ASA 16U pitching distance

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by JefferMC

The main issue as I see it with this age breakdown is that the JV programs will be playing on the same fields as the Varsity, and many JV players are playing 14U ball. The grounds crew are not going to be troubled to move the pitching plate 3' between the JV and Varsity double-headers (or between their separate practices on the same day), so 90%+ of JV will be at 43' this spring, and back at 40' come the summer.

Somehow, I thought that the highlighted info WAS your point.

Originally Posted by JefferMC

I think you missed my point. The girls will be playing NFHS rules from Feburary through May. Then they will be playing ASA rules the rest of the year. Just this fall, the local ASA TD's "jumped the gun" and put the pitchers plate at 43' for 16U in an effort to help the pitchers who would be facing that pitching distance in the school season. In fact, they announced, then retracted, the same move for 14U. The ASA organizers were actually the last group to announce a move to 43' for the fall. For a while it looked like we would have one 43' ISA tournament sandwitched in between 4 ASA tournaments at 40'.

This IS a different issue. However, as has already been mentioned, a solution would be for the girls to play up, if that is their preference, or for TD's to allow a 43' pitching distance for the tournaments for the age groups in question, if there is enough interest shown on the part of the participants. Remember, ASA rules only apply to championship play. So, I guess the real issue for the 14U and 16U playing ASA is this; which is greater, the interest to play softball throughout the season as merely an adjunct to HS softball, or to play the season with the aim of playing in ASA state and national tournaments?!