NCAA this fall?

fpitchdad

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Stefanie spielman charity classic held at Fred Beekman fields. Tournament is usually first weekend of October. Its a great event and great college softball.
 

JoeA1010

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Yes, the Spielman Charity Classic is the first weekend of October again. Don't have a list of teams, but likely a mix of all divisions, mostly from Ohio, but a few from Kentucky, Michigan and maybe Indiana and Pennsylvania.

The ball change is an experiment that some teams can do if they wish in the fall. Personally it's not something I want to see.
 

krrcoach

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From the article...
" The coefficient of restitution for the new ball, which measures the liveliness of the ball, is 0.52, up from 0.47 for the current softball. And compression, which measures the hardness of the ball, is 275 pounds per square inch in the new ball, a reduction from 350 pounds per square inch for the old.

The rules committee members believe the newly developed softballs have several attractive properties. They will gather feedback later this year from teams that use it to gauge whether the sport would benefit from the newly developed softball.

One of those properties that could be a welcome change is the new ball’s usability in cold weather. Because softballs now used in NCAA play are made with a polyurethane core and a leather cover, the softballs become harder when the temperature drops. The weather shouldn’t affect the newly developed softball as much.

Another attraction is the new ball’s lower severity index, which means a ball that strikes a player will do less tissue damage than if the player was struck with the softball currently in use."
 

flarays

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Another attraction is the new ball’s lower severity index, which means a ball that strikes a player will do less tissue damage than if the player was struck with the softball currently in use."

Any idea how this is gauged?
 

JoeA1010

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I spoke with a coach who is going to try these balls this fall. She indicated that her understanding is that the ball will basically be softer and not travel as hard or far. I don't know if this is correct.
 

BretMan2

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Joe, I think that is basically correct. ASA has been experimenting with a similar ball for a few years now and those are the kind of results they've been getting.

The compression rating is a good indicator of the "harndess" of the ball. This rating is the amount of force required to compress the ball a given amount. The harder the ball, the higher the compression rating.

The coefficient of restitution (COR) is a measurement of the "bounciness" of the ball. It is a ratio of how far a ball bounces back when fired from a given distance (eg: if the ball is fired 10 feet and bounces back 5 feet, the COR is 50%, or .50. The higher the number, the bouncier the ball.

The term "severity index" is a new one for me, but it's easy to see how a test could be constructed to measure it. The ASA testing showed that this newer ball produced impacts (measured in pounds per square inch, or PSI) less than that required to break bone (if I recall correctly, 1500 PSI). The older ball, when traveling at the same speed, produced impacts in excess of the bone-breaking limit.

The less-hard and bouncier ball somewhat negates the trampoline effect of today's hotter bats. When the ball "gives" on impact, the forces of the bat/ball collision are deadened and batted ball exit speeds are reduced.
 

flarays

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Joe, I think that is basically correct. ASA has been experimenting with a similar ball for a few years now and those are the kind of results they've been getting.

The compression rating is a good indicator of the "harndess" of the ball. This rating is the amount of force required to compress the ball a given amount. The harder the ball, the higher the compression rating.

The coefficient of restitution (COR) is a measurement of the "bounciness" of the ball. It is a ratio of how far a ball bounces back when fired from a given distance (eg: if the ball is fired 10 feet and bounces back 5 feet, the COR is 50%, or .50. The higher the number, the bouncier the ball.

The term "severity index" is a new one for me, but it's easy to see how a test could be constructed to measure it. The ASA testing showed that this newer ball produced impacts (measured in pounds per square inch, or PSI) less than that required to break bone (if I recall correctly, 1500 PSI). The older ball, when traveling at the same speed, produced impacts in excess of the bone-breaking limit.

The less-hard and bouncier ball somewhat negates the trampoline effect of today's hotter bats. When the ball "gives" on impact, the forces of the bat/ball collision are deadened and batted ball exit speeds are reduced.

Great explanation - and if it works like this on the field it is a step in the right direction.
 

CARDS

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52 core 275 comp has been used in slow pitch for a few years now.
Most do not like the ball change and in tournaments/leagues where teams have to supply their own balls there has been an increase in balls needed per game more often in warmer weather. In late fall early spring when it is cooler the balls seem ok.

The seniors still get to use the hottest bats on the market including Miken UltraIIs so, newer balls go through the infield pretty good and if hit just right they can go 300+. A lot of infielders do not like the second/third bounce balls because the hops are not true and the ball will tend to move alot if you do not get it on the first bounce.

Again this goes back to the CF bats and people rolling and shaving them... As, I said on a post in the old forum on the bat rolling issue. Changes will come to fastpitch just like the mens game that will change ithe way we play it. These changes will also drive up the cost to play.

It will make the game more small ball, pitching and D so, no more cheep HRs since you have to have some power to get these ones out but if you are strong enough and can swing a TPS Z1000 they seem to strike it very well but these changes could hurt playing numbers down the road.

As far as catching some NCAA games in the fall. The Fall Cancer tournament played at Georgtown college and Lindsey Wilson was pretty good.Good mix of college and travel teams playing each other...
 
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SoCal_Dad

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I spoke with a coach who is going to try these balls this fall. She indicated that her understanding is that the ball will basically be softer and not travel as hard or far. I don't know if this is correct.
Joe, I think that is basically correct. ASA has been experimenting with a similar ball for a few years now and those are the kind of results they've been getting.
After trying similar balls for 2-3 years, ASA switched SP over to the new balls this year.

The less-hard and bouncier ball somewhat negates the trampoline effect of today's hotter bats. When the ball "gives" on impact, the forces of the bat/ball collision are deadened and batted ball exit speeds are reduced.
The softer ball reduces the trampoline effect of the hot bats - ASA was really targeting the altered bats. The ball is bouncier to compensate for what is lost in bat performance. The intent is not to reduce the batted ball exit speeds on all bats, just the hot bats that exceed the standard with the harder ball.

The goal of the sanctions is a safer ball with similar performance that hopefully eliminates the need to test bats in competition.
 

coachjwb

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I'm not sure what the solution is (probably more the bats or the field dimensions than the balls), but when we have lots of 10-U's and 12-U's hitting balls over fences that are the same distance as they are in college, there's an issue.
 

Westler33

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What if the 10u is 5'8" and 140lbs because I seen some very big kids this summer at the 10u age group and they look like the drove there themselves. I do agree that the bats are very hot with the 11" ball but it seems to die down with the bigger ball a little but the bats are hot now. I wish I had bats like this when I was a kid I might have hit homeruns to lol.
 

BouldersDad

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Good job ASA just keep tinkering with the sport thats already on the decline in some states like Ohio. Help dumb down the exciting part about this sport which is the offense. Turn it once again into a pitcher catcher game that was like watching paint dry in the late 90,s. You tried dumbing down the bats 10 years ago or so and that diddnt work ( still to much offense ) now lets work on the ball.

Once again if there is not alot wrong with something let us create drama and panic so we can justify our jobs. Dosent matter if its OHHSAA or ASA just a bunch of Bureaucrats telling people what is in their best interest whether the people want it or not.
 

BretMan2

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Good job ASA just keep tinkering with the sport thats already on the decline in some states like Ohio.

Okay. But this was an NCAA change, not ASA. ASA hasn't changed the ball used in their fastpitch games.
 

SMc4SMc

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So what's the best balance of player safety, integrity of the game, entertainment, attrition, and the sport remaining cost effective for families and vendors (as well as TDs) to maintain growth and value in fastpitch softball? Fastpitch is a great sport I'd love to see reach soccer like numbers in talent and participation, but I just don't want tech to outshine technique- talent and hard work.
 

Westler33

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I know the men around are area do not like the 52/275 ball. they don't like hitting it and everyone said it bounces to much in the infield. I have not talked to anyone who has been hit by it to ask if they like being hit by it better lol but in all seriousness I am all for safer playing conditions for the kids.
 

BouldersDad

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Okay. But this was an NCAA change, not ASA. ASA hasn't changed the ball used in their fastpitch games.
Sorry I ment to say NCAA not ASA. You have umped enough and you know how closely ncaa and asa are related. Where one goes the other normally follows. And how they talk out of both sides of their mouths. How do you raise the core on a ball and make it safer? The only time ncaa tests bat is conference play and regional play on up. They are trying to deaden the ball just like they did the bats. Its nothing more than more Liberal thinking making things even in sports. If this is the case why dont they make Arizona use wiffle ball bats since the altitude and dry air there gives them an advantage on the long ball. They hit 100 home runs this season, 75 were at home. I dont know the amount of kids that get injured from the ball we are now currently using in college but im going to give an educated guess they would be in more danger of being bitten by a shark or hit by lightning than by being seriously hurt playing college ball. At least the ISF is still smart enough to realize offense is what draws crowds. These clowns wont be satisfied until they destroy the sport.
 

SMc4SMc

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Was the ball changed this year? On what levels, college, high school, etc.? Any news, Thanks.
 

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