Tournament Question for 18U Coaches

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My question deals with the pitching distance for 18U. As you know ASA Gold has made 43 feet mandatory and USSSA has copied the ASA Gold designation with it its Major 18U division. Also lots of other ASA major tournaments seem to require 43 feet. My question deals with the locally run tournaments such as the one I do in Beavercreek where I get a mixture of teams that would give any team in the state a good battle and some teams while very capable, just don't quite match up. From my point of view as a USSSA tourn director, it is easier to set the pitching plates at 43 feet just to make sure I comply with the USSSA rules regarding Major teams (i.e those with college players--and often times these teams are the one that may not match up).

I am curious how coaches feel about 43 feet. I need to make a decision soon so I can let all potential teams know the distance. Thanks.

Bob

 

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Would it be possible for you to have another set of plate holes dug at 43 feet and just plug them when the other ages play on them? Just like most fields have both 35 and 40 foot holes for the pitching rubber and ground level plugs which won't get in the way of dragging the fields.

 

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RIGHTNOW:

Bob's question relates only to his 18U tournament. Mixing up pitching distances within one tournament at one age group would be a nightmare.

As for the question, I'd like to see all 18U tournaments go to 43'. But until the sanctioning organizations require that, I don't see it happening.

 

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Let me see if I understand a past reply. A team that has a college player on iits roster has to play 18 Major in USSSA, and ASA Gold? Is this is true, and if so when passed by both organizations? Thanks

 

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Tourn_Dir you should just go ahead and use the 43' pitching distance and save yourself the hassle of moving the rubber or setting up two fields. ? ?A lot is made of the 43' pitching distance but the pitchers and hitters will adjust just fine. ?The good ones will still be good and there may be a little more defense required at least until the pitchers make the adjustment. ? And you will be helping the college coaches determine if the pitchers are talented or not. ? It seems from the posts on this subject that college coaches can't seem to make that determination with the 40' pitching distance, ?how did they ever find pitchers before.

 

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Freedom:

USSSA teams that have a college player are considered to be 18U "Major" teams. I do not believe that the ASA mandated that any team with a college player has to play 18U Gold. 18U teams still decide for themselves whether to designate themselves as "Gold" teams.

Perhaps Patty can confirm for us.

 

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not correct in ASA...College players are aloow on "A" teams. unless it changed from last year. i can not find it in the rule changes for 2006.

Ron

 

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As I understand it, ASA Gold has to play at 43 Ft. But this needs to be kept in perspective as from all I have read on this board there are less than 6 Gold teams each year from OHIO. and all they need to do is to declare Gold status---there are no objective criteria. The issue really revolves around those teams that are playng 18A.

At the some of the big name events, "18A" ASA teams also have to play at 43 Ft. So a likely scenario is a 18A team at Compuware playing 43 Ft, then they come to Fairborn or Beavercreek or Akron the next week and they go 40 Ft, then on to Colorado where they play at 43 Ft and then back to GAPSS where they play at 40 Ft or to one of the Toledo events. I don't see that as being a good thing where distances vary each week--it would seem to me that keeping the distances the same each week would be desirable for 18U.

I think all the tournaments should make sure the 18U pitching distance is clearly spelled out.

Bob

 

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So if a team has 1 college player on its roster they will have to play 18 Major at USSSA tournaments ex: Toledo Tune up, SGS Magic Shootout. If this is so will some teams elect not to play USSSA?

 

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Only ASA Gold tournaments and USSSA Major have gone 43'.

Where is the issue? ASA 'A', PONY, NSA, AFA, USFA, FAST and the rest of the alphabet is 40'.

or have I missed something?

 

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Just my opinion but most of the 18u have college players, so going to 43ft shouldnt be a problem,makes it more competitive,You see the elite teams in ohio stacking their teams with college players and their not gold. A real 18u team should have all 18u players on it, not college freshman even though at this time its legal, its so very hard to compete with them when their starting infield consists of all college girls. But as i say its just my opinion

 

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I guess that I may have asked the wrong question so I will ask it again. If a team has a college player on its roster can the they play 18 u in USSSA or do they have to play 18 Major because of the girl. Maybe I am missing something.

 

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My understanding is that if an 18U has college players on it, and wish to play USSSA, they must play 18U-Major. If I get a chance I'll try and find the rule and post it.

 

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Freedom--if a girl has played college ball and she is on an 18U team, then that team must be sanctioned and play as an USSSA 18Major --the team can not compete as an 18A or 18B. I looked at the SGS entry form and it has the Major Category listed. That same team that plays Major has to go at 43 ft, while that very same team when playing ASA goes at 40 Ft.

Dave--one issue here goes back to the days when USSSA was the first association to come along and challenge the ASA slow pitch--in 1970. Sorta like a Hatfield-McCoy feud. Always trying to one up the other. That one is above my pay scale.
The other issue is more local to this part of the state where teams will play USSSA and ASA and NSA. And some of it may be personal---e.g., I don't want to have to break my 18U tournament fields up in a 18A and an 18 Major---for years the teams have played together with no problems. But the biggest issue as far as I am concerned is keeping pitching a consistent distance in the summer for the teams that play USSSA and ASA, so that one week the teams play at 43 and the next weekend they are at 40. The crazy part about the USSSA age grouping is that most of the college players on 18U teams are outfielders/infielders with very few pitchers .

Bob

 

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The Sparta Summer Shootout will be using 40' for all divisions!

 

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Tourn_Director,

Whenever we had discussions at out PONY meetings about what other sanctioning bodies were doing, corporate's position was "We're PONY and if they want to play PONY they will...".

Fortunately, PONY Softball's position was more aware of what the "competition" did and worked to keep itself in more of the mainstream. In a nutshell, if USSSA splits the 18u - then to keep your sanctioning, you've got to do it - and cant worry about what the teams do when playing under another sanctioning body. PONY used to be 19u - not 18u, which created problems for teams. Competition forced the change. Looks like you are going to be the guinea pig this year.

I agree with ASA using different distances at Gold and "A" since they are two different divisions much as 18u and 16u are. And then, if a Gold team chooses to play PONY, they will play at 40', since they fit the 18u category and 40' is where PONY plays it.

dave

 

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Dave--thanks for the response. I agree entirely with what you are saying, especially about the guinea pig part. I guess time will tell how the teams respond or if the high school powers make a move to 43 feet. I guess I may be more ticked off about how the USSSA change was dictated rather than openly discussed/debated before a decision was made...Bob