Be very careful with what bats you bring. Had a team that tested their bats, including one of the "suspended" Suncoasts, gets their stickers and goes to play their first game. Other team protests it as being an illegal bat, end up with the batter and manager being ejected. The fact that the directors literally looked at the bat 30 minutes previously didn't matter. It's on the players and managers to know what is legal.
Assuming they follow the same setup as they did last weekend. They are testing everything before your first game, put a sticker on it and give it back. You are allowed to test up to 25 to get 20 to pass. If you make the top whatever, for D and E it was 16, they retest and keep the bats in the bucket the rest of the tournament.
Or is there no standard at all for senior? I've spent the last five years avoiding all aspects of senior ball, I don't want to do it.
I can't believe 40+ is senior bats. When I turned 40 i was told only 50+.
I might have to see if we have a 40+ lower team next year. I don't think we do.
Bats made for avg dudes in their 60's being swung by meat heads in their 40's resulted in a bombfest you say?
Been saying this for years about how dumb that concept is.....but it has grown the 40's program and they're making big money as a result so it is here to stay.
HardCores in Viera at all is too much ball, add in 220s and 300 foot fences and it's just stupid. The entire point of the HardCore was to be used on larger fields. The only place I think they were used for Conference last year was Myrtle where all the fences are 325 and then B, A and AA Worlds on the 325 fields.It's pretty dumb, especially since they used hard cores. The whole tourny was pretty much a bomb fest. Dozens of balls were floating in the lakes before long.
I brought a few decent 220 bats, and they were more than adequate.
Who was using a screen? I saw some challenge cup clips with a screen for the pitcher.
HardCores in Viera at all is too much ball, add in 220s and 300 foot fences and it's just stupid. The entire point of the HardCore was to be used on larger fields. The only place I think they were used for Conference last year was Myrtle where all the fences are 325 and then B, A and AA Worlds on the 325 fields.
I think we can all get behind senior should never use anything other than Classic+. No stadiums, no Pros, not even ClassicM.A lot of teams used it. Mine did. I actually didn't mind it. Allowed the pitcher to focus on pitching without having to fear for his life.
Using hard cores w/ senior bats you pretty much need a screen. That's a lethal combo.
I think we can all get behind senior should never use anything other than Classic+. No stadiums, no Pros, not even ClassicM.
That is for the people that didn't see pitchers dressing like goalies as the writing on the wall.The fact that the idea of using a screen is in anyone's mind should be the writing on the wall that something is severely wrong! It is no longer softball at that point. Just have a HR derby or hitting skill contest at this point so no fielders are in jeopardy. Stupid!!!! Glad I am aging out of this nonsense.......almost.
If it's an option, I'd prefer it be mandated with rules. I've seen people use posturing to try and guilt people out of if using it, people trying to set it aside to use as an extra fielder,etc. I've had my team ask me but to use it before, like what do you care? You're not pitching. They said, but you've got a helmet. And? We have three tournament players and the rest are from the worst league you could imagine, let me use it and have a few beers. Softball had never been less serious for me than at that moment lol.A lot of teams used it. Mine did. I actually didn't mind it. Allowed the pitcher to focus on pitching without having to fear for his life.
Using hard cores w/ senior bats you pretty much need a screen. That's a lethal combo.
If it's an option, I'd prefer it be mandated with rules. I've seen people use posturing to try and guilt people out of if using it, people trying to set it aside to use as an extra fielder,etc. I've had my team ask me but to use it before, like what do you care? You're not pitching. They said, but you've got a helmet. And? We have three tournament players and the rest are from the worst league you could imagine, let me use it and have a few beers. Softball had never been less serious for me than at that moment lol.
I'm fine with screens for some things, but they should never be an option. Either require them or don't, optional just causes more problems imo.
I think at some point all softball will have pitching nets. It sounds lame (because it is), but that's where we're at with the ridiculous bats and balls.
This is exactly what has been happening for 21 years. League guys don't want to have to wear helmets to pitch either now, they just have no choice. And they haven't had a choice for about ten years.I am wondering if this will start to hurt things at the lower level. The rec leagues already struggle with participation. Most guys who play once a week aren't going to want to gear up to play pitcher. A simple mask always used to be good enough with reasonable balls and bats that needed to be broken in but weren't being used for BP.
The current bat and ball setup is going to lead to more injuries. League participation will go down and you are probably correct that the solution will be to add screens and not change the bats or balls. Unfortunately that will not be enough to solve the participation issue. Then USSSA will do what they always do, make the bats or balls hotter to try to increase offense in an attempt to make more people want to play. At that point it might as well be a homerun derby with no equipment restrictions.
This is exactly what has been happening for 21 years. League guys don't want to have to wear helmets to pitch either now, they just have no choice. And they haven't had a choice for about ten years.
Valdosta started using screens for leagues around 2012 because so many pitchers were getting drilled and quitting. When I moved there they were using almost all 8 fields four nights a week. When I left winter league had been cancelled, womens was down to one league, church down to one, and men down to just two leagues. We had coed in fall the previous year because they didn't get enough women for their fall league.