Changes

When the game of softball was started WAYYYYYYY back in the day, that was the rule! The lead-off batter each inning got to choose which way to run! Would be kinda fun in these days....maybe a right handed slapper?

 

Wow! That says it all.

I like eliminating the "dead Period" rule for HS ball, and NO daddy ball coaches, unless they're all willing to give my DD as much playing time through thick and thin as they give their own.

But with that said, lots of daddy ballers have gotten their kids signed. Got to give it to them.

Great thread!

 

Tater
At Butler we have done exactly that for years. Because it is one of the many reasons that we have a strong program at the school. Others are an Admin and AD(s) that back and support womens sports and coaches that know and care about the game and kids.
It is true about the hours and dollars that parents spend but I know in my case it was geared more towards my DD being having a shot at playing in college then to help any individual coach. I suspect that is still true today.

 

I have no doubt that is part of the reason your program stands out above many others. You are very fortunate. Whether it is meant to help an individual coach or not, your hours and dollars spent toward your DD's softball experience certainly does help. Instead of banishing parents to the outfield, coaches would be more successful if they showed a little more appreciation. It sounds like the coaches at Butler "get it".

 

emphasis on speed and stats

I really like the idea of pushing the bases back 5 ft. Three feet back already happened to pitchers last year and look what a difference it made in hitting. IMO, there is too much emphasis on speed in softball. A kid that can bunt/slap and run very fast will have a spot on a team even if they can't do anything else. I believe moving the bases back 5 feet would have a significant impact and put the emphasis more on actually hitting the ball.

Another idea that I have is to consider having "weighted stats" so kids can be compared more evenly. Stats for players on teams that play a very difficult schedule are more likley to be lower than players on teams that play weaker opponents. We already have "weighted GPA" for students in honors classes and handicaps in golf to level the competition. Why not have a similar scoring system on stats? If a pitcher throws a no hitter in the playoffs, shouldn't that be better than throwing a no hitter against a winless team? Etc? Could it be that a hitter that hit .389 against high level pitching (with proper scoring) is actually a better hitter than the hitter that batted .500 (with proper scoring) against very weak pitching?

 

Balancing it is the key.

Much like everything else in life.

Stat gpa..Cool, why not. Stats for everything else.

 

Have HS in the fall & Have ASA, NSA, AAU merge under ASA so we can get more qualifiers for our own teams instead of GA teams coming up to try to win the few we get. HS in the fall would allow NC TB teams to go to more qualifiers in the region in the spring when most of them are held.

 

Something to consider

You talk about speed, how about the kid that can just hit for power and nothing else as you say? Like in every other sport there are specialist, so to speak, defensive players that stop the best offensive player, return specialist, base runners, set up guys, closers. Explain the difference in your example. Speed in fast pitch is what separates the game from baseball and allows a Coach to actually make a difference for his team between the lines. Speed puts pressure on the defense in softball, football, and even baseball. Exciting, just like a homerun, a shutout., a last minute three pointer!

 

I like softball because it is NOT like baseball...

here, how about these changes:

Move the fence it to 175'
Make the area beyond the fence, foul ball territory.

This will take away all the logic for constantly fighting the next generation bat.
Softball is exciting because it is a fast game... or should be. We shouldn't keep trying to make it like baseball.

 

Got My Vote!

I Like this idea, maybe a spring net and play it of it. Were fighting the next level bat BS as well. Offense sells tickets DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
Dad