The NCAA News - News & Features

Committee takes first steps in forming softball rules book

The committee, composed of four Division I representatives and two representatives each from Divisions II and III, concentrated its efforts on reviewing specifications for the playing field and facility. In addition, the group reviewed rules relating to pitching and batting.

"We've made progress but there's so much more to do," committee chair Sharon J. Drysdale said. "Our goal was to get on paper recommendations and standards for fields and facilities for those schools that are in the process of upgrading their facilities.

"I think we've been able to hammer out most of what the committee thinks is necessary to sponsor NCAA softball."

Drysdale, head softball coach at Northwestern University, will meet with the Divisions I, II and III softball championships committees in late June to discuss some of the field requirements and recommendations. The rules committee hopes to publish these rules in late summer as a supplement to the 1997 rules book, which is scheduled to be available in November.

As part of its discussion on facilities, the committee debated home-run fence distances and the availability and condition of bullpens and dugouts.

"The rules committee has ideas of what it thinks should be the ideal softball facility but recognizes the limitations due to finances, space and geography some schools may face when constructing a softball facility," Drysdale said. "We feel it is our responsibility to give member schools direction in building new facilities."

Drysdale provided the committee with a comparison of rules written for Amateur Softball Association (ASA) play, high-school softball competition and NCAA baseball. The committee has used those three sources to draft rules for women's fast-pitch collegiate competition.

The committee was formed after member schools passed legislation at the 1996 NCAA Convention to establish an NCAA softball rules committee. With some modifications, NCAA softball historically has been conducted under ASA rules.

For some time, the National Softball Coaches Association has believed it did not have a strong enough voice in the ASA's rules-making process.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Women's Softball Rules Committee
June 4-6/Kansas City, Missouri

* Heard a report regarding testing of baseball bats from Theodore A. Breidenthal, staff liaison to the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee, and John Black, NCAA legal counsel.

* Heard a report about the NCAA's Injury Surveillance System from Randall W. Dick, NCAA assistant director of sports sciences.