Softball and
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USSSA Update
By
Gerry Turnberg
Central Divisional
Vice President
Legal Bats
Is the Easton Smoker
legal? How about the Synergy? This time of year, our phones are ringing with
these questions. Which bats are approved and which aren’t for the 2011 season?
Go to the national
website at www.usssa.com and look at the 2011 Rule Book online. Rule 2, Section
2 gives the definition and the performance standard for legal bats. Before you
go out and spend $300 on a bat, go to www.usssa.com and scroll down to
“licensed bats” and click on it. There will be a list of all bats that have
been approved for the 2011 season.
In October 2010, USSSA’s National Office issued a statement regarding new
bat standards that will be in effect starting
In part, the
announcement reads: “USSSA has a long history with 1.20 BPF standard developed
on principals of physics by Dr. Richard Brandt of NYU. While the current
standard of 1.20 BPF for softball bats remains, in our view, the appropriate
level for competition, the current generation of composite bats is susceptible
to alteration and improvement with overuse.
“As such, USSSA
attempted to address the issue by providing stiff penalties for those who use
altered bats and is attempting to help develop an on-field testing device to
determine when bats might, through overuse or alteration, exceed the 1.20 BPF standard. In addition, USSSA has reduced the compression
(that is, hardness of the ball) used in slow pitch from at one time in excess
of 700# to 325# for today’s balls.
“And lastly, USSSA
has reduced the weight of the ball, again in an attempt to maintain the proper
competitive level of play. With all of that done, USSSA still finds the
possibility of altered and overused composite bats to be a concern.
“Accordingly,
beginning in 2011, USSSA will revamp its 1.20 BPF testing procedures to reduce
the possibility of improved performance of carbon fiber bats with overuse or
alteration while maintaining the 1.20 BPF standard.
Bats passing the new test will carry a new and easily identifiable USSSA mark
on the taper of all USSSA licensed bats. Old bats with the old USSSA BPF Mark
currently are expected to be grandfathered through the end of the 2012 season.
“Additionally, USSSA
softball bats with the new Mark are not currently expected to be available
until late fall of 2011.
“USSSA has always
put the safety of its participants FIRST.”
C/D World NIT
wrap-up
This past weekend,
22 teams battled the rain, cold and wind at BeBops in
Congratulations to
Compass Commercial Flooring (Little Canada) for their fourth-place finish and
being the highest finishing “D” team and earning a paid “D” berth and $ 400 to
compete in the “D” World Tournament in Orlando, Fla., on Sept. 22-25.
In the Men’s “E”
World NIT, congratulations to CA Gear/Paddywagon’s/CST
(
Wood Bat Tourney set
for Sept. 10-11
We are going to have
a “Wood Bat” tournament sponsored by Combat Sports September 10-11. There will
be two divisions: “competitive” for players who played Class “C” and above, and “recreational” for players who played D and E
during the summer.
Check out the
Minnesota USSSA website and view the listings of all tournaments. You can also
print out copies of numerous fliers for weekend tournaments.
www.mnusssa.com
National USSSA
Website Access
www.usssa.com
If I can be of any
assistance in any of your softball needs, please call 763.571.1305 x 108 or
1-800-862-3659 x108 or email turnberg@mnrecpark.org, or stop by my office at
Remember – it is you, the player, coach, fan and umpire that
make USSSA a GREAT organization and the place to be!