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1. Chilton Manuals
2. Ncaa Softball Rule Changes 2019
3. Ncaa Softball Umpire Mechanics Manual The Universal Jeep 2017

.Softball is a game similar to played with a larger ball (11 to 12 in. Circumference) on a field that has base lengths of 60 feet, a pitcher's mound that ranges from 35–43 feet away from homeplate, and a homerun fence that is 220 feet away from home plate. It was invented in 1887 in, as an indoor game. The game moves at a faster pace than traditional baseball.

There is less time for the base runner to get to first while the opponent fields the ball; yet, the fielder has less time to field the ball while the opponent is running down to first base. The name 'softball' was given to the game in 1932, because the ball used to be soft; however, in modern-day usage, the balls are hard.A tournament held in 1933 at the spurred interest in the game. The (ASA) of America (founded 1933) governs the game in the United States and sponsors annual sectional and World Series championships.

The (WBSC) regulates rules of play in more than 110 countries, including the United States and Canada; before the WBSC was formed in 2013, the filled this role. Women's fast pitch softball became a in 1996, but it and baseball were dropped from the 2012 program; they are to be reinstated in 2020.There are three types of softball. In the most common type, slow-pitch softball, the ball, which can measure either 11 inches, for a women's league, or 12 inches, for a men's league, in circumference, must arch on its path to the batter, and there are 10 players on the field at once. In, the pitch is fast, there are nine players on the field at one time, and while and are permitted, leading off is not. Fast pitch being the most common in some states, such as Virginia, where fast pitch is the most common type of softball in high schools across the state. The Olympics features women's fast pitch softball.

Modified softball restricts the 'windmill' wind-up usually used by fast pitch, although the pitcher is allowed to throw as hard as possible with the restricted back swing. Softball rules vary somewhat from those of baseball. Two major differences are that the ball must be pitched underhand—from 46 ft (14 m) for men or 43 ft (13.1 m) for women as compared with 60.5 ft (18.4 m) in baseball—and that seven innings instead of nine constitute a regulation game.Despite the name, the used in softball is not soft, unless using a practice indoor softball. It is about 12 in (about 30 cm) in circumference (11 or 12 in for slow-pitch), which is 3 in (8 cm) larger than a. Softball recreational leagues for children use 11-inch balls until they participate in travel ball around age 12 and adjust to a 12-inch sized ball.

The infield in softball is smaller than on an adult or high school but identical to that used by; each base is 60 ft (18 m) from the next, as opposed to baseball's 90 ft (27 m). In fast pitch softball the entire infield is dirt, whereas the infield in baseball is grass except at the bases and on the pitcher's mound which are dirt. Softball mounds are also flat, while baseball mounds are a small hill. Softballs are pitched underhand, but baseballs are pitched overhand. This changes the arc of the ball when approaching the plate.

For example, depending if the pitcher pitches a fastball, in softball the ball would most likely rise while in baseball because the pitcher is on a hill, the ball would drop. Indoor baseball player, 1907The earliest known softball game was played in, Illinois on Day, 1887.

It took place at the Farragut Boat Club at a gathering to hear the outcome of the and game. When the score was announced and bets were settled, a Yale alumnus threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter.

The Harvard fan grabbed a stick and swung at the rolled up glove. George Hancock, a reporter there, called out 'Play ball!' And the game began, with the boxing glove tightened into a ball, a broom handle serving as a bat. This first contest ended with a score of 41–40. The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded.is credited as the game's inventor for his development of a 17' ball and an undersized bat in the next week. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders.

Envisioned as a way for players to maintain their skills during the winter, the sport was called 'Indoor Baseball'. Under the name of 'Indoor-Outdoor', the game moved outside in the next year, and the first rules were published in 1889.In 1895 Lewis Rober, Sr. Of organized outdoor games as exercise for; this game was known as kitten ball (after the first team to play it), lemon ball, or diamond ball.

Rober's version of the game used a ball 12 inches (30 cm) in circumference, rather than the 16-inch (41 cm) ball used by the Farragut club, and eventually the Minneapolis ball prevailed, although the dimensions of the Minneapolis diamond were passed over in favor of the dimensions of the Chicago one. Rober may not have been familiar with the Farragut Club rules. In Minneapolis, Rober's post from 1896 to 1906, was listed on the in part for its association with the sport's development. The first softball league outside the United States was organized in in 1897.The name 'softball' dates back to 1926. The name was coined by Walter Hakanson of the at a meeting of the National Recreation Congress. (In addition to 'indoor baseball', 'kitten ball', and 'diamond ball', names for the game included 'mush ball', and 'pumpkin ball'.

) The name softball had spread across the United States by 1930. By the 1930s, similar sports with different rules and names were being played all over the United States and Canada.

By 1936, the Joint Rules Committee on Softball had standardized the rules and naming throughout the United States., also sometimes referred to as 'mush ball' or 'super-slow pitch' (although the ball is not soft at all), is a direct descendant of Hancock's original game. Defensive players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves. Sixteen-inch softball is played extensively in Chicago, where devotees such as the late consider it the 'real' game, and New Orleans. In New Orleans, sixteen-inch softball is called 'Cabbage Ball' and is a popular team sport in area elementary and high schools.By the 1940s, fastpitch began to dominate the game. Although slow pitch was present at the, the main course of action taken was to lengthen the pitching distance. Slow pitch achieved formal recognition in 1953 when it was added to the program of the, and within a decade had surpassed fastpitch in popularity.The first British women's softball league was established in 1953.In 1991, women's fastpitch softball was selected to debut at the. The 1996 Olympics also marked a key era in the introduction of technology in softball.

The IOC funded a landmark biomechanical study on pitching during the games.In 2002, sixteen-inch slow pitch was written out of the ISF official rules, although it is still played extensively in the United States under, or ASA rules.The of the, held in in July 2005, voted to drop softball and as for the, but will be back in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.Other sanctioning bodies of softball are AAU, NSA, PONY, ISC, Triple Crown and ISA.Overview Fast pitch softball is played between two teams on a large field, with nine players from one team on the field at a time. Slow-pitch softball is played with ten fielders. The field is usually composed of a dirt or brick-dust that contains the quadrilateral shape, and running areas, of a diamond, and a grass. However, the field can consist of other solid and dry surfaces such as artificial turf or asphalt.

There are four on the infield (, and ); the bases are arranged in a square and are typically 45 to 65 feet (14 to 20 m) apart. Near the center of this square is the, and within the circle is the 'rubber', a small flat rectangular piece of rubber about a foot and a half in length. The rubber can be 40 or 43 feet away from home plate, depending on age level and the league one is playing in.The object of the game is to score more (points) than the other team by (hitting) a ball into play and running around the bases, touching each one in succession. The ball is a sphere of light material, covered with leather or synthetic material.

It is 10 to 12 inches (25–30 cm) (or, rarely, 16 in or 41 cm ) in circumference. The game is officiated by one or more neutral. Players and umpires are generally free to ask for a brief stoppage at any time when the ball is not in play (called a time out), or immediately following a play once its outcome is clear.The game is played in usually seven. Each inning is divided into a, in which the away team bats and tries to score runs, while the home team occupies the field and tries to record three; then a, when the teams' roles are reversed.

Some leagues play with a reduced number of innings or with a time limit, rather than the traditional seven innings.To start play, the offense sends a to. The must be fixed at the start of the game, and players may not bat out of turn. The defense's stands atop the rubber and throws (') the ball towards home plate using an underhanded motion.

In slow-pitch, the pitcher must have both feet in contact with the pitching rubber at all times. In fastpitch, the pitcher is allowed to take one step back prior to releasing the ball during the forward movement.

The batter attempts to hit the pitched ball with a, a long, round, smooth stick made of,. If the pitcher throws three against a batter, then the batter is out and the next batter in the order comes up to bat. A strike is recorded any time a batter swings at and misses a pitch or when a batter hits a ball (out of play).

A strike is also recorded any time the batter does not swing at a that crosses home plate within an area known as the. To be within the strike zone, the pitch must cross over home plate, and as it crosses it must be above the knees and slightly below the shoulders (roughly the armpit or the shirt logo). The strike zone therefore varies from batter to batter. A pitch outside the strike zone is a.

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If the batter reaches four balls, the batter is awarded the first base in what is known as a 'walk'. The umpire behind home plate is the sole arbiter of balls and strikes. A foul ball may or may not result in a strikeout dependent upon what association and local league rules. However, a foul ball does result in a strikeout.

In some associations and leagues, bunting is not allowed and results in an out. Also, if a player has two strikes, swinging and partially hitting the ball can result in an out if the catcher manages to catch the tipped ball.The batter attempts to swing the bat and hit the ball (into the field of play). After a successful hit the batter becomes a (or ) and must run to first base. The defense attempts to the ball and may throw the ball freely between players, so one player can field the ball while another moves to a position to put out the runner.

The defense can the runner, by touching the runner with the ball while the runner is not on a base. The defense can also touch first base while in possession of the ball; in this case it is sufficient to beat the batter to first base and an actual tag of the batter is unnecessary. A runner is said to be 'thrown out' when the play involves two or more defensive players. Runners generally cannot be put out when touching a base, but only one runner may occupy a base at any time and runners may not pass each other. When a ball is batted into play, runners generally must attempt to advance if there are no open bases behind them; for example, a runner on first base must run to second base if the batter puts the ball in play.

In such a situation, the defense can throw to the base that the lead runner is attempting to take (a ), and the defense can then also throw to the previous base. This can result in a multiple-out play: a is two outs, while a, a very rare occurrence, is three outs.

Runners with an open base behind them are not forced to advance and do so at their own risk; the defense must tag such runners directly to put them out rather than tagging the base.A ball hit in the air and caught before hitting the ground, in fair or foul territory, puts the batter out. A fly ball is a ball hit high and deep, a is a ball hit high but short, and a is a ball hit close to the horizontal. After the catch, runners must return to their original bases; if the defense throws the ball to that base before the runner returns, the runner is out as well, resulting in a double play. A runner who remains on the base until the ball is touched, or returns to the base after the catch, may try to advance to the next base, at the risk of being tagged out between bases. As in baseball, the applies in some game situations to prevent the defense from recording multiple force outs by deliberately dropping an easy catch.Offensive strategy is mostly just to hit the ball skillfully to let the batter reach base and advance other runners around the bases to score runs.

The count of balls and strikes indicates how aggressive the batter should be. The offense may try to, with the batter deliberately making an out in order to advance runners. Defensive strategy is more complex, as particular situations (number of outs and positions of base-runners) and particular batters call for different positioning of fielders and different tactical decisions.

The defense may decide to allow a run if it can achieve one or multiple outs.Playing field. Diagram of a softball diamondThe playing field is divided into 'fair territory' and 'foul territory'. Fair territory is further divided into the 'infield', and the 'outfield', and the territory beyond the outfield fence.The field is defined by 'foul lines' that meet at a right angle at 'home plate'. The minimum length of the baselines varies classification of play (see below for official measurements). A fence running between the baselines defines the limits of the field; distance from home plate to the fence varies by field.Behind home plate is a 'backstop'.

It must be between 25 and 30 feet (7.62 and 9.14 meters) behind home plate depending on the type of division that is playing.' Home Plate' is one corner of a diamond with 'bases' at each corner. The bases other than home plate are 15 in (38 cm) square, of canvas or a similar material, and not more than 5 in (13 cm) thick. The bases are usually securely fastened to the ground. The bases are numbered counter clockwise as first base, second base, and third base. Often, but not always, outside first base (that is, in foul territory) and adjacent and connected to it, there is a contrast-colored 'double base' or 'safety base'.

It is intended to prevent collisions between the first baseman and the runner. The runner runs for the foul portion of the double base after hitting the ball while the fielding team tries to throw the ball to the regular first base before the runner reaches the safety base. However, not all softball diamonds have these safety bases and they are much more common in women's softball than in men's. The double base is required in.The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders (see below) normally play.

The outfield is the remaining space between the baselines and between the outfield fence and the infield. The infield is usually 'skinned' (dirt), while the outfield has grass in regulation competitions.Near the center of the diamond is the pitching plate. In fastpitch, a skinned circle 16 feet (4.88 meters) in diameter known as the pitching circle is around the pitching plate.A field is officially required to have a warning track between 15 and 12 feet (5 and 4 meters) from the outfield fence. However, if the game is being played on a field larger than required, no warning track is required before the temporary outfield fencing.Located in foul territory outside both baselines are two 'Coach's Boxes'. Each box is behind a line 15 feet (5 meters) long located 12 feet (3 meters) from each baseline.Official baseline dimensions Fast pitchSlow pitchWheelchair60 feet (18.29 m)70 feet (21.34 m) or 65 feet (19.81 m) or more depending on the association and level of play50 feet (15.24 m)Fastpitch pitching distances College and adult. The plate umpire often uses an indicator (sometimes called a clicker or counter) to keep track of the gameDecisions about plays are made by, similar to a in. The number of umpires on a given game can range from a minimum of one to a maximum of seven.

There is never more than one 'plate umpire'; there can be up to three 'base umpires', and up to a further three umpires positioned in the outfield. Most fastpitch games use a crew of two umpires (one plate umpire, one base umpire).Official umpires are often nicknamed 'blue', because of their uniforms – in many jurisdictions, most significantly ISF, NCAA and ASA games, umpires wear navy blue slacks, a light powder blue shirt, and a navy baseball cap. Some umpires wear a variant of the uniform: some umpires in ASA wear heather gray slacks and may also wear a navy blue shirt; umpires from the wear red shirts with grey slacks; (NSA) umpires wear an official NSA white-colored umpire shirt with black pants or black shorts; NSA fastpitch umpires wear the white NSA umpires shirt and heather gray slacks.Decisions are usually indicated by both the use of hand signals, and by vocalizing the call. Safe calls are made by signaling with flat hands facing down moving away from each other, and a verbal call of 'safe'.

Out calls are made by raising the right hand in a clenched fist, with a verbal call of 'out'. Strikes are called by the plate umpire, who uses the same motion as the out call with a verbal call of 'strike'. Balls are only called verbally, with no hand gesture.

The umpire also has the option of not saying anything on a ball. It is understood that when he stands up, the pitch was not a strike. Are called by extending both arms up in the air with a verbal call of 'foul ball', while fair balls are indicated only by pointing towards fair territory with no verbal call. No signal is given for balls that are obviously foul and for closer calls that are not borderline; a mere acknowledgement signal is given.All decisions made by the umpire(s) are considered to be final.

Only decisions where a rule might have been misinterpreted are considered to be protestable. At some tournaments there might be a rules interpreter or Tournament Chief Umpire (TCU) (also known as the Umpire In Chief, or UIC) available to pass judgment on such protests, but it is usually up to the league or association involved to decide if the protest would be upheld.

Protests are never allowed on what are considered 'judgment calls' – balls, strikes, and fouls.Gameplay A softball game can last anywhere from 3 to 7 innings, or 1–2 hours depending on the league, rules, and type of softball; however 7 innings is the most common. In each inning, each team bats until three batters have been put out (see below). The teams take turns batting.

Officially, which team bats first is decided by a coin toss, although a league may decide otherwise at its discretion. The most common rule is that the home team bats second. Batting second is also called 'last at-bat'. Many softball players prefer to bat second because they feel they have more control in the last inning, since they have the last at-bat.In the event of a tie, extra innings are usually played until the tie is broken except in certain tournaments and championships. If the home team is leading and the road team has just finished its half of the seventh inning, the game ends because it is not necessary for the home team to bat again.In all forms of softball, the defensive team is the fielding team; the offensive team is at bat or batting and is trying to score runs.Pitching. Fastpitch pitcher pitching the ball in the 'windmill' motionPlay often, but not always, begins with the umpire saying 'Play Ball'.

After the batter is ready and all fielders (except the catcher) are in fair territory at their respective positions, the pitcher stands at the pitching plate and attempts to throw the ball past the batter to the catcher behind home plate. The throw, or pitch, must be made with an underarm motion: the ball must be released below the hip when the hand is no farther from the hip than the elbow to get it in the strike zone.For fastpitch softball, the traditional pitching style is a 'windmill' motion, extending the arm over the body and releasing the ball at about hip level at maximum speeds. Strength acquired in the underhand windmill motion is based from the open to close hip motion. Without correct form and hip movement, pitches can be inaccurate and can lose strength and speed. In girls' fastpitch, 12u up to 18u level can throw between 30 mph and 65 mph, or more.

Speed is not always the most important factor in fastpitch softball. Pitchers can throw balls that curve inwards (screwball) and outwards (curveball) on right-handed batters.

Curves may be thrown on the outside or off of the plate or inside off the plate moving into the strikezone. There are also riseballs that break upwards frequently starting in the strikezone and ending above it. Riseballs may be thrown low in the zone and move higher in the zone or even below the zone and move into it. Drop balls and drop curves (to cause the batter to miss or hit groundballs; this is important at the higher levels where strikeouts occur less often). The other common pitches are change-up and fastballs. A change of pace (off-speed) is also very important, good pitchers will be able to throw all their pitches at varying speeds and possibly even different pitching motions. Pitchers use deception as a primary tactic for getting batters out as the reaction times are approximately half a second or less.The pitcher throws the ball in or around the 'strike zone'.

Ncaa Softball Rule Changes 2019

However, in advanced play pitcher and catcher play a psychological game trying to get the batter to guess where the next pitch is going and if it will be a strike. In other instances, such as when an extremely powerful hitter comes up to bat and they are followed by a weaker hitter, a pitcher may deliberately walk the first batter based on the calculation that the next batter will be an easy out.

The strike zone is slightly different in different forms of softball. A pitch that passes through that zone is a 'strike'. A pitch that the batter swings at is also a strike, as is any hit ball that lands in foul territory.A pitch which is not a strike and which the batter does not swing at is known as a 'ball'. The number of balls and strikes is called the 'count'. The number of balls is always given first, as 2 and 1, 2 and 2, and so on. A count of 3 and 2 is a 'full count', since the next ball or strike will end the batter's turn at the plate, unless the ball goes foul.There is also an illegal form of pitching known as 'crow-hopping'. A 'crow hop' occurs when the pitcher pushes with the pivot foot from somewhere other than the pitching plate.

This often involves jumping from the pitching plate and replanting somewhere in front of the pitching plate. The umpire sticks his left arm out straight to the side and clenches his fist. This results in a ball being awarded to the batter, and any runners on base advancing to the next base. If the batter swings at the pitch that is deemed illegal and puts the ball in play, the defense is given the option to accept the results of the play or accept the penalty listed previously. Image to the right demonstrates a legal pitch as the push-off foot has not left the ground. The ball must be released simultaneously with the lead leg step.In fastpitch softball, there are various types of pitches.

Some are: the fastball, changeup, dropball, riseball, screwball, curveball, dropcurve, dropchange. The target used in slowpitch softball.

A pitched ball must hit either the base or the black carpet behind it to count as a strikeIn 16-inch softball, as well as a number of varieties of slow pitch, the pitch is lobbed so that the ball rises above the batter's head and lands on either the plate itself or a small rectangular area on the ground behind the plate. (These restrictions make it much easier to put the ball into play and extremely difficult to use pitching as a defensive strategy, as the physics of limit how fast a ball can be thrown under such conditions and still be called a strike to a speed much slower than a traditionally thrown ball.) Umpires will make calls based on where the ball lands behind the plate. A pitch in 'the well' (pictured) is considered a perfect pitch. In other varieties of slow pitch (sometimes known as 'modified'), the only restriction is that the windmill cannot be used; thus the pitching arm cannot be raised above the shoulder and both the wind-up and the release must be underhand, still allowing for moderate speed and control in pitching.At higher levels of play, pitchers aim for the inner and outer corners of the plate when throwing fastballs and moving pitches. Pitchers also vary the location of the pitch by height to make hitting the ball even harder for the individual up at bat. Similarly, both the dropball and the riseball are pitches that change heights. To the batter, the dropball appears to be coming in level but then as the ball reaches the plate, the pitch drops, trying to force the batter to hit the top of the ball.

This should result in the batter missing or hitting a groundball. When pitchers throw riseballs, batters see the ball coming in straight, but as the ball approaches the plate, it rises. Frequently the purpose of the riseball is to have the batter attempt to chase a ball which ends up out of the strikezone and is either missed entirely or hit as an easy pop-fly. Another pitch that breaks at the last minute is the curveball. When pitchers throw curveballs they snap their wrist and follow their arm across their body, making the ball curve to the outside of the plate. There is also something called the inside curve where ball start off the plate on the inside and curves into the strikezone. The inside curve is frequently thrown at the batters hands so as to jam them forcing a foul hit.

Pitchers can also make the ball curve or screw to the inside of the plate. The one pitch that drastically changes speed is the changeup, disrupting the batter's timing. Pitchers also throw knuckle balls which are generally slower and move erratically.Fastpitch pitches may reach high speeds; At the one pitch reached 73.3 miles per hour (118 kilometers per hour). Male pitching can reach speeds around 85 miles per hour (137 kilometers per hour). To compare, MLB players average around 90 mph but can reach speeds up to 100 mph.

A batter swings at a pitchThe offensive team sends one 'batter' at a time to home plate to use the bat to try to hit the pitch forward into fair territory. The order the players bat in, known as the 'batting order', must stay the same throughout the game. Substitutes and replacements must bat in the same position as the player they are replacing. In co-ed, male and female batters must alternate.The batter stands facing the pitcher inside a 'batter's box' (there is one on each side of the plate to compensate for either right or left handed batters). The bat is held with both hands, over the shoulder, and away from the pitcher (90 degree angle).

The ball is usually hit with a full swinging motion in which the bat may move through more than 360 degrees. The batter usually steps forward with the front foot, the body weight shifts forward, as the batter simultaneously swings the bat. A is another form of batting.

There are different types, including a,. There is also regular slapping in which a batter takes position on the left side of the plate and usually stands in the back of the box, but it is possible form anywhere. The batter takes a step back with their leading foot as the pitcher is in the middle of the windup, crosses over with their back foot and runs toward first base while they swing. There are many different types of slapping and they all vary depending on the batter and their strengths. There are half swing slaps, fake slaps, and full swing slaps. Each type of slap has a different purpose or goal.

No matter what way the batter hits the ball, they must be inside the batter's box when the bat makes contact with the ball. If the batter steps out of the box while swinging, the batter is out.Once the ball is hit into fair territory the runner must try to advance to first base or beyond.

While running to first base, the batter is a 'batter-runner'. When she safely reaches first (see below) she becomes a 'base-runner' or 'runner'.A batted ball hit high in the air is a 'fly ball'. A fly ball hit upward at an angle greater than 45 degrees is a 'pop fly'. A batted ball driven in the air through the infield at a height at which an infielder could play it if in the right position is a 'line drive'. A batted ball which hits the ground within the diamond is a 'ground ball'. If a batted ball hits a player or a base, it is considered to have hit the ground.A batter can also advance to first if hit by the pitch.

If a batter is hit by the pitch it is a dead ball and she is rewarded first base. She must make an attempt to get out of the way and it is the umpire's judgmental call whether the batter attempted to move. If he feels the batter could have moved and avoided getting hit he or she will not reward the batter first base and the pitch will be recorded as a ball.Getting the batter out. The softball team gets a strikeout against to end the game, February 15, 2008.The batter is out if: three strikes are called (a 'strikeout'); a ball hit by the batter is caught before touching the ground (a 'flyout'); the batter goes to a base that is already tagged ('tagged' or 'tag play'); a fielder holding the ball touches a base which is the only base towards which the batter may run before the batter arrives there (a 'force out' or 'force play'); or in certain special circumstances. There is also a not so common occurrence when the batter has 2 strikes and swings at strike three. If the catcher doesn't catch the ball, the batter has the chance to run to first base and the catcher can throw the batter out at first base.Advancing around the bases. Main article:Softball is played in all states and territories in Australia and at all levels of academic education.

The game is widely promoted to maintain, health, personal achievements and pleasure. Australia has excellent softball teams which are a reflection of its coaching, education and training system. Japan Japan has had a long tradition of softball which is played at all levels in the country. Many high schools and colleges have sports programs which include softball. Like baseball, softball in Japan is intensely competitive. Japan's win over the United States at the 2008 Olympics reflects the advanced level of play in this country.China Since the silver medal at the, the Chinese have now made softball a priority at all levels. The game is played in most schools and with a 1.3 billion population; the number of great players is turning out to be a boon for China.

The Chinese have frequently toured the US and have now similar caliber coaching and training programs.Europe Softball is played in almost every country in Europe, mainly fastpitch. Every two years an open women's is held with over twenty nationals teams. Italy and Netherlands are the best nations, and both have an almost professional championship where athletes from the US, Australia and China play. In the men's division eight to ten national teams compete for the, with the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Denmark leading the way.United States. 2014 Championship SeriesIt is estimated that 14.62 million Americans played at least one game of softball during the spring of 2015. It is played by men and women both recreationally and competitively.Softball is played, at some level, in over a hundred countries around the world.

The International Softball Federation has 113 member countries (excluding dependent territories).In many US cities, adult softball teams are organized by bars and clubs, hence the popular term ' softball'. The teams can be men's, women's or co-ed, and skill levels can range from novice to elite, with league composition reflecting that. These leagues are typically either slow-pitch or modified.

Competitive for girls is growing increasingly popular. All over the US, there are thousands of teams that compete year-round at tournaments. During most of these tournaments the biggest goal is not winning the tournament, but attempting to get as many college coaches as possible to observe (a) particular player or players. Competitive teams are now beginning around eight years old, if not younger. Depending on the team they can travel all over the United States or even out of the country such as to Canada, the summer and fall for many weeks and days at a time. There are many different sanctioning bodies of softball:, ASA, ISA, NSA, WSL, USFA, Triple Crown and SASL just to name a few.

One of the biggest is the, also known as ASA. It is known as the national governing body of softball, was established in 1933 and has over 240,000 teams. The, founded in 1968 as the United States Slo-Pitch Softball Association, but renamed in 1997 to the United States Specialty Sports Association, is the only association that still has a men's major slow-pitch program alive. Currently, the USSSA program is run out of Viera, FL. The United States also has a competitive women's softball team that competes in international tournaments. They represented the US each time at the Olympics until softball was removed from the Olympics.The USA Softball Men's Fast Pitch National Team has won five World Championships (1966, 1968, 1976, 1980 and 1988) and three other medals. In the Pan-American Games, Team USA has made the finals in all seven appearances at the Games when Men's Fast Pitch was played.

See also. Retrieved 2020-01-23. Slow PItch Bat Center.

Retrieved 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2020-01-23.

^ (PDF). Retrieved 2017-01-28. 'softball.'

The Columbia Encyclopedia. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008. Credo Reference. 21 September 2012. Maag, Al. Archived from on March 27, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-12.

16' Softball History – Chicago's Game. ^. Archived from on December 12, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-31., 'Wait Til Next Year' display.

Archived from on January 9, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2009. ^ David Levinson & Karen Christensen, ed. Encyclopedia of World Sports. London &: Oxford University Press.

Pp. 371–73. Mack, Robert C. National Park Service. Retrieved 2014-11-29. Cite journal requires journal=. ^ Inventions and Discoveries 1993. Facts on File.

Retrieved 2010-06-12. Newman, Craig. Archived from on 2010-05-02. Retrieved 2010-06-12. Singapore National Olympic Council. Archived from on 2008-07-25.

Retrieved 2008-08-24. Austen, Jacob (2005). Archived from on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2007-10-12.

^ International Softball Federation Playing Rules Committee. International Softball Federation. Archived from (Adobe Acrobat (pdf)) on February 18, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-19. Herman, Al.

Retrieved 2012-06-01. Rules of Baseball. Objectives of the Game: Major League Baseball Enterprises. 1998. Wynne, Sharon Kennedy (2005-07-27). Petersburg Times.

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Ncaa Softball Umpire Mechanics Manual The Universal Jeep 2017

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