing metal cleats in H.S play next spring are they going to be willing to give them up for summer ball?

WMB

If they do, I hope the council has enough sense to keep it at the 18U level.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

If they do, I hope the council has enough sense to keep it at the 18U level.

Do you think ASA could legalize them for any level w/o legalizing for the ex-baseball dominated AA?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Do you think ASA could legalize them for any level w/o legalizing for the ex-baseball dominated AA?

I admit to not paying any attention to the legal / illegal equipment requirements for adult slow pitch, but a quick reading of the rule (ASA 3-6-G) says metal cleats ARE legal for adult slow pitch except for co-ed and senior divisions. Is this correct?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by WestMichBlue

for JO next season? Does anyone have a clue? If the girls are wearing metal cleats in H.S play next spring are they going to be willing to give them up for summer ball?

WMB

Well, I obviously have no insider information or any clue what the discussions on this leading up to the ASA meetings are, but since there were ASA reps (I assume) at the NFHS rules meetings, I would assume some people are at least discussing whether the issue needs to be addressed.

If it is not, at the top age levels of girls fastpitch, then, even more divergence will occur. We will have Fed with the metal cleats, and with some states moving to 43'. We will have ASA with no metal cleats and 43' at 18G only. We will have several others (AFA, etc.) with whatever they decide on metal and 43' at all 18s.

Seemingly, all of this is caused by mostly "outside" influences: NCAA, international rules, boys baseball, etc. Nothing wrong with that, especially, but for the good of the sport, I hope they start converging again soon.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I admit to not paying any attention to the legal / illegal equipment requirements for adult slow pitch, but a quick reading of the rule (ASA 3-6-G) says metal cleats ARE legal for adult slow pitch except for co-ed and senior divisions. Is this correct?

I believe that is correct, but I'm not 100% certain of that. Most local leagues ban them for any level of play, and in the leagues that I call, this is the case. As such, I've never really concerned myself with that detail, since that's all I call.

The risks for metal cleats in rec league outweigh the advantages. My sister's ex-boyfriend got his hand spiked in an unlimited-arch SP rec game. It was one of the nastiest things I've seen in a long time.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Do you think ASA could legalize them for any level w/o legalizing for the ex-baseball dominated AA?

What? Spikes are legal for all ASA play except JO, Co-Ed and Seniors. Always have been since I began umpiring softball.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

What? Spikes are legal for all ASA play except JO, Co-Ed and Seniors. Always have been since I began umpiring softball.

OK, I forgot it was a local rule.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Speaking for THIS voting member, I would vote to allow metal spikes on any JO age group pitching from 43'. If 18A and 16A aren't capable of pitching from 43', they aren't capable of safely wearing metal cleats.

[WestMichBlue]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

Speaking for THIS voting member, I would vote to allow metal spikes on any JO age group pitching from 43'. If 18A and 16A aren't capable of pitching from 43', they aren't capable of safely wearing metal cleats.

And a 13 y.o. boy is?

But, he is pitching from 60'. Maybe that makes him a little more capable!

WMB

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by WestMichBlue

And a 13 y.o. boy is?

But, he is pitching from 60'. Maybe that makes him a little more capable!

WMB

When I was 13, I was already 5'11", pitched from a 50' mound and went bowling with a 15 lb ball.

However, in my opinion, metal cleats should not be allowed for players under 18. I never needed them, so why should they? To me, they're nothing more than a status symbol (being a big shot).

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

Speaking for THIS voting member, I would vote to allow metal spikes on any JO age group pitching from 43'. If 18A and 16A aren't capable of pitching from 43', they aren't capable of safely wearing metal cleats.

I don't agree with linking these two - they are addressing unrelated things.

I do wish they would all get it the same, though (on both issues).